Total pages in book: 118
Estimated words: 110859 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 554(@200wpm)___ 443(@250wpm)___ 370(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 110859 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 554(@200wpm)___ 443(@250wpm)___ 370(@300wpm)
“Mr. Hughes,” Lucian greeted, and she wondered how he knew Parker’s last name.
Parker ignored the greeting and took her hands. “Scout, are you okay?” He shot Lucian an accusing glare.
“Let’s sit. I’m afraid Evelyn slept through lunch so we’ll call this an early dinner. Evelyn.” Lucian held out a chair, nodding for her to sit.
They sat and Parker reluctantly followed suit.
“To what do we owe this pleasure, Mr. Hughes?”
A waitress silently handed each of them menus. Parker pushed his aside and eyed Lucian skeptically. “I wanted to make sure she’s okay.”
“Evelyn is quite well as you can see for yourself.” She frowned as they talked over her as if she were incapable of answering for herself.
“What do you want with her?”
“That’s none of your business,” Lucian said as he put aside his menu.
“Uh, hello? I’m right here.” Being the subject up for discussion, it would be nice if someone acknowledged her presence.
“You can’t buy her or whatever you think you’re doing,” Parker hissed.
Lucian chuckled. “True, but only because I can’t afford her. She’s priceless and in case she hasn’t told you, she’s not for sale.”
“Is this a joke?” Parker asked. “I’m serious. She won’t let you take advantage of her.”
“How charming, Evelyn, you have yourself quite a little champion here.”
Parker’s eyes narrowed. Muscles in his strong jaw twitched. “You think you’re untouchable. You think you intimidate me with your nice clothes and fancy hotel? You don’t. That crap won’t impress Scout either. She’s too smart to fall for all your glitz and arrogance.”
The waitress returned. Parker sat back, apparently intending to order nothing and Lucian said, “The three of us will have the sirloin, prepared medium rare, the arugula salad with pecans, and the sautéed asparagus.”
The waitress took the menus. “Very good, Mr. Patras.”
“I’m not eating,” Parker announced with stubborn pride.
“Don’t be a fool, Mr. Hughes. You’re starving. I suspect you haven’t had a meal like this in years. Don’t cut off your nose to spite your face.”
“You’re an arrogant bastard, Patras.”
Scout had heard enough. “Will you two stop it? Parker’s my friend, Lucian. If you can’t be polite, I’m going back to the room. Parker, I’m perfectly fine and here of my own free will.”
The hurt that filled Parker’s eyes made her look away.
“I see.” He stood and the way his body turned, she noticed how slender his hips were. She imagined Lucian’s body and noted several differences. “I’ll let you two enjoy your dinner.”
“Parker, wait.” She stood, and Lucian placed a staying hand on her knee.
“Goodbye, Scout. I’ll keep an eye on Pearl for you.”
He turned and left, quickly moving through the maze of tables and disappearing through the door. The tears that blurred her vision startled her.
Turning her scowl on Lucian, she hissed, “I’m sure you’re pleased with yourself.” With a flick of her wrist, her napkin was tossed onto the table and she stood, heading toward the lobby. Following the same maze Parker had taken, she left.
Her feet walked as quickly as she could manage without causing a scene or breaking her neck. Her tiny shoes ticked across the polished lobby floor like a tattoo needle. As a doorman held the door for her, she saw Parker cutting through a cluster of cabs and crossing the street.
The wind sliced through her clothing and sent her hair swirling and knotting around her face. “Parker, wait!”
He stopped and turned. The cold blustery weather flapped her light tweed jacket that was more of an accessory that anything else. His hands were rooted deep in his pockets and his shoulders were hunched. She twisted and noticed Lucian standing by the glass doors, watching them. Why did there have to be sides? With a frustrated huff, she crossed the street to Parker.
“Don’t leave angry,” she said as she stepped onto the sidewalk slightly out of breath.
“What’re you doing, Scout?”
“I’m stopping you.”
“Not now, with him? What the hell’s going on? What does he have on you?”
Scout shook her head. “N-nothing. We’re just friends.”
He shot her a disbelieving look. Tentatively he reached up and tucked a long strand of hair behind her ear that kept catching in the wind.
“It doesn’t have to be like this, Scout.”
“Like what, Parker?”
“I see the way he looks at you. He watches you like he wants to devour you and treats you like a possession.”
She flinched. True, their original agreement lacked any form of intimate knowledge, but sometime over the past few days that changed. She had to believe Lucian saw her as more than a possession. She certainly saw more to him than she originally assumed. If it were materialistic, things never would have gotten this complicated. Hurt pride and trust never would have come into play.
“Is that what you think? That he bought me?”
He fingered the lapel of her new jacket. “Didn’t he?”
Her shoulders trembled, but not from the cold. She pressed her lips together and took a deep breath as hurt and rage chilled her bones.