Total pages in book: 118
Estimated words: 108563 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 543(@200wpm)___ 434(@250wpm)___ 362(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 108563 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 543(@200wpm)___ 434(@250wpm)___ 362(@300wpm)
I turn my gaze, meeting her stern stare. “How do you mean? The child is hungry. I was simply putting in her order. Would you have preferred I waited until after the waiter had finished shitting his pants?”
Siren rolls her eyes, knowing damn well that I see right through my own bullshit. I enjoyed that, and she knows it. What can I say? There are certainly perks of being part of the one percent. People give me a wide berth and when I want something, it tends to fall right into my lap. I don’t ever have to try, to plead, to beg. It comes to me naturally . . . and by naturally, I mean through others’ fears.
People don’t want to cross me or risk upsetting me. They may not know who or what I am, but they feel it in their chest. They know I’m not someone they want to fuck with, and because of that, they go out of their way to please me.
“You don’t scare me, Reaper,” she murmurs.
I hold her stare, pausing right in the middle of the restaurant, preparing to call her bluff, and as I take a step toward her, I wait for the inevitable flash of her eyes, warning me to back off, but it never comes.
Unease rocks through me, and I realize that she’s not lying. She’s genuinely not scared of me anymore, and I don’t know how to feel about that. My whole brand is based on the sole fact that people are terrified of me. Yet, all I see in Siren’s eyes is need.
“You’re treading on shaky ground,” I warn her. “Be careful what you wish for.”
Siren steps even closer, her body pressing against mine and making my skin burn from her touch. “Here’s the thing,” she whispers, her soft breath brushing across my collar. “I don’t think I’m the one making wishes they have no business making.”
With that, she steps back and continues on her way to a table, leaving me standing motionless in the middle of the restaurant, unable to do a damn thing but stare after her.
What the fuck is happening here? Why has this woman so completely fucked with my head?
As I watch Siren and Shadow make themselves comfortable at a private table in the corner, I get my shit together and keep walking toward them, that strange feeling of contentment returning.
Ease weaves its way through my veins as I walk toward the two women who have, in one way or another, left me completely stumped. Yet being here with them both at this moment just feels right.
Joining them at the table, I can’t help but notice the way that Siren and Shadow watch each other. They’re both unsure, don’t know what’s about to come from this unexpected meeting, or if they can risk trusting one another, and when I take my place at the table, it’s almost impossible not to notice the way the two of them seem to relax.
Siren watches me, her gaze suggesting that I’ve got a shitload of explaining to do, but she’ll get nothing from me until I know she can be trusted. For now, it’s Shadow we need to focus on.
Turning my attention on the terrified kid, I fix her with a heavy stare. “You were following me again.”
She shakes her head and flicks her gaze toward Siren for the briefest moment before returning to me. “I was following her actually,” she admits before returning her stare back to Siren. “You know this guy is stalking you, right?”
Siren lets out a heavy sigh. “It has come to my attention on a few occasions.”
Shadow nods, probably not knowing what to do with that information. She might understand that Siren intrigues me, that I’m attracted to this woman, but it’s clear in the way she watches Siren that she doesn’t understand why she hasn’t attempted to deal with me yet. And to be honest, I’m relieved. She’s very clearly a smart kid, and from what I gather, her innocence hasn’t been corrupted. She knows I like Siren, but doesn’t know what I want to do with her, and for that, I’m grateful.
“You realize at some point, he’s going to try and kill you?” Shadow questions as though Siren’s completely forgotten why she’s here in this godforsaken town.
Siren laughs. “I’m more than aware,” she tells the kid. “But here’s the thing. He’s had more than enough chances to take my life. He could have killed me whenever he wanted, but I’m still here, sitting right across the table from you. I may not be able to trust a single soul in these games, but I can trust that men are simple creatures. And more than that, I can trust my gut, and right now, my gut tells me that he has no intention of killing me yet . . . if at all.”