Total pages in book: 55
Estimated words: 54899 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 274(@200wpm)___ 220(@250wpm)___ 183(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 54899 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 274(@200wpm)___ 220(@250wpm)___ 183(@300wpm)
“I’m not hungry. I don’t want to lose sight of you again.”
Her admission warms my chest. Instinct tells me to admonish her for neglecting her needs, but I’d so much rather feed her from my own hand while she sits in my lap.
My dick pulses at the thought, and her gaze strays lower.
I’m still naked; I didn’t bother to get dressed before racing after her.
I couldn’t risk her running straight into danger if she left the estate.
We’ll have to address her feelings about the tracker at some point, but she seems distracted by my stiffening cock at the moment.
I’d much rather keep her focus on that.
“If you keep looking at me like that, I’ll have to push you against the wall and fuck you senseless,” I warn.
She shakes her head. “First aid kit. Now.”
I chuckle. That’s my sassy Karolina.
The fact that she cares more about my wellbeing than immediate carnal satisfaction calms the lingering turmoil inside me.
As Bones, she never felt the depth of our connection, despite our filthy conversations.
In person, our bond is so potent that it almost causes me physical pain to prevent myself from burying my shaft inside her wet heat.
And now, she’s no longer afraid of my devotion to her. She understands.
She wants me too. I can wait our whole lives to earn her trust again, to hear her say she loves me. As long as I have her by my side, I can endure anything.
I lift her in my arms and carry her up the stairs. She laughs, but she slaps my chest lightly in rebuke.
“You have a head injury, remember?” she prompts. “You shouldn’t be carrying me.”
My arms tighten around her. “I won’t drop you.”
She rolls those lovely green eyes. “I’m not worried about that. I don’t want you to strain yourself. You’re hurt.” Her voice drops lower. “I hurt you.”
I kiss her forehead. “I scared you. I would never be upset with you for trying to protect yourself. But you never have anything to fear from me. I won’t let anyone harm you.”
She blows out a sigh. “I know you’ll keep me safe, but what you did isn’t okay. You drugged me and put some sort of tracking device in me without my consent. That’s unhinged, Brandon. I’m so relieved you’re alive, but don’t think I’ve forgotten about it.”
I kiss her again, and she doesn’t recoil.
“We can talk about it later. As you said, I’m seriously injured and need medical attention.”
She scoffs. “Oh, now your head wound is a pressing concern? Very convenient timing.”
I grin at her, delighted with her fire. Despite everything that’s happened to her, nothing has crushed her spirit.
“You look kind of maniacal, you know,” she remarks. “You shouldn’t be smiling at me like that when I bludgeoned you and made you bleed.”
“I’m your maniac,” I assure her. “I barely felt your little love tap.”
She rolls her eyes again, but her cheeks flush with pleasure. She likes hearing that I belong to her.
“I knew you were deranged,” she mutters. “I mean, when we were kids, I thought you were just a brooding boy. But this behavior since you entered my life as Bones and Rand is next-level crazy.”
There’s no venom in her words. My grin widens.
She slaps my chest again. I don’t fail to notice that she keeps touching her name where it’s tattooed over my heart.
“I’ve decided to stop pretending I’m sane,” I tease. “I think you like it that you make me crazy.”
She huffs. “You’re infuriating when you smirk at me.”
I chuckle. “You like that, too.”
“You’re more arrogant than you used to be,” she observes. “Has anyone ever told you vanity is an undesirable trait?”
“I’m not vain. I just can’t help feeling like the strongest man in the world when you’re in my arms.”
We enter the ensuite bathroom that’s attached to our bedroom, and I regretfully set her down so I can retrieve the first aid kit from under the sink.
“Take out that contact lens,” she commands. “It’s freaking me out.”
I blink and look in the mirror.
Shit.
She didn’t only recognize me in the woods because of the way I was holding her—like I used to when we were teenagers.
One of my colored contacts was knocked out when she hit me with the clock.
I grimace, but I can’t regret what’s happening between us.
Now that she’s looking at me with full recognition, I never want to hide my true self from her again.
I quickly remove the lens and toss it away.
She’s staring at me with something like awe.
She caresses my cheek, soft fingers tracing the lines of my newly crafted features from the reconstructive surgery.
“It really is you,” she breathes, peering into my eyes.
I press my palm against the back of her hand, trapping her where she’s touching my cheek.
She blinks, but her voice is still breathy when she demands, “Clean that cut and wash the blood off your face. I don’t want you getting an infection.”