Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 82881 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 414(@200wpm)___ 332(@250wpm)___ 276(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82881 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 414(@200wpm)___ 332(@250wpm)___ 276(@300wpm)
“I do have dogs, actually. They arrived last week,” he says. “And I don’t need to hear lame threats coming from you, someone who just promised to bite someone’s lips off.”
“Wait, so you do have dogs?” I ask.
“Are you joking?” he asks me. “Are you really fucking joking right now? That’s what gets you to smile? My fucking dogs?”
I school my features. I had no idea I was even smiling at him. This is bad, yet I find myself saying, “Yes, I love dogs.”
Fuck, what is this man doing to me?
I remove his hand from around my throat, missing the touch, but I need to claim my power again. I came in here planning to wreak havoc, yet I’m sitting on his lap like some kind of fucking good girl. Yet there’s something comfortable in it that I don’t understand.
“We need to talk,” I tell him again.
“You can wait until we’ve had dessert.”
Fine, if he won’t do as I say, then I’ll give him no other choice but to excuse himself.
I pin Amanza with a stare. “Hi, Amanza, have you fucked River lately?”
She chokes on her drink again and stares at me wide-eyed.
“You can answer truthfully,” I say to her. “I promise I won’t go crazy.” I make a cross sign over my heart at the words. She just eyes me like I’m crazy.
Okay, maybe I am a little crazy.
“No secrets among this table, right? Because people get killed for that, don’t they?” I say pointedly to River.
“Anya, I know what you’re doing,” River says.
“I’m just asking a question, girl to girl. Have you two fucked yet?”
“No. No, we have not.” She shakes her head. “You’re a bit of a bitch, aren’t you?”
I laugh, surprised that this little mouse actually has a backbone. “I’ve been called worse. Just so you know, you can have him. He’s been giving me nothing but limp dick vibes.”
River’s hand goes to my pussy and he grabs me there, hard. “Do you really think of yourself as a clever girl for saying these things in front of my men?”
My body rolls into his touch, grateful for the thin fabric I wore today. I realize, despite how angry I am at him, I have to fuck River Bently. I need him out of my system so I can put a bullet through his brains for the havoc he’s causing me.
“Do you think you can just give me away?” he says into my ear, and the others at the table avert their gazes.
“Well, since you aren’t fucking me, I guessed you were getting it elsewhere.”
“Oh, we’re going to fuck, Red. You still have a debt that’s owed,” he growls.
“Maybe Amanza wants to watch?” I purr and turn to Amanza. “Do you want to watch? I mean, he’s told me he would fuck me before and left me high and dry, so you may end up disappointed like I was.” I smirk.
“That’s it.” He stands, and as he does, he picks me up and places me on my feet, keeping hold of my waist.
“Michael, you can finish up here. Seems someone needs a cock in her fucking mouth to learn to keep our business private.”
I drop the good girl charade and pull out of his grasp. “Finally, we can get to business. I need to speak with you.”
The hostess avoids my gaze as we walk out the front door.
“Get in the car,” he growls. “And it’s not a suggestion. And no, your men aren’t going to be following us,” he says as he opens the passenger door. I signal to my men to stay back.
I can handle River Bently, even if this goes bad.
I slide into the car and wait for him to get in on the other side.
“We’re getting this fucking blackmail shit out of the way, and then we need to discuss my brother—”
He angles my head toward him and slams his lips against mine. Hard, impatient, and unrelenting. His tongue slides easily through my parted lips, and I melt into him. One week was too long. No, I shouldn’t be craving this part of him. This isn’t what I came for. Yet my body acts on its own, pulling him in closer by the collar.
Am I actually crazy?
Have I really fallen?
No. It’s not possible.
Who had I ever kissed before River Bently?
I don’t even remember.
But his kiss makes up for all the ones I don’t recall.
Just as I go to slide my hands through his hair, he pulls back, that gaze telling me more than I can understand in words.
River Bently is a dangerous man because he doesn’t just want my business.
He wants me.
I can’t betray my family for him, can I?
“You took too long to return, Red.”
“I don’t chase,” I say as I lean back, trying to sort through my thoughts.
“Last time I saw you, you were shooting holes into my car. So that gives room for a little bit of groveling.”