Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 86629 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 433(@200wpm)___ 347(@250wpm)___ 289(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 86629 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 433(@200wpm)___ 347(@250wpm)___ 289(@300wpm)
“We should dry off.” I step away. He looks at me with pure lust and hunger.
“Who said I’m finished with you?”
“I did.” I slip from the shower and grab a towel.
“Why are you stopping?”
“You needed a release, that’s all.”
He turns off the water. “So all I need to do is feel stressed and get covered in blood and you’ll want to touch me?”
“Seems easy when you put it that way.”
I disappear into the bedroom. I’m not sure what I was thinking back there, but it nearly got out of control. I wanted to help him, and I thought making him feel good would ease some of his tension, and it did.
But now he wants more. And what’s worse—
I do too.
That can’t happen. This is complicated enough already. If we start sleeping together, it’ll only spiral.
Once we begin, I don’t think I’ll ever be able to stop.
I dress and get back into bed. He joins me a few minutes later, smelling like soap and oil. His big body is shockingly warm. I curl toward him instinctively in the darkness, thinking about his shudders and moans of pleasure, of how fast he came only from my hands.
“Can I ask you something?” I whisper, not sure if he’s still awake.
“Go ahead.”
“It’s only going to get worse, isn’t it?”
He’s quiet for a long time. I start to think he drifted off, before I hear four words, echoes in the dark.
“Yes, angel. Much worse.”
15
CONNOR
Idream of Angie’s breasts pressed against my back, of her hand wrapped around my cock. I know it happened. I want to live in that moment forever. The way she touched me, washed me, gently and carefully like she truly gave a shit about me.
I’ve never experienced that before.
My men respect me. My friends treat me well. But always I’m the boss. The responsibility sits on my shoulders alone, and no matter what, I’m always separate from them.
Power is mine alone.
But in the shower, Angie treated me like a man. Not like the king of a crime family, not like a cold-blooded killer, but like her husband.
It was intoxicating.
I didn’t know I needed that—until she gave it to me.
Light streams in through the window. It’s early, around six thirty, and I turn to watch my wife sleep.
Except she’s not there.
The bathroom door is open and the sound of someone retching makes me leap from the covers.
I’m wide awake and rushing to her side.
I find Angie perched in front of the toilet throwing up. “Baby? What’s going on?”
“Shit,” she gasps, eyes flicking to me, face slick with sweat. “I’m okay. I didn’t—“ She pukes again, groaning. “I didn’t mean to wake you.”
“What’s happening? What can I do?” I am a man who moves mountains, murders his foes, dominates anyone who gets in my way, and yet I’m brought to a state of pathetic panic at the sight of my wife vomiting.
“Morning sickness.” She slumps back and sits against the wall. “It’ll pass soon.”
The baby. Shit.
“I’ll get you some water.”
She mumbles something but I’m already on the move. I throw on clothes and storm down the hall and into the main house. I find one of my staff members dusting down in the main welcome atrium. “You down there, I need water, and crackers, and some tea, and coffee as well, and yogurt. My wife isn’t feeling well and I need it right now.”
The young female staffer looks around wide-eyed. “Uh, yes, sir, right away.” She rushes off.
I pace at the top of the steps impatiently. I should’ve gone myself, damn it. I’m about to charge to the kitchen when the staffer returns. I rush to meet her and take the tray myself. “I’ll handle it from here.”
I run back to the room, spilling some of the drinks in the process, and find Angie already dressed and brushing her teeth. She looks at me in the mirror, surprised at the state of me, and I check myself.
Messy hair, expression wild and borderline feral, clutching a massive tray covered in drinks and bowls.
“Holy shit, Connor, you look worse than me.”
I open my mouth to snarl at her—
But burst out laughing instead.
She smiles back, spits some toothpaste in the sink, and rinses.
My wife’s funny. I like that about her.
“I brought you some things.” I place the tray gently down at the end of the bed. “I didn’t know what would help.”
“Honestly, I’m fine. It comes and goes and it’s worst in the morning. Guess they got the name right.” She plucks the tea and sips, smiling as she watches me. “You really didn’t have to do this.”
“Tell me the next time you aren’t feeling well. I’ll make sure we have what you need here for the moment you’re done.”
“Connor, honestly—“
“I will meet my wife’s needs.” I say it through my teeth, thinking back to the night before, to my soldier’s head crumpling in a spray of bloody mist as he was blown to pieces. I failed him, and I will fail more in the future, but not with her.