Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 84442 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 422(@200wpm)___ 338(@250wpm)___ 281(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 84442 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 422(@200wpm)___ 338(@250wpm)___ 281(@300wpm)
Sure, that’s the type I go for when I pick women up at the club, and it doesn’t surprise me that Thomas took notice. They were fine for a night—predictable and easy. But I didn’t like them and had no desire to keep them for more than a few hours. My interest has narrowed down since I first saw Riley, and it includes no one but her now that I’m finally getting close to calling her my own.
My obsession won’t let me look anywhere else.
I won’t stop until I can completely ruin her innocence in every possible way.
“Don’t worry about catering to me,” I say, brushing him off. “I’ll be there if I feel like it.”
A spark of interest lights in Thomas’s bright blue eyes, his gaze raking over me curiously as he tilts his head to the side. I don’t let myself stiffen at the way he studies me, no matter how much I hate it.
“Nicholas D’Amico, you’re an awful liar.”
I’m not, and he knows I’m not. He’s just too goddamn good at reading me after knowing me for our entire lives.
“Who’s the lucky lady?” he asks, leaning forward in excitement as he puts his glass down on the coffee table.
I swear he could live off gossip. I arch a brow and take a slow sip of my drink, polishing off the glass. “That’s none of your business.”
There’s no use lying. It’ll only make him push even harder, but I’m not going to give him any information on her. At least not anytime soon.
I’m taking baby steps closer to her, but she’s not mine yet. Until she belongs entirely to me, I have no intention of telling anyone about her. I’m taking things slow for once, being patient, and the rest of the world is going to have to do the same. The last thing I’m willing to let happen is for someone else to try and come in to take what’s mine.
I wouldn’t put it past someone trying.
“You’ll meet her when I decide she’s ready,” I say to fend off Thomas’s slew of questions before they begin.
It does nothing to curb his curiosity, and he keeps his gaze steady on me.
“When she’s ready,” he repeats thoughtfully. “Not part of the kink scene, then. Does she know about your lifestyle?”
God, he’s annoyingly perceptive.
“She will soon enough. I’m introducing her to things slowly.” I keep the information I offer to a bare minimum, but I can’t help the note of pride that sneaks into my voice. “She’s a quick learner. A natural even over text.”
I can’t wait to see just how far that natural instinct goes when she’s on her knees for me properly. She’s going to be perfect for me; of that I have no doubt.
“Over text?” Thomas asks, his brows hiking up toward his hairline. “Don’t tell me you met her on a dating app.”
I chuckle at the thought, shaking my head. “Of course not. I’m not telling you where we met so don’t bother asking.”
Thomas’s face splits into a wide grin and he immediately asks, “Where’d you two meet?”
I blink at him, unimpressed with his sarcasm, and he leans back against the couch as he laughs, loud and boisterous. The fact that he’s still prying after I made it clear that I wasn’t going to tell him anything is rather annoying, but I’m not surprised.
It’s just who he is. A nosy busybody… but essentially my best friend.
“Fine, take all my fun,” he says with a fake pout. “Texting isn’t like you, though. Have you even fucked her yet?”
I wrinkle my nose at his bluntness, although it’s a question I wouldn’t hesitate to answer if she were anyone else. When it comes to Riley, the possessive part of me wants to keep everything about her to myself and hide her away from the world entirely.
I want even just the thought of her to belong to me.
“I’ve gotten a taste.”
The memory of that Halloween party after she officially got hired will forever be seared into my mind. She was so sweet for me, hot and wet and tight around my fingers, making the prettiest little noises against my lips as I made her come for me.
I’ve craved it ever since.
“So what—”
“Stop fishing,” I say, sharp and unamused. “I’m not giving you any more hints.”
Thomas laughs at my insistence, but he knows I’m done playing along for now. He holds his hands up innocently in a gesture of surrender.
“Alright, don’t bite my head off, I’ll behave.” He leans forward and picks his half-full glass up, raising it toward me. “To you. I look forward to meeting Miss Mystery.”
CHAPTER 10
RILEY
Ican’t remember the last time a workweek was so easy.
Even with the added stress of my new responsibilities, it felt like today breezed by. I feel a little bit like I belong there. I had plenty of time between meetings with the different project teams to get my work done, and my meeting with Nick to update him on my weekly progress went smoothly.