Total pages in book: 71
Estimated words: 69098 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 345(@200wpm)___ 276(@250wpm)___ 230(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 69098 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 345(@200wpm)___ 276(@250wpm)___ 230(@300wpm)
Ronan nods and watches Mage snooze, but doesn’t make to grab for him like Raegan would if she were here. “Rowdy’s not happy about Uncle Atticus and his brood coming out to visit soon.”
“What do you think happened? It’s been like four years since Rowdy went out there to stay.” I frown, searching my brother’s face that resembles Raegan’s more than I’ve ever noticed before until this moment.
He takes a second to respond, brows scrunching as he thinks about his answer. Facial features are where the similarities with Raegan and Ronan end. Ronan doesn’t blurt out whatever is on his mind, consequences be damned like Raegan does.
“Not sure,” Ronan admits with a sigh. “It had to be Wild, though.”
I like Wild, mainly because Raegan hates him. Ronan likes him a lot more than I do. They’re definitely better friends. It’s annoying, not because I want Wild to be my bestie or some shit, but because of how Ronan hangs on his every word when he’s here, soaking up whatever crazy tale Wild has for us.
“You think Wild kicked his ass or something?” I ask, mulling over that idea in my head. “He plays football and benches a lot.” Not that I really understand what either of those things mean, just that Wild brags about them whenever he’s around.
Ronan shrugs and pushes his glasses up his nose. “Rowdy is bigger and definitely would’ve been four years ago. Wild never mentions why Rowdy is mad whenever we talk, so I don’t really know. More likely, he said something super offensive to our brother.”
Rowdy used to be cool when we were younger. Whatever happened when he went away definitely changed him and not for the better. I’m about to suggest we try to get the information out of Rowdy before Wild and his family come to visit when someone knocks on the door.
Knock. Knock. Knock. Knock. Knock.
Five times.
And twenty seconds later…
In steps the person who has me all twisted. Raegan.
I guess before I try and figure out Rowdy and Wild’s shit, I better sort out my own.
* * *
* * *
It feels really good knowing I have a secret knock to let me into Ryder’s place. The feeling dissipates, giving way to annoyance to see Ronan and Ryder hanging out without me. No matter how hard I try, I always feel like an outsider when the two of them are together.
Is that how Ryder feels when I read books on Ronan’s bed with him?
Guilt niggles at me, but I quickly squash it in favor of taking my pup from my brother. Ryder avoids eye contact as he passes Mage to me. The wolf pup has been a great distraction from what happened just a few days ago.
My skin prickles at the memory of Ryder’s cock getting hard. At first I thought it was funny to tease him about it, but after watching my parents together, lost in pleasure, my mind has twisted my thoughts into something shameful.
“Mom’s freaking out,” I say, ignoring the way my cheeks burn hot. “She’s cleaning the house from top to bottom. I had to get out of there.”
Ryder snorts. “I’m surprised she wasn’t making you help.”
“She was,” I mumble, kissing Mage’s furry head. “I’m supposed to be cleaning the bathroom. I tiptoed out of there as soon as she got distracted by Dawson.”
“She’ll be pissed when she finds out you’re gone,” Ryder says, grinning at me. “Then you’ll be forced to do more chores.”
Considering Dawson had a blowout in his diaper that leaked through the cloth and got all over his bedding, I’d say she’ll be busy for a while before she’ll miss me.
“She can do them herself,” I sass back, keeping my voice down in case Dad happens to be lurking nearby.
“Rae,” Ronan admonishes, eyes wide behind his glasses. “Be nice.”
I crumple at his words, my heart squeezing with a well-timed ache. “Maybe she should be nice for once.”
“I don’t know why she’s so hard on you,” Ryder says, shockingly agreeing with me. “She tries so hard to protect you, but it’s like she’s blind to the fact she should be protecting everyone else from you.”
“You had to ruin it,” I growl, flipping him off. “And she better protect Wild from me when he shows up. I’ll sic Mage on him.”
Ryder laughs and Ronan shakes his head in exasperation.
“It’s warm out today,” I say, glancing between them. “Might be the last warm day we get now that summer is nearly over. Want to go for a swim?”
“Water’s too cold,” Ronan replies with a frown. “We’ll freeze.”
I’d looked at the thermometer on the porch of the big house earlier, and it’d read sixty-seven degrees in the heat of the day. Tonight, it’ll probably get down to the mid-forties. But it’s still a heck of a lot warmer than it’ll be in just a couple more weeks. Where we live in Alaska, it starts cooling down in August, and by September, it’s chilly a lot of the time. We seriously probably won’t get another chance until next summer.