Total pages in book: 108
Estimated words: 101764 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 509(@200wpm)___ 407(@250wpm)___ 339(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 101764 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 509(@200wpm)___ 407(@250wpm)___ 339(@300wpm)
Goddammit. He’d won this round.
And we both knew it.
“Fuck off, Ryder.” I turned and stormed out of the staff room to the sound of his victorious laughter. When I reached the hallway, I stopped, bracing a hand against the wall. Air stuttered out of my lungs as I tried to exhale the disturbing past few minutes and give my dick a chance to deflate.
“Are you okay, Alex?” Parker’s sophisticated voice had me straightening.
“Yep. All good.” My voice sounded strained even to myself. Great.
He frowned. “Your table needs refills. They’ve been asking for you.” He tilted his head and studied me. “You don’t usually disappear mid-shift.”
The disapproving tone from my boss was enough to kill any remaining embers of desire. Now I was fucking up at work because of Ryder. Maybe I should take the damn bet and suck him so good he’d explode in five seconds and once again be part of my past instead of my irritating present.
I looked my boss in the eye. The man deserved no less than my utmost respect, even when I wanted to stick my head in a hole and die. “I’m sorry, Parker. I’ll take care of them right now. Won’t happen again.”
“Thank you. See that it doesn’t.”
I scurried away from my boss with the shame of disappointing him flowing behind me like a cape.
For the remainder of my shift, I managed to avoid Ryder while I stewed in hatred and self-recrimination. How could I have been stupid enough to fall for a juvenile stunt like that? Touching himself to destroy my focus, for fuck’s sake.
It sure had worked, though. God must have been having a truly shitty day when he gifted that gorgeous man such a wretched personality.
By the time I arrived home a few hours later, I was tired, horny, and pissed off. My final table’s tip reflected the latter emotion, being a few hundred lower than my average, while Ryder could practically fill a tub with his earnings.
Fucker.
I walked into a quiet house. As usual, the outside and foyer lights had been left on for me. Though I was twenty-three and had been taking care of most household duties for almost a decade, my mother worried and never retired for the night unless she felt confident I wouldn’t return to a dark walkway.
I shut the lights and locked the door behind me before kicking off my shoes. Sometimes, if I didn’t have much homework, I’d watch television until I calmed enough to try sleeping. Wednesdays were a short day of classes, so, as today, I often finished my work before my shift.
Tonight, though, I was too tired to bother with the television, but not sleepy. My mind whirled even as my aching feet and fatigued back begged to be horizontal in my bed.
I padded down the hall toward my mother’s room, where a quick peek revealed her sleeping soundly in her bed. She was a loud sleeper, not quite a snorer, but her breathing reverberated through the room. When I was younger, I hated the sound. She’d fall asleep on the couch and drive me crazy. Now, it gave me comfort, knowing I could easily ensure she breathed well. Though she was no longer a functional ambulator, she managed her wheelchair well in the house and could stand for a few minutes without help. She could also take about four or five shuffling steps, which made all the difference in the world. It allowed her to get from her bed to her wheelchair independently and stand at the sink to complete her morning and evening routines, as well as use the bathroom independently.
Someday, she’d lose the ability to perform those activities. I had no clue what we’d do when that time came and tried not to think about it too deeply. Our little family had adopted the unspoken motto of crossing the bridges when we came to them, and it had worked for us so far, though I wished we had the money and resources to plan a safe and secure future for my mother.
Someday. You’ll get a good job—a real job—and be able to provide what she needs.
I backed out of her room and shut her door without making a sound, then continued down the short hall to my room, which was the last on the right. As I passed Kenny’s room, I glanced in and almost tripped over my own feet. There, alone in his bed, slept none other than my brother.
“Holy shit,” I whispered. It’d been months since I’d come home from work to find Kenny in bed before me, which was crazy given my hours.
This meant I could head to my room and go straight to sleep without worrying about anyone.
“It’s a miracle,” I whispered as I closed Kenny’s door.
When I reached my room, I didn’t bother to turn on the light as I stripped out of my clothes and tossed them somewhere near the hamper. Then I brushed my teeth and emptied my bladder also in the dark. There wasn’t any point in turning on the light only to view my exhausted face in the mirror.