Total pages in book: 116
Estimated words: 109853 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 549(@200wpm)___ 439(@250wpm)___ 366(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 109853 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 549(@200wpm)___ 439(@250wpm)___ 366(@300wpm)
“This is Abigail, my agent.” An agent who was currently looking a little tongue-tied. Frankie could hardly blame her, given that Trick had whipped off his shirt and there was a whole lot of muscle to admire.
Draping his arm around Frankie’s shoulders, Trick gave the human a nod. “Frankie speaks highly of you.”
Shaking off her stupor, Abigail said, “Well, she’s just spoken very highly of you.”
His mouth curved. “Good to know.” He moved aside so he was no longer blocking her view of the sculpture. “Impressive, right?”
Abigail’s brows lifted. “Well.” She crossed to the hellhorse and slowly circled it, taking in every detail. “It’s fantastic, Frankie. Really, I don’t know whether to feel happy for the creature for escaping its chains, or whether I should be worried about what it will do to avenge itself. It makes you wonder if it was chained for a good reason.” She twirled to face Frankie, eyes alight. “You never fail to astonish me. I love it. It will fit in perfectly with the theme of the art show.”
Just like that, Trick decided he liked Abigail a fuck of a lot. The fervor of her praise and admiration was genuine. It was also exactly what Frankie deserved. Her appreciation and relief hummed down their bond, and he knew that her agent’s opinion didn’t just matter to her on a professional level. She considered Abigail her friend, and the human’s judgment meant something to her.
Packing up the sculpture wasn’t a quick or easy process, but they all pitched in so that both the creepy kid and the hellhorse could be transported to New York at the same time.
Later, as Frankie unpacked the last of her things in their room on pack territory, Trick came up behind her and slid his arms around her waist. He dabbed a kiss on her claiming mark, breathing her in. He fucking loved her scent; he wanted it mixed with his own.
“That’s me all moved in,” she told him, closing the drawer that he’d cleared out for her. “Happy now?”
“Ecstatic.” He sucked on her earlobe, splaying his hand possessively on her stomach. “Now you’re exactly where you belong.” Her head tipped back as he licked, kissed, and nipped at her neck, paying particular attention to his claiming mark. He snaked his hand under her shirt and traced the tattoo he knew as well as the back of his hand. “You’re damn distracting.” He tapped her ass and stepped back. “Come on, time for dinner.”
Breathing a little hard, she scowled as she pivoted to face him. “Hey, you can’t get a girl all revved up and then not follow through.”
“I’m hungry.”
“So am I.” But not for food.
Trick smiled and sucked her bottom lip into his mouth. “Later, I’ll be doing all kinds of very dirty things to you. Right now, we eat.”
She groaned, dragging her heels as he led her out of the room. “You can’t say shit like that when I’m horny.”
“Of course I can, baby.”
“Asshole.” She slammed the door behind them, giving emphasis to her insult.
“So you often say.” Keeping his fingers linked with hers, he kept her close as they walked through the tunnels. A few days ago, when he’d announced to the pack that he and Frankie were officially mated, they had all been overjoyed. He’d sensed Frankie’s surprise at just how happy they’d been. He’d realized then that although she’d known they wanted her living on their territory, she hadn’t realized just how much they’d all come to like and respect her. Probably because she simply didn’t expect people to like her much.
He blamed her grandparents for that. In making her feel that she lacked, they’d left her with some self-esteem issues. He was proud that, despite all that, she was a confident female who went after what she wanted in life. Was proud that she was his mate.
“Okay, now that I can smell food, my appetite is building,” said Frankie. “But I still think a quickie wouldn’t have been a bad idea.”
“We don’t have quickies, Frankie. We try, but it never quite works out.” He always got too carried away in her, always needed to taste and touch as much of her as he could.
“I can’t really deny that.” She’d taken one step into the kitchen when she jumped out of her freaking skin as a bunch of voices shouted, “Surprise!”
The whole pack was gathered there, smiling, raising glasses, and blowing party poppers. Behind them on the wall was a large banner that read “Welcome Home, Frankie!” There was a huge cake on the table in the center of an impressive spread of food. And damn if a lump of emotion didn’t build in her throat.
Trick draped his arm over her shoulders and kissed her temple. “It’s an official welcome to the pack.”
Frankie bit her lip. “I don’t know what to say, except . . . wow.”