Total pages in book: 147
Estimated words: 137176 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 686(@200wpm)___ 549(@250wpm)___ 457(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 137176 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 686(@200wpm)___ 549(@250wpm)___ 457(@300wpm)
Despite the circumstances, my dick had noticed and admired every part of the man from his snug black T-shirt to his tight, denim-covered ass.
My body hurt from when Cass had thrown me onto the car. I’d been certain that his powerful fist had been meant for me, but it had hit the trunk instead.
Taking his anger out on his precious Mustang Boss—his dream car. That had been unexpected.
In the few seconds between Cass releasing me and walking away, anger and confusion took over and I strode after him, grabbing his arm without thinking. The man immediately turned, knocked my hold loose and grabbed my wrist, painfully twisting it. His eyes were wild as he scanned our surroundings, seeming not to notice he was on the verge of snapping my wrist. Tears stung my eyes as I tried to wrestle free of his hold. I may as well have been trying to free my hand from a block of cement.
I didn’t recognize this Cass. Seconds ago, he’d acted like I was at fault for everything that had happened and now he was exactly like he’d probably been on the night he’d killed three people before shooting me and leaving me for dead.
“Cass,” I said softly even as pain consumed my entire arm. I hadn’t wanted to say anything. I’d just wanted to fight my way free of his painful hold on me and walk in any direction that he wasn’t, his cryptic statement about losing something too be damned.
A split second after his name left my lips, he dropped my arm like it was burning him. I bit back the moan of pain that was trying to escape my throat as I cradled my injured hand. For the briefest of moments, he seemed confused, then distressed. Then, just like that, he was turning his back on me again.
Despite his harsh lesson, I couldn’t let his words go.
You’re not the only one who lost.
What the hell did that mean? Was the asshole trying to somehow justify what he’d done?
“What did you lose, huh? A couple years of your life? This stupid fucking car?” I snapped as I glanced at the Mustang. I still remembered when he’d had the heap of junk towed to our house. He’d been so excited to finally have something of his own.
Something his family couldn’t touch… something they couldn’t take from him.
Jesus, JJ, get a grip.
“Oh, I know,” I continued. “You lost access to all your daddy’s money. I guess he didn’t grease enough palms to get you out sooner. Or did whoever paid you to take out that witness—”
That was all I got out before he turned, wrapped his fingers around the back of my neck, dragged me toward him and slammed his mouth down on mine. I opened mine to order him to release me, but no words came out and not just because his tongue dipped between my lips. I was too busy welcoming his intrusion.
If he’d intended the kiss to be some kind of harsh punishment then a few wires in his brain must have gotten crossed because the kiss, as hungry as it was, was also painfully gentle.
Seeking.
Cherishing.
I didn’t want gentle or any of that other shit.
I didn’t want a lot of things in that moment.
Most of all, I didn’t want him to stop, which was exactly what he was planning to do because he was loosening his hold on the back of my neck.
I left the past behind me and didn’t give one cent about the future. I wanted here and now. I wanted time to stop. I wanted to know what it was really like to be kissed, but I didn’t want just anyone to show me that. I wanted it to be Cass. It had to be Cass.
A few guys had tried to kiss me as they’d fucked me, but I’d always turned my mouth away because it had always felt strangely wrong to allow that level of intimacy.
Nothing about what was happening in this moment felt wrong, so as Cass began to pull back, I followed. I took control of the kiss. It should have felt awkward and weird because I’d never kissed any of the guys I’d been with before my life had gone to hell. Even my first boyfriend, who’d been more of a fuck buddy than anything else, hadn’t kissed me.
So why did it feel so natural now? Why did it feel like I’d been doing it my entire adult life? Why did Cass’s soft groan as my tongue mated with his make butterflies dance in my belly? Why did I feel hot all over?
The answer was that I didn’t give a shit. I’d been given a taste and now I wanted the whole bottle.
I threaded my fingers through Cass’s soft hair and angled his head so I could take full possession of the kiss. My entire body felt ready to go off like a rocket, but there was one particular part of me that was nearly there.