Total pages in book: 145
Estimated words: 133975 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 670(@200wpm)___ 536(@250wpm)___ 447(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 133975 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 670(@200wpm)___ 536(@250wpm)___ 447(@300wpm)
“I’m Blythe Prakenskii, Czar’s wife,” the tallest of the three women identified herself. She had thick, silky blond hair and dark chocolate eyes. “I’ve been trying to get here, but two of the children had a cold. I swear, school is a petri dish.”
“They’re homeschooled, Blythe,” said a woman who was short with great curves, very blue eyes surrounded by long eyelashes, a dimple, and thick honey-colored hair with platinum streaks that appeared to be natural. “I’m Seychelle, Savage’s wife. It’s so nice to know a hair salon will be close. I go to Santa Rosa to get my hair done.”
Lyric, adept at reading energy and body language, felt something was off with Seychelle. She hunched just a little instead of standing straight. When Lyric’s energy brushed hers, there was pain. Physical pain as well as trepidation. That made no sense. Seychelle couldn’t possibly be afraid of her. And why would she be in pain?
“Home school is still a school where the children are all in one room and passing germs back and forth,” Blythe explained. “It’s so exasperating.”
She didn’t sound in the least exasperated. She sounded amused.
“I’m Anya, Reaper’s wife, Seychelle’s sister-in-law. We’ve come to welcome you to Torpedo Ink.” Anya was the epitome of everything Lyric wasn’t, just as Blythe and Seychelle were. Anya had full breasts and rounded hips, with a smaller, tucked-in waist. Her hair was amazing, dark and thick and glossy. She wore a single braid that fell all the way to her bottom. Lyric had to wonder if all the women had the curves she would never have.
“You don’t get to play the sister-in-law card,” Blythe said. “First, we’re sisters because of Torpedo Ink, but more importantly, you and Reaper ran off and got married without telling any of us, so it isn’t legal. You have to make that man marry you in a ceremony with all of us present.”
“Like that will happen,” Anya said. “You’re laboring under the false illusion that I can get Reaper to do something he doesn’t want to do.”
“You do it all the time,” Seychelle said. “He’s a thousand times more accommodating than Savage. Savage has to control every aspect of his life, which means mine as well.”
Lyric knew she shouldn’t be delighted to hear that Seychelle’s man was controlling, but she felt Keys was very controlling and Seychelle seemed to be happy with Savage. That might mean Lyric and Keys had a chance together.
Seychelle appeared a little too pale to her, but since it was the first time she’d met the woman, she had no idea if that was her normal appearance.
“There’s the most wonderful tea shop in Sea Haven,” Blythe said. “Hannah Drake Harrington owns it. It is both a tea shop and a bath and body store. She sells all kinds of bath and body products she makes from the things she grows, so it’s all natural. We’ve come to kidnap you and take you with us to the Floating Hat.”
Lyric froze, a little in shock. In her salon, she was Lyric the stylist. She knew she was really good at what she did. She believed in herself and had all the confidence in the world in that role. She’d also perfected Lyric the stylist’s friendly, outgoing appearance.
“I’d love to come,” she heard herself say before she could panic. “I’ll need to let Keys know where I’m going.” Because she had to breathe. Sometimes it felt like he could provide air, which was just plain silly. “Give me a minute.” She hurried into her back room.
Lyric had never called Keys, and certainly not when he was in an important meeting with the president of his club. She paced back and forth in the smaller facial room. She wanted to go with the women to the tea shop but knew Keys would lose his mind if she didn’t inform him she was leaving the salon. She sighed. There was nothing else for it. She had to call.
Keys answered on the first ring. “Babe, you okay? What’s wrong?”
“Nothing’s wrong. I’m sorry I interrupted your meeting. It’s just that Blythe, Seychelle and Anya are here, and they want me to go with them to the tea shop in Sea Haven. A place called the Floating Hat.”
“Do you want to go?”
She loved that he asked her. Checking on her. Making sure she was okay. “Very much. It’s a chance to get to know people.” Meaning potential clients, but she wasn’t going to say that when they were wives of Torpedo Ink members welcoming her into the fold.
“You’ll have to give me a few minutes, and I’ll give you a ride.”
“They said they have room in the car. You won’t have to leave the meeting.”
There was a small silence. “Who’s driving?”
“Seychelle. She’s so sweet, Keys. She said there is plenty of room.”