Total pages in book: 77
Estimated words: 75062 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 375(@200wpm)___ 300(@250wpm)___ 250(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75062 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 375(@200wpm)___ 300(@250wpm)___ 250(@300wpm)
They didn’t understand that it didn’t have to happen, that the threat of it happening constantly hanging over my head was traumatizing enough.
Because I never did know when things were going to change, when I was going to catch him in the wrong mood, or say the wrong thing.
Then my life would become a whole new kind of hell. Because once it started, I knew it would never stop.
“Don’t be a dick,” the other guard mumbled to the driver, making me look between the two of them.
When Massimo called later, I guess I would be telling him that Larry was a dick, but Albert might be a decent guy.
When we climbed out of the car, Larry was quick to add one more comment at me before I disappeared.
“Better take a shower before dinner. Boss man isn’t going to want to smell your stinking ass.”
“The fuck is his problem?” Lucas, the younger of my brothers, asked as I made my way into the garage.
“I don’t know. He thinks I smell like the deli.”
“Still. Getting mouthy isn’t going to make him one of Colin’s favorites.”
“Apparently, he doesn’t understand that. And that is not me discreetly asking you to teach him that,” I told Lucas.
Between my brothers, Nicky had always been the louder, sweeter, more lighthearted one. While Lucas was more intense, introverted, and quick to react to something.
“Someone should teach him.”
“But if it was one of my brothers, I might get treated even worse,” I reasoned.
“It shouldn’t be like that.”
“None of this is how it should be,” I said, shrugging, wishing I could tell him that it won’t be like this for long. “I have to go shower. What did it seem like he was making the cook make us tonight?” I asked.
“Salmon.”
“Ugh,” I grumbled, actually stomping my foot because I was famished, and I absolutely hated seafood.
“Yeah, hence me sneaking you this for later,” Lucas said, looking around, then discreetly passing me two protein bars.
“You’re the best,” I said, leaning over to press a kiss to his cheek before rushing upstairs.
And for the first time in a long time, I felt like some of the weight I’d been carrying around on my shoulders for years fell away.
It was all going to be over soon.
Or so I thought.
CHAPTER TEN
Cammie
The smell of fish greeted me as I stepped in through the front door, making my nose automatically wrinkle up and my stomach turn as I thought of needing to choke some of it down.
He never let his cook season the food with much flavor, either, so it wasn’t like I was tasting some olive oil and garlic with a hint of fish. Oh, no, it was just a mouthful of ocean disgustingness.
We weren’t even going to discuss the texture.
Colin ate healthfully.
Unlike his brother, who was a big fast and junk food fan, Colin took his diet really seriously.
Dinner was always chicken or fish or even meat-free with tofu or chickpeas or something for protein.
I would happily take an entire block of unseasoned tofu over the salmon I knew was waiting for me.
“I knew that dress would suit your figure,” Colin said by way of greeting as I moved into the dining room.
That was another rule in his household.
You dressed up for dinner.
It was one of the few rules I didn’t completely hate, even if I did hate dressing up for his pleasure.
The dress in question was a sort of deep mossy green silk number that reached the floor and left my neck and a good chunk of my chest bare. Which meant I’d needed to forego the bra that I could have tucked my new phone into.
It was ridiculous, but I felt strangely vulnerable without it. Meanwhile, I had been doing this dinner every night without it for years. I guess that having the option for an emergency escape, though, made it feel really unsafe not to have access to it anymore.
The phone was nestled deep in the tampon box in my bathroom because, in my experience, men avoided feminine hygiene products like they were diseased. Even if someone happened in my apartment to do a search when I wasn’t around, they wouldn’t find anything.
“It is a lovely dress,” I agreed, standing in the doorway, waiting for him to wave me in.
Colin looked like Cody if maybe you squinted a little. Colin was taller and leaner with sharp cheekbones. They had similar dark eyes. They both had dark hair, but Colin had a bit of a widow’s peak whereas Cody had an almost boxy, square hairline.
Where Cody preferred comfortable clothes—jeans and tees—Colin liked to look the part of the boss he was in tightly tailored suits and expensive cufflinks.
His cologne, as much as I hated to admit it, was a good one. And he wore it sparingly, so it wasn’t overpowering.
Though, with the smell of salmon wafting in from the kitchen, I kind of wished he was like Larry and practically bathed in body spray.