Total pages in book: 109
Estimated words: 103548 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 518(@200wpm)___ 414(@250wpm)___ 345(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 103548 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 518(@200wpm)___ 414(@250wpm)___ 345(@300wpm)
“It’s not happening. Tell me your supposed proof here, or forget the whole thing.”
“No.” Never had my voice carried more steel. “You’re the one who turned things nasty and violent between us, Badr. You attacked me. You tried to kill me. So it’s a real fucking joke you acting like I’m the threat in this twosome.” I threw out my hand, pointing at the staircase that led to my chambers. “You’ve already put too much of my life and my plan at risk. You are not”—I felt my eyes shifting—“putting her at risk too. So get the fuck upstairs, or get the fuck out.
“Your choice.”
With that I stormed up, taking the stairs two at a time. It was inconceivable to me that Luame believed that insufferable, stubborn jackass was my soulmate. Or that she’d stop my heart for good if I blew up the bond between him and me right then.
“Even though it’s fucking tempting!”
“What are you rambling about?” Badr barked, stomping up the stairs after me. “Give it a rest with the voices in your head, and let’s get this over with.”
Stifling a scream, I strangled the air—wishing it was his neck.
The two of us flung ourselves into my room. As usual, I smelled the air, making sure no other scent barring mine and Edric’s lingered.
Edric did spend an entire day and night sealing up every crack, vent, and hole in our security, but that didn’t stop someone from picking the lock and walking through the front door—which a metal wolf like Ash could easily do.
I didn’t smell anything, so I went straight over to my laptop and desk. “Give me a sec. I have to call Lucia.”
“Another part of your fairy tale that made no fucking sense.” I heard him moving around behind me, checking behind all the doors for the fictitious trap. “Leaving our daughter alone in the cold, dead hands of a leech? Yeah, right.”
I sighed, shaking my head. I didn’t bother giving him the whole background on Lucia, and why I trusted her with my baby. Giving Badr more potential verbal weapons wasn’t a good idea when he was still determined to be an asshole.
It was quiet save for the tip-tapping of keys, and Badr’s bold snooping. I put in the call to Lucia. “Okay, they should be up around now for Hope’s nighttime feed, so it shouldn’t— What the hell are you doing!”
Badr looked around from his spot perched at the foot of my mattress. “What?”
“Why are you sitting your disgusting, manure-covered ass on my bed?”
“It’s mud!”
“What were you? Raised by—”
“Wolves,” he drawled.
“Pigs.” I shoved back, went into my closet, then returned carrying a towel. “Here. You know where the bathroom is. Clean yourself up.”
“So you can attack me while I’m naked with soap in my eyes? No, thanks.”
“Once again,” I forced through gritted teeth. “I’m not the one attacking people when they’re vulnerable and can’t defend themselves. I’m also not asking. You’re not talking to Hope while you’re dressed up like a swamp monster. You’ll scare her.” I shoved the towel at him again. “Clean yourself up. There’s another closet attached to the bathroom. Borrow someone of Edric’s clothes.”
Badr still looked me up and down suspiciously, but he took the towel and went. Edric spoke in my head as soon as the door shut.
“Are you sure about this? Should you be giving up even more secrets to him when he doesn’t trust you, and we damn sure don’t trust him?”
“I’m not sure what choice we have. I already have an enemy in Orion, and look at how spectacularly he fucked up my plans for the forum? The worst part is, I know he did it, but I can’t do a damn thing about it.”
“No, the worst part is that Ash won’t do a damn thing about it. For all we know, she wants your fates to fuck this up so that you can’t strike back and she can turn a blind eye.”
My stomach turned. If that is what Ash wanted, it was already working in her favor.
Edric and Nyx were on my side, and Paxton had given up the fight, but Orion and Badr were plenty dangerous to me all on their own. Badr already admitted he came back because he knew he could wreck my life, and there was nothing I could do about it.
“Nothing I can do except for convincing him right here and now that we’re on the same side,” I replied, “so that’s what I’m going to do. But ignoring him for right now, what about the sketch? Did your sister recognize the shadow? Has he ever come into Sunella’s office?”
“I’m sorry, Daze, but she said no. She’s never seen anyone who looks like him before.”
I deflated, flopping down on my bed as the shower kicked on. “Where is this fucking guy! Want to know what’ll end the war this week? Finding him and biting out his heart!”