Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 93984 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 470(@200wpm)___ 376(@250wpm)___ 313(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 93984 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 470(@200wpm)___ 376(@250wpm)___ 313(@300wpm)
“Shut up.”
“You’re right.” As if he couldn’t help himself, he dipped his head down again. He brushed his lips against Gabriel’s and felt the man tighten up as if he were fighting him, the kiss, or maybe his own desires. Justin brushed their lips together once, twice, until he felt Gabriel soften and then part for him. The kiss was slower, a lingering exploration. Almost what their first kiss should have been, but it still built back toward the fire they’d experienced earlier.
Justin broke off the kiss and stared at Gabriel in confusion. The sexy assassin was staring up at him, his hair wild and eyes sparkling, as if he couldn’t decide whether to fuck or strangle Justin. Hunger was already nipping at him again. He’d just come, but there was a little voice nagging him to pull Gabriel to his feet and drag him into his bed to go all over again. Or even just lie there and keep kissing him for the rest of the night. That was…not normal for him.
Normal was rolling to his feet, cleaning up, grabbing clothes, and heading for the door. Other than Chris, there had been no repeats, and he hadn’t wanted them. His ex had proved that he was better off just having a little fun and moving on. His life was too complicated and dangerous.
Except Gabriel knew all about the danger. The contracts. The dead bodies. He knew and accepted. He knew, and even better, could protect himself.
He didn’t want to think about it. It was late and they both needed sleep. And those other thoughts starting to populate his brain were crazy.
“I think that’s enough fun for one night,” Justin murmured.
Pushing up so he was kneeling between Gabriel’s legs, he pulled his pants up where they belonged and grinned as Gabriel tucked himself away in his briefs.
“If that doesn’t get you to sleep, just crawl into my bed. I’ll wear you out.”
With one last wink, he got up and walked to his bedroom, leaving Gabriel to pick himself up off the floor. He felt kind of like a dick not helping the guy to his feet, but he was afraid if he touched him again, he’d kiss him, and it was becoming harder to stop.
With his hand on the door, he stopped himself from closing it all the way. Would Gabriel crawl into his bed? Snowball’s chance in hell of that. But with the door open, the offer was there.
Justin shook his head at himself before peeling off his sleep pants. He stepped into the shower long enough to clean off again and then climbed into bed naked. He’d only started wearing the damn sleep pants because Gabriel was lurking in his house. Now there was no point.
Justin was out almost the second his head hit the pillow, smiling to himself as he remembered the sound of Gabriel shouting his name as he came.
Chapter 13
Dark green blurred past the car window as they wound down the narrow lane and up another, cutting through the exclusive neighborhood of Indian Hills. The homes Gabriel could spot were sprawling mansions set back from the road by lush, green lawns and large, mature trees. It was an older, established neighborhood, which made him think of old money.
And to fit in, Justin was driving a sleek Mercedes that looked as if it were brand new. The man himself was also looking quite sleek in his pale-tan suit and white shirt. The pastel bow tie was a surprise, but there was something about his cheeky grin and warm brown eyes that set it off just right.
And those eyes were something that Gabriel was desperate to avoid.
Last night should never have happened. He still couldn’t figure out how it had. He’d been in the middle of the same fucking nightmare that had haunted him for too many years; the details were largely blurred at this point. White snow as far as the eye could see and he was running. At first he didn’t know if he was running toward something or away, only that he had to keep moving. The snow was getting deeper, each step becoming harder. The air was cold, and the wind was tearing at his pajamas—no, his uniform.
The whiteness was suddenly broken, stained red. Ivan’s body, battered and broken, lay in the snowy field, his eyes staring blindly up at the night sky. More snow fell, but it never covered him.
And then he heard the shouts. He couldn’t stay with Ivan, needed to get moving, but the snow was so deep, and people were chasing him—the same people who’d killed Ivan were after him now. Frustration and anger choked him. He wanted to scream and fight, but he was too small, too weak, and they were many.
He tried to run, but when he turned, the house he’d grown up in rose before him dark and ominous. He was trapped—the men behind him and the monster that lurked inside. He was going to end up like Ivan.