Total pages in book: 141
Estimated words: 132657 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 663(@200wpm)___ 531(@250wpm)___ 442(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 132657 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 663(@200wpm)___ 531(@250wpm)___ 442(@300wpm)
“Hey, new friends,” Harlow said and then frowned the guy’s way. “Although he’s not really new since I met him a couple of times when he was literally a baby trying to climb the bookshelves. I think Ruby babysat him at one point.”
“That would likely be one of my younger siblings since I’m not a kid. Ruby’s only a couple of years older than me,” Jasper pointed out.
“Ten. She’s ten years older,” Harlow countered. “Niall, this is the heir to Malone Oil. He’s also barely eighteen years old, so you can stop with the caveman-possessive thing.”
“Well, I would if these cocky assholes would stop showing up looking at you like you’re the last cupcake at the buffet.” He huffed but realized he’d kind of outed them. “But I promise next time I’ll use the word boyfriend.”
He was fumbling, and if he wasn’t careful he was going to lose her. It would be so easy for her to toss them both out, but he had no intention of allowing Jensen’s fuck-up to ruin his relationship with Harlow.
Jasper seemed perfectly non-plussed. “Nah, man. I can play around the word ‘boyfriend,’ but Dom is a term I’m forced to take seriously. It’s a family thing. One of these days they’re going to let me into that Hideout place and I’ll figure it all out myself. I would go to The Club, but I could run into my momma there. Let’s just say there are rooms in our house that me and my siblings know not to enter if we don’t want too much information. Now Ruby made it sound like this was an emergency.”
Harlow nodded. “We need to get to Dallas. How long will it take?”
Jasper shrugged. “Depends. Dallas is a big place. Ruby said something about getting to my Uncle Mike’s building. I’ve done that in less than an hour before.”
“You have a license to fly that thing? Did you steal it?” Niall was still having a hard time with the kid who looked like he should be in high school racing them to Dallas in a small tin can with blades that could kill them.
Jasper grinned. “Buddy, I’ve been flying since I was fourteen. This baby was my birthday present. Let’s say I had some parental encouragement.”
“So your dad is super wealthy and likes to play with toys?” Niall replied as they started to walk toward the chopper.
Jasper snorted. “Nah, my daddy gets air sick if you mention a helo. He can barely handle the corporate jet. My momma took up flying. She would be out here if she wasn’t in London dealing with some kind of business problem. Let me tell you, I prefer flying and working the ranch to dealing with all the oil business stuff. They want me to go to…business school. Hey, girl, you have a fun business going with Ruby. You need a pilot? I come with my own chopper, and I know how to use it, if you know what I mean.”
Harlow picked up the headset on the passenger seat. “I think we’re more a car-driven business, but thanks. And we’re not going to the MT building. We need to go straight to a friend’s apartment building. Do you have a way for me to climb down without you parking this beast?”
Jasper hopped in his seat, and that left Niall on the back bench. He stored their gear and pulled his headset off the side of Harlow’s seat. The minute he put it on, the blades started up, and he could hear Jasper talking over the headset.
“I have a ladder. I can probably put you down on top of a building,” Jasper explained as he pushed buttons and flicked switches. “I mean if the building is big and sound enough. Of course, people tend to freak out if they’re not used to it.”
“Harlow, I know you mean well, but I’m worried. This sounds dangerous,” Niall pointed out. He thought she’d given him the gun as a precaution, but now he realized she meant to use hers. He wasn’t about to lose her to some wild scheme to save Jensen. “We should have that Big Tag guy handle this.”
“Ian’s already informed,” Harlow said, and even over the tinny sound of the headset he could hear how tight her voice was. “But no one can get in touch with Jensen or Jack. Jensen doesn’t have a phone, and Jack turned his off or he’s ignoring us because he doesn’t want to think about what he’s doing. Niall, this is my area of expertise. I’m doing this my way. You’re welcome to come with me or I’ll have Jasper here drop me off and then he can take you to the McKay-Taggart building and I’ll fill you in later.”
Well, he knew when he’d been put in his place. That wasn’t fair. She was right. She was the one who did shit like this on a regular basis. “I’ll come with you. I’m not leaving you.”