Total pages in book: 149
Estimated words: 151384 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 757(@200wpm)___ 606(@250wpm)___ 505(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 151384 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 757(@200wpm)___ 606(@250wpm)___ 505(@300wpm)
Immy stared out the window of her car as Tobias drove. It was like she’d gone from the highest of highs to the lowest of lows. She just felt like crawling into a ball and crying.
“Immy? You good?”
“Uh-huh. All good.”
She waited for him to call her out on her lie, but he didn’t say anything. She glanced down at herself. Huh. She wasn’t squirming.
Maybe she wasn’t lying? Was she all good?
What was going on with her? It felt like a cloud of doom was hanging over her.
“You upset about your punishments?” he asked.
Ahh, so he could see something was wrong.
“That was mean,” she told him. She tried to work up some fire, some heat, but nothing came to her.
Normally, when she felt this down, she’d eat some handbag M&Ms or car candy. She had a whole bag in the glovebox. But, even if she was allowed some M&Ms or car candy, she just wasn’t in the mood for any.
That, more than anything, told her that there was something weird going on with her.
Who in their right mind would refuse car candy?
It was unheard of.
Although Jenner had probably taken her car candy. She hadn’t had time to check.
They pulled into the garage and Tobias came around to open her door. She climbed out, but he didn’t move away.
“Immy, have I upset you? Are you mad at me?”
“No, I’m not mad or upset. I’m all good.” She stepped around him and headed inside.
“Hey, wait. Come back for a moment and talk to me.”
She stepped into the house, turning to glance back at him. “I’m all good. I think I just need a moment.”
“Immy! Where have you been? I’ve been calling you.” Jenner raced down the stairs and she turned to look at him.
Oh shoot.
Where was her phone? Was it not charged?
“I’m so sorry,” she said. “Did you need me for something?”
“I was just—what’s wrong?” he asked.
She forced herself to smile wide as he stopped in front of her. “I’m fine.”
“No, you’re not. You’re smiling like a clown. You smile like that when something is wrong and you want us to think that you’re fine.”
“I thought she was acting weird,” Tobias grumbled. “But she didn’t do the potty dance when she told me she was fine.”
“That happens sometimes when she’s about to—”
Immy burst into tears.
Big, heaving tears that she couldn’t stop. Immediately, Jenner gathered her up into his arms. There was nothing she liked more than being held like this by him. He swayed back and forth, as he held her against his chest. She buried her face against him.
“What the hell happened?” he asked.
“I don’t know,” Tobias said. “Took her to a playground for Littles. Hired it out for an hour. She was having fun. Got into a bit of trouble and I told her she had to go without her handbag M&Ms and Twizzlers for a week. She seemed fine until the car ride back here. Then she was just looking out the window for most of it. Like she’d lost all of her energy.”
“You took her to where?” Jenner asked in a low voice.
Uh-oh.
He seemed mad.
Her tears started to dry and she tensed.
“To a Littles playground,” Tobias said.
“Why would you do that?” Jenner asked.
“Because she needs some help opening up, with letting her Little out,” Tobias explained.
“And you thought that you would help her with that? You’re the bodyguard.”
Oh no.
That wasn’t cool.
“Jenner. Put me down.”
“No,” Jenner snapped. “Why did you take her there? And punish her?”
“Because I’m not just the bodyguard. I’m also her friend. And I’m gonna be more,” Tobias declared.
Oh cupcakes!
That wasn’t nice of Tobias. And they hadn’t officially decided that.
Mr. Arrogant was back.
Not that he ever really left.
“Are you saying that Immy and you are . . . that you’re . . .” Jenner trailed off as though he couldn’t say the words.
“Why? Have you got a problem with that? You don’t like her being involved with me?” Tobias said.
“You’re a criminal!”
No. No!
Now Jenner wasn’t being nice.
This was terrible.
“Put me down,” she demanded.
To her shock, Jenner did set her down, but then he stepped in front of her, moving toward Tobias.
“Go upstairs, Immy,” Jenner ordered.
“You don’t get to order her around,” Tobias snarled. “You’re her friend. Not her man. And, since your head is up your own ass so much, you won’t ever be.”
“Tobias!” she cried.
“And you think you will? You don’t think if I call Alejandro right now, he won’t haul your ass back to him? And you’ll have to go, won’t you? Since he owns you.”
“Both of you need to stop this!” she cried, moving between them.
This wasn’t something she’d been expecting.
“You’re obviously no good for her,” Jenner said. “She came home looking like she was dead inside and then she burst into tears as soon as she saw me.”
“Maybe she was crying over the way you’ve been treating her and it was nothing to do with me,” Tobias said.