Total pages in book: 112
Estimated words: 107687 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 538(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107687 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 538(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
“Janie.”
I glance up at him, and when his gaze catches mine, I burn everywhere.
“Stop thinking.”
If only it were that easy. I swallow, taking a deep breath. “Let’s go.”
twenty-four
Dimitri
I asked to walk Austen to her car, but she had to take her sisters to the hotel first. Since she had to do that, she had to pull them off the dance floor, which took longer than expected. I don’t know why her grandpa—or peepaw, or whatever the hell she calls him—couldn’t take them, but I wonder if it’s because she wanted to clear the air with him. I only heard a bit of what he said, but it doesn’t seem like I’m Peepaw’s favorite person right now. Not that I give two shits. Not when Austen is kissing me like that.
Like I’m the only person or thing she ever wants on her lips.
A chill runs down my spine as I head to where my parents are standing, watching the spectacle that is Quinn Adler. I feel for the dude. And now… Well, now I feel a thing that I am not ready to admit. I may not have understood before, but I think I might now, which is pretty petrifying.
Yup. I’m going to completely ignore that.
When I reach my parents, I find Elli standing with them, her arms crossed over her chest and her eyes on her son. Worry lines her eyes and her mouth. I don’t want to disturb her or be on the receiving end of whatever she’s feeling, so I lean into my parents, touching the small of my mom’s back where my dad’s hand lays.
They both look over at me, and I whisper, “I’m heading out.”
“Oh, okay. I love you, my love.”
“Love you, Mom, Dad,” I say, and he stops me by grabbing my bicep.
“See what love does to a person?” he says, jerking his head to Quinn. “It can end up like us or like them. It’s a gamble. Remember that.” His words surprise the fuck out of me. “Don’t fuck up your career, son.”
Mom’s light-blue eyes meet mine, and I see worry in them that I don’t understand. I’m fine. I’m good and smart, and I won’t end up like Quinn, ’cause I know when to cut my losses. To walk away from something that isn’t productive… Yeah, I could do it if I had to. “I’ve got this, Dad.”
He looks over at me. “Do you?” he asks, concern on his face. “Because what I see is a love-sick fool, me when I finally let myself feel something for your mom. The difference between us is I was established in my career. You’re not.”
I don’t fucking understand his logic. Why can’t I have both? My career and…fuck, a relationship? No, I fucking want Austen. I’m not sure what that entails, but I refuse to have people derail us. I’ve been flirting and trying to get that girl for weeks; everyone can fucking relax. Oh, she would blush with how much I’ve thought the word fuck.
“Thank you for the unneeded advice,” I say to him, pulling my arm from his hand.
“Do you know who she is?”
I just look at him. “What do you mean?”
“She’s Dan Davenport’s granddaughter, Dimitri.” Dad’s words are like ice, and I’m stunned by his tone. Confused by how infuriated and troubled he is. “You’re playing with fire.”
“Dad, I’m good. I promise.”
“It’s not smart, Dimitri.”
I am completely taken aback and more than a little annoyed. “I don’t care,” I say simply. “I’m good, she’s good, we’re good. Everything is great.”
“And that can change in an instant,” he says with a snap of his fingers. “Don’t throw it all away for some ass.”
I jerk back as if he hit me. I lean in, glaring at the man I look up to more than anyone in the world. “She is more than a piece of ass, Dad, and I know that. I don’t have to knock her up to figure it out.”
“Dimitri Blake!” my mom cries, her eyes full of surprise. My dad stares at me, pissed as fuck, and maybe I was wrong to put it that way, but he needs to stop. “That is absolutely uncalled for!”
“And it’s absolutely uncalled for for him to assume I am just with her for some ass.”
“Then what are you doing?” Dad demands, his eyes dark stones of obsidian. “What are you gaining?”
“Gaining? Are you insinuating I’m using her to get ahead?”
“That’s the rumor,” Elli says, and I meet her gaze. “I thought you were only getting into a bit of trouble, Dimitri Blake.”
Man, she middle-named me.
I turn on my heel, tucking my hands in my pockets. “I feel as if I’ve been on my best behavior,” I say. And I mean…that’s almost true. “And I think that rumor was started by Shelli.”
She shrugs. “Maybe so. But you need to remember, Mr. Davenport is a very powerful man.”