Total pages in book: 66
Estimated words: 64640 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 323(@200wpm)___ 259(@250wpm)___ 215(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 64640 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 323(@200wpm)___ 259(@250wpm)___ 215(@300wpm)
“What happened to him?”
“When he didn’t find me, he took a gun and shot himself in the head. Which, when you think about it, is selfish considering what he did to them.” Glancing at Zuko, his eyes are firmly attached to mine.
“What?” I ask.
“I can see where you get your attitude from. Having to care for yourself your whole life...” He adds, “It either breaks us or makes us.”
“And what did it do to you?”
“Oh, I’m all kinds of fucking broken. Not even God himself could put me back together.” He winks.
Fuck.
He winked.
Panties, meet the floor.
“I think we’re all a little broken. Some simply hide it better.” I lift the glass to my lips and finish off the wine before I place it next to me. “The real question is…how do we put ourselves back together?”
“If you figure it out, don’t let me know. I prefer myself the way I am.”
I smile at his answer. How many people do you meet that are as fucked-up as him and can be that honest? Hell, actually, they all probably do, as they don’t see anything wrong with themselves. I guess that’s a better way to look at the way you are rather than trying to psychoanalyze yourself every day as to why you do certain things. I admire his honesty.
“I’m taking my car soon and going home,” I announce.
“How have you been getting to work?” he asks.
“I either drive my old car, or Louise takes me.”
He hands me the keys without another word and pulls me over to him.
SEVENTEEN
Zuko
She has a thing with people touching her but doesn’t seem to mind when I do, and I like that the most. Somehow throughout the morning, she has worked her way over to my lounger and is between my legs, her head on my stomach, and her arms wrapped around me.
I pull the sunshade over her as I hear the glass door slide open. There are only ever two people who it could be—my brothers—no one else has access to or would dare step foot inside my home.
She moves a little, and her head nestles into my stomach as I spot Kenzo. He freezes, and Kyson comes up behind him with a big dirty smirk all over his face. My hand strokes her hair—lavender, such an odd color—but it suits her personality to a T.
“You brought her back?” Kyson asks as he bends down and looks at her sleeping on me.
For someone who hates to be touched, she sure is doing a lot of it.
“Why?” he adds, studying her. “I mean, there is a pool. Did you bring her here to drown her?” He meets my eyes, a devilish gleam in his.
I shake my head and give him a bored look. This is why you don’t share things about your sex life with your brothers because they bring it up anytime and every-fucking- time they can.
“She’s really pretty,” Kenzo notes, taking the spare seat next to me, the one she was in before she decided after one to many wines to fall asleep on me.
“Too pretty to kill?” Kyson laughs, still standing above us.
“What are you doing here?” I ask them.
“Pops called. He wants to add more to our schedules.” I bite my tongue at Kyson’s words. Of course he does. “He’s becoming greedy these days now that he has a little plaything,” he adds.
“That’s because she is spending all his money,” Kenzo states. “She’s the definition of a gold digger and not even a good one.”
“He knows we aren’t taking on more jobs than necessary. We’ve played his game long enough,” I declare.
Kyson scratches the back of his head. “Yeah, well… You better be telling him that because he seems to think otherwise.”
I feel an almost imperceptible twitch and look down to find Alaska is now awake.
“Do you plan to say hello?” I ask. “Or lie there cuddling into me a little longer?” I question further with a grin.
She pulls back and sits up between my legs. “I was not cuddling you. You got me drunk and roofied my drink.” She doesn’t stand or make a move to the other lounger, just stays right where she is. Her eyes find my brothers, and she smiles up at them. “Your brother is an ass. Did you know that?” Kenzo blinks a few times with a nonchalant smirk, and Kyson smiles.
“Oh, we know, but it’s interesting that you know so early.”
She rolls her eyes and attempts to stand with a little stagger. “What’s the time?” She doesn’t reach for her bag while waiting for me to answer. “Time?” She taps her wrist, which is bare.
I glance at my watch and tell her, “Ten a.m.”
Her eyes go wide. “I’ve been asleep that long?” she questions as if she can’t believe it. “Where have you been while I slept?”