Total pages in book: 17
Estimated words: 16084 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 80(@200wpm)___ 64(@250wpm)___ 54(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 16084 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 80(@200wpm)___ 64(@250wpm)___ 54(@300wpm)
I enter the apartment quietly, tiptoeing down the hall to not wake my parents. My sneaking comes to an abrupt halt when I notice the TV’s pale blue light shining in an otherwise dark living room.
Dad’s sitting in his single faux-leather recliner, finishing off a can of beer with his football game. Even shrouded in shadows, I can see his face. A couple of bumps and bruising over his nose and eye, but he’s mostly unharmed.
“Hey, Pop,” I wave from the doorway. “How are you feeling?”
“Tay,” he smiles, “Better than ever.”
Grunting and groaning, Dad gets out of his chair to say hello. We hug, and he sits back down with the same dad-noises that brought him to his feet.
“I’m happy to hear it. How’s mom?”
Dad sighs, shrugs and shakes his head. “She’s fine. Needs time, but fine.”
I want to tell him what happened at the club, clear his mind of the threats and worries that have him up so late. But I can’t find the words.
I’m on my own rollercoaster ride of emotions from how things ended with Rickon. His debt’s settled, but I can’t face the look in his eyes when I tell him why.
“Anyway,” Dad says before I can speak, “I should be off to bed. Can’t keep burning the midnight oil.”
We hug and walk down the hall together. I say one last goodnight when we reach my door, and slip inside while he takes the last few steps to my parents’ bedroom.
Inside and alone, thoughts of Rickon immediately take control of me. The interruption in the living room didn’t do a damn thing to stop my yearning want for pleasure. And where I’d rather have it be Rickon who delivers it, my imagination and fingers will have to carry me tonight.
I slip out of my outfit and into a dark blue satin pajama dress and nightrobe and head to the window to draw the curtains shut. But just before they close completely, something in the street catches my eye.
Is that a shadowy figure ghosting in the dark? With most of the streetlights out, I can’t make out more than a general shape. The shape drifts closer and becomes slightly clearer. Tall and broad and menacing.
My initial instinct screams danger.
It could be Rickon, I remind myself, and it probably is. But with how tonight has gone, it could just as likely be the piece of trash who took me outside and set me on this path to begin with.
It seems I’ve attracted all the crazy ones, and, well, this is the time of year all right. I shouldn’t get comfortable just yet. But if I learned one thing tonight, other than how badly I crave Rickon, it’s that sometimes you have to get your hands dirty to protect yourself.
Grabbing a metal baseball bat from my cupboard, I storm out of my room and front door. Adrenaline tickles every nerve in my body as I descend their staircase.
My bravado fades in a flash as I step back out into the cold night air. Nothing about what I’m doing is smart. A little drunk and in a haze from the night, I guess making good decisions isn’t very high on my to-do list.
“I was hoping you’d see me.” That voice sets my mind at ease in an instant. “But if you’re trying to scare me, Baby Doll, you’ll need a bigger stick.”
Rickon’s standing against the wall, one leg kicked up against it, arms crossed over his enormous chest. Eyes flashing his devious intentions, with a wicked smile to match.
“You think?” My smile stretches from ear to ear. My heart flutters and my legs turn to jelly noticing its Rickon. The ache his voice inspires between my thighs washes away any doubts I had about coming down here in a puddle of lust. “Well, take off your pants. I think I’ll find a better one.”
There’s no use in denying or fighting it anymore. This is happening, and nothing’s going to stop me this time.
Dropping the baseball bat, I throw myself into him. Our mouths meet in an electric kiss, stimulating the senses and driving me into a frenzy. My pulse starts racing. With my nerves abated, desire digs in deep and blossoms into frantic actions.
Rickon cups my ass with one hand, the other slinking down my front. It stops briefly, tugging at the thin strip holding my robe shut and exposing my body beneath.
Pulling his head back, Rickon’s tongue slithers over his lip at the sight of my body. It’s short enough to expose most of my lower body, and tight around the top to squeeze around my breasts. It leaves just enough to the imagination to make him drool for what’s waiting.
“Like what you see?” I gulp, swooning at the way he looks at me. Like I’m the only thing that matters in this world.