Total pages in book: 43
Estimated words: 39300 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 197(@200wpm)___ 157(@250wpm)___ 131(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 39300 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 197(@200wpm)___ 157(@250wpm)___ 131(@300wpm)
He smirks at me. "Scared, baby?"
"Of being alone with you for five more minutes? Absolutely," I mutter. "You're insatiable."
"Fuck yeah, I am. Have you seen you lately?" He palms my ass, placing a sweet kiss on my lips. "Stick close to the building. I'll be out as soon as I get her off the phone."
I nod and slip out, smiling to myself. He's not the only insatiable one. As soon as we're alone, my hands are on him, trying to tempt him. It never takes much before I'm naked and on his cock. Neither of us can get enough of the other. I love it so much.
I wave at Jake on my way past and then slip onto the elevator, leaning back against the wall. Two minutes later, I'm stepping out into the early morning sunshine. But unlike the last time I walked out of his office alone, I'm not in a hurry to get away. My life isn't crashing down around me, and I don't need Triton to save me.
A pang runs through me as soon as I think his name. I pull my phone out of my pocket for the thousandth time over the last week and scroll to his name. But I don't dial. I just look at the photo of the two of us smiling.
I still don't understand where it went wrong. Or when. Or how.
He's been my person my entire life. When did that change? When did he decide that Evernight mattered more? I don't think I'll ever understand. Part of me wants to confront him and demand answers. But another part is afraid that he'll just manipulate me again.
He's good at that.
"Hey, baby cousin."
I nearly drop my phone, my head whipping up at the sound of his voice.
Triton stands a few feet away from me on the sidewalk, his hands stuffed into the pockets of his designer jeans. He looks like he hasn't slept in days, his normally perfect hair disheveled, dark shadows beneath his hazel eyes.
"W-what are you doing here?" I ask, my voice shaking.
He takes a hesitant step toward me. I quickly step back, maintaining the distance between us. He gets the hint and stops moving.
"I came to see you," he says quietly, glancing toward the doors of Dalton's building.
Suspicion courses through my veins, making my skin prickle with unease. "Why?" I demand, my fingers tightening around my phone.
His Adam's apple bobs as he swallows. "To say goodbye."
"You said it," I sniff, tilting my chin up defiantly even as my heart clenches. "You can leave now."
Sadness drifts across his face, his brow furrowing. "It's really going to be like that between us now?"
I gape at him incredulously. "You lied to me and manipulated me just so you could try to get your hands on the company, Triton. How do you expect it to be?"
"I know," he whispers, hanging his head. "I know. I fucked up."
"You think?" I growl, anger flaring hot and bright. "I'm so mad at you I can't even think straight!"
"I know that too." He swallows hard, and for a minute, I see a flicker of the little boy who taught me how to ride a bike. The little boy who used to sneak ice cream into my room long after my parents went to bed just because he knew I couldn't resist it. The little boy who defended me every damn day of my life.
But he's not that little boy anymore. And he's not the man I thought I knew, either.
"Do you think you'll ever be able to forgive me?"
Can I? Should I? Tears well in my eyes as I stare at him, my heart and head warring with each other. "I don't know," I finally whisper. "Maybe one day, but that day isn't today, Triton."
He jerks his chin in a nod, his gaze flickering over my shoulder toward the doors again. "Figured you'd say that. For what it's worth, I'm not sure I'd forgive me for what I did or what I'm about to do either."
I frown. "What you're about to—?"
I break off as he pulls his hand from his pocket, and I see the unmistakable flash of steel gripped in his palm.
He has a gun.
No. God no.
My blood freezes in my veins, my breath catching in my throat. "Triton, please," I plead, my voice trembling with fear.
But he doesn't point the gun at me. He aims it to the right…toward the doors of the building.
I turn my head in that direction, not understanding, and my soul nearly leaves my body.
Dalton is standing right there. Right freaking there, two security guards flanking him.
And Triton's aiming the gun directly at his chest.
"No, Triton," I beg quietly, my heart hammering against my ribs. "No, please."
His gaze flickers toward me.
"Eyes on me, Triton," Dalton says, his deep voice calm as he tries to draw Triton's attention back to him. "I'm the one you want to shoot. Not her."