Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 81040 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 405(@200wpm)___ 324(@250wpm)___ 270(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 81040 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 405(@200wpm)___ 324(@250wpm)___ 270(@300wpm)
I saw his jaw clench as his eyes traveled down my body. I held my breath when his eyes finally met mine again. I licked my lips nervously. He needed to say something. Anything.
“Holy shit,” Levi said, walking up behind him.
I didn’t look away from Huck. I needed his reassurance. It was pathetic, but I did. Unfortunately, he was the only man whose opinion I cared about.
Finally, he stepped toward me and held out his hand. “Ready?” he asked.
The disappointment sank like a lead weight in my stomach. I walked over to him and took his hand. I still held on to a shred of hope that he would say something. We all walked to the garage. Gage in front, us, then Levi. No one said anything, and the silence was deafening.
I started thinking about my reflection in the mirror. I’d thought I looked nice. Maybe even pretty. The dress had given me confidence. Huck hadn’t been impressed though. Or maybe he just didn’t do compliments.
Gage climbed into the driver’s seat, and Levi went over to sit in the passenger seat. Huck opened the back door and held my hand, helping me up in the heels I was wearing. I sat down and slid over, leaving plenty of room for him. Also because I needed some space. My self-esteem had taken a bit of a blow, and I needed to nurse it for a moment before walking into this land of the wealthy.
Huck didn’t leave space between us when he climbed in. His leg was pressed against mine, and he rested his hand on my thigh. I stared down at it, then glanced up at him. Why couldn’t I just ask him what he thought of the dress? Or how I looked? We might just be having sex, but I could still ask him what he thought. I wanted to tell him how handsome he was, but I couldn’t seem to get the words out. I inhaled the hint of spice and cigar. It made me want to crawl in his lap and bury my face in his neck.
I didn’t do that, of course, but I fantasized about it while I stared out the window. His hand tightened on my leg as we pulled through the security gate and onto the road.
Gage and Levi were discussing someone I didn’t know who would be there tonight. Garrett didn’t trust him, and they were to keep their eyes on him. They made a joke about a silencer, but Huck said nothing. He continued to hold on to my thigh with a firm grip. As if I were going to jump out of the moving vehicle.
I stared at his hand on my thigh, and for the life of me, I couldn’t think of a way to ask him what he thought of my dress or how I looked. Everything sounded like I was begging for approval, and I was not going to do that. I might plead with him when he was inside of me, but that was different.
Gage asked Huck something about a deal, and Huck said it would be finalized on Monday. Other than that, nothing else was discussed. When we pulled under the entrance to Hughes Farm, I gasped. Twinkling white lights were everywhere. I sat up and looked out the front window, taking in everything. The entire mansion was lit up. It was breathtaking. Smiling, I glanced back at Huck and found him watching me.
“It looks magical,” I said.
He only nodded, but his gaze stayed locked on mine.
Gage pulled the car to a stop in front of the house, and a man opened his door. I realized this was a valet parking situation when Huck stepped out and held his hand out to me. Outside of the car, it was even more incredible. Huck placed his hand on the small of my back as we walked up the path of fairy lights to the front door. I wasn’t sure if I’d ever experience anything like this again, so I took in every detail.
“Does he always go all out like this?” I asked Huck.
“Hughes goes all out for everything,” was his response, and then he took my hand and tucked it in the crook of his arm as we climbed the stairs.
“The guests tonight, do they all know what he is … what you all are?” I asked.
The entire group went silent. Huck stared at me. Was that something I wasn’t supposed to ask?
“What do you mean?” he asked me.
I shrugged. “Exactly what I asked. Do they all know Garrett is the boss and you’re”—I waved a hand toward them—“the Mafia?”
“Shit,” Gage muttered under his breath.
Huck’s hand fisted. “You been snooping, Trinity?” His tone was hard.
I realized then that he had never told me. “No. Maddy told me when I stayed with her. I live with y’all. Even if she hadn’t, don’t you think I would have figured it out eventually?”