Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 96402 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 482(@200wpm)___ 386(@250wpm)___ 321(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 96402 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 482(@200wpm)___ 386(@250wpm)___ 321(@300wpm)
“Do you really want the details of my sex life with your brother?”
She scrunched her face. “Okay, spill four-fifths of it.”
Laughing, I threw my arm around her, setting off for class.
“Okay, I will say things have progressed positively in that area. Except with Jacques.” It was hard to hold my smile, thinking of the distance between us. “I know he feels something for me, but he won’t take it as far as he can. Has he ever had a girlfriend that he didn’t share with the guys? Just the two of them.”
“He dated a couple girls in high school. Brainiacs like him. But it never lasted long,” she said. “Going by the locker room talk, they couldn’t figure out what was going on inside his head to give him what he wanted either.”
I blew out a breath. “I have a theory that women are a superspecies. We live longer. Carry the young. Aren’t afflicted by testosterone poisoning. But the Lord created men for the same reason lions and antelopes share the same savanna. No one should have it too easy.”
“Are you making another play to get in my pants? No doubt ladies-only would do wonders for our stress levels.” She held up her hands. “But you must be this long to ride this roller coaster.”
“I hate you,” I said, cracking up.
She popped a kiss on my cheek. “Wouldn’t have to keep giving you these reminders if that was true.”
We strode along the sidewalk, taking the lazy way to the student union.
“I’ll figure Jacques out.” I tapped my fingers together, putting on my mad scientist voice. “Slowly but surely I’ll lure them all into my web. Muahahaha.”
Paris laughed so hard she snorted. “You are so adorable. My brother does not deserve you, Rainey. I hope Assface knows that.”
“If he does, he does not care.” I nudged her. “Don’t let me dominate the conversation. I want to hear all about your latest playmate. Last text said he invited you to dinner with his mom.”
“Ugh, I know. He said he was cool with casual and then he caught feelings like Corona at a Covid party. He’s a nice guy, and he does this thing in bed that would set your ears on fire. Seriously, I can’t tell you.”
“But you will.”
“I totally will. Tonight when you come over for the next season of our Doctor Who marathon. My parents took off this morning, so I’m inviting everyone.”
“Okay, is this actually a party and you’re trying to disguise it with Doctor Who?”
“Who throws a party in the middle of the week? I promise, it’s fun, food, and—”
Squealing tires battered our eardrums.
The car jumped the curb, screeching to a halt in front of us. Six guys piled out—all decked out in black masks.
“Hey,” Paris shouted. “What the hell is wrong with—?”
The lead guy punched her in the mouth.
“Paris!”
She flew back, crashing into me. We tripped over my feet and landed hard on the sidewalk. They hauled her off me, tossing her on the grass. Paris screamed as a slap snapped her head around.
“Stop!”
I jumped on Paris, trying to shield her from the kicks and blows. Pain exploded in my skull.
A filthy, meaty fist tangled in my hair, dragging me off her. Its pair sailed at my face.
My lip split on impact and filled my mouth with blood. Dazed, I rolled on the concrete. One of them ripped off Paris’s shirt.
Shoving myself up, I leaped on the brute’s back. Hooking my arm around their neck, I squeezed.
He gagged and clawed at my arm. My captive shot forward, bent, and slammed my head into the car window. It shattered in a shower of glass.
“Get this bitch off me!”
“Hey,” someone shouted. “Hey, look! Over there! Get security!”
Two grabbed me, yanking me off. I whipped around and smashed one across the temple. His mask tugged up, revealing half a cheek and the corner of his mouth. I seized the mask to pull it the rest of the way.
A hard body tackled me, throwing me against the car.
“De Souza, stop.”
I stiffened. I didn’t know why I was surprised. It could only be him.
“You weren’t supposed to be with her, but there’s nothing we can do about that now,” Jeremy said. He shoved me down, grip ironclad on my collar. “Sorry, we have to make it look good.”
He punched me.
My skull banged off the metal, popping black spots in my vision.
“What are you doing? Leave them alone!”
“Let’s go,” Jeremy bellowed.
I was thrown to the side.
Our attackers jumped in the car, peeling out in a haze of burning rubber.
Crawling over the pavement, it scraped me raw, marking my path in blood. Finally, I made it to her.
I shielded Paris as our rescuers ran over much too late, holding her as she cried.
JACQUES
Rainey curled up on the cot, unmoving under the scratchy cotton blanket.
My arrival didn’t awaken her, so I didn’t either. Casting a shadow over her, I noted and cataloged Rainey’s injuries.