Total pages in book: 51
Estimated words: 47597 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 238(@200wpm)___ 190(@250wpm)___ 159(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 47597 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 238(@200wpm)___ 190(@250wpm)___ 159(@300wpm)
Sometimes, this world sucks.
"Touche." He locks his hands together behind his head. "Maybe I'm waiting for the right one."
"I thought you wanted Jessup to blow your back out?"
"Everyone with eyes wants Jessup to blow their backs out, Zoya."
"Not me." I wrinkle my nose at the thought. Jocks are not my type.
"Everyone with eyes except you wants Jessup to blow their backs out, Zoya," he corrects with a lazy grin. "The man is hot. It doesn't mean I'm stupid enough to think it'll actually happen. He's straight. I'm not. I'm not signing up for that shitshow."
"Why do you think Jareth put us in different rooms? He's up to something."
"Or maybe he put us in different rooms because your entire family is here and he's trying to be respectful." Connor rolls his eyes at me. "You're stressing me out with all this overthinking."
"I'm not overthinking." I'm totally overthinking. I huff out a breath, trying to get myself together. It's easier said than done when I know Jareth will be sleeping right down the hall. Probably naked.
Dammit. Why did I have to think about him naked? Why do I keep thinking about him at all? Like Connor said, I don't do love, and I'm absolutely not falling for a man who probably doesn't even remember the names of everyone he's taken to his bed. Hell no.
"Do you really think I'm afraid of love?"
"No," Connor says, hopping up from the bed. "I don't think you are. I know you are. The shit that went down with your sister and Teo didn't just scar them. It scarred you, too, cupcake."
"You didn't see her back then," I whisper, staring down at my hands. I still remember when they were afraid she wasn't going to make it after her accident. I remember Teo back then, too. I think if she hadn't made it, he wouldn't be here now, either. He was a zombie with hellfire burning in his eyes. That kind of pain…well, I'm not sure I'm strong enough to survive it. Nadia almost didn't, and she's always been far stronger than I am. And if anyone can screw up a relationship, it's me. "It was bad."
"Not every story happens like that, Z," Connor says softly. "Sometimes, bad shit happens to people in love. Sometimes, it doesn't. But you'll never know what your story contains if you're too goddamn afraid to live it." He strides toward the door and then pauses, glancing back at me. "I bet if you asked her, she'd tell you that it was worth it."
"Maybe," I acknowledge, and then frown at him. "Where are you going?"
"You said there are cousins. And a motherfucker wants to know if they look as good as your man does." Connor grins at me. "Have fun avoiding Jareth."
"Connor! You can't just leave me here."
"He isn't even here, Z. He left as soon as he showed us to our rooms. You'll be fine. Just don't do anything I wouldn't do."
"Is there anything you wouldn't do?"
"Not much." He grins at me before sailing through the door.
I groan, flopping backward on the bed. This is going to be the longest two weeks of my life.
Chapter Four
Jareth
"What are you doing?" Zoya demands, stomping into the kitchen with her hands planted on her hips and a scowl on her face.
"Uh, grabbing some water?" I arch a brow, lifting the bottle to show her. Hefting wine casks is thirsty work, and Bastian has had me hauling the goddamn things all over the property since I got in two days ago. I think it's my punishment for moving Nadia's wedding here. "Is that okay with you, princess?"
"I'm not talking about the water, and you know it, Jareth. You're up to something." Her hazel eyes scan across my face, rife with suspicion.
"You mean, aside from offering up my house for you and your little boyfriend?" I make a show of glancing around. "Where is he, by the way?"
"Busy," she grits out.
"Too busy to take you with him when he dipped out of here again?" I tsk, setting the bottle aside as I pace toward her. "You've been here for what? All of one day and he's already ditching you for other shit? Some boyfriend."
"You don't know what you're talking about." She lifts her chin in a stubborn display that has my cock aching to back her up against the wall and take another taste of her.
Not yet, I remind myself. Not while she's still tied to that dick.
I crowd her anyway, getting into her personal space. She pretends having me so fucking close doesn't bother her at all, but she can't hide the way she shivers slightly. She can't hide the way her eyes darken as her gaze dips toward my lips, either.
I bite back a groan, my cock pulsing in my jeans. Christ, having her in my personal space, unable to touch her, is going to ruin me. I'll either snap and haul her into the closet to get a taste or I'll just fucking…explode into pieces.