Total pages in book: 41
Estimated words: 37273 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 186(@200wpm)___ 149(@250wpm)___ 124(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 37273 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 186(@200wpm)___ 149(@250wpm)___ 124(@300wpm)
“I could leave, though, Joey.” She faced him. “I could go to another state, just pack up the few things I have and disappear.” She was crying now, not hard, wracking sobs, but ones where she was still trying to hold her composure. “I don’t want to be here. I don’t want to be in this fucked up situation, and I don’t want to stay here with you so you can protect me.” She wiped away her tears almost angrily, and Joey stood, hating that seeing her upset pinched at his heart.
He moved toward her and was glad when she didn’t retreat. But when she reached behind her and held onto the counter, her body going tense, and her eyes widening, he knew that she played a good poker face.
“Are you upset because you’re in this situation, or that I am the one you’re in it with?” Obviously he knew for anyone that wasn’t used to this life it would have been a hard adjustment and realization to come to, but he didn’t think it was just that reason. There was something else that she was not just coming out and telling him.
And he would get the truth out of her, one way or the other.
8
Marra tried to calm her breathing, but Joey was so close, and the look on his face was so damn intimidating. He wanted her to bare her soul, to tell him things that she couldn’t.
He took another step forward, placing his hands on the counter on either side of her. The scent of his liquor laced breath moved along her lips, and she felt this chill move along her arms.
She shouldn’t want him right now, not after everything he had just told her. Someone could be after her because of what she witnessed and the fact she got away. Maybe they thought she’d run to the cops, tell them what she heard and have this huge investigation going on.
But right now, as she stared into his grey eyes, took in the way his short dark hair fell across his forehead, and the way he had a day’s worth of dark stubble along his cheeks and jaw, he looked so good, so dangerously sexy and controlling that she couldn’t help but feel this submissive side rise up inside of her.
She wanted this man to dominate her, to show her why he was always so in control, had so much patience, and was so determined to have his way no matter what.
“Tell me why you really want to leave, and don’t give me that bullshit that you’ve been spouting off to me for the last year.” He stared right in her eyes, refused to give her any breathing room, and Marra felt suffocation start to take hold of her.
“Why does it matter right now? After all the things that have just happened, why do you even care why I want to leave?” She felt a bead of sweat trail down her temple. “Do you really think anything else is important right now?” Her life was on the line, according to him. “And why are you just staring at me not saying anything?” Her heart was beating faster now, her nerves going higher, and her emotions more heightened with what was happening right here and now.
He leaned in another inch, and she felt the heat from his breath move along her face. She actually had to stop herself from moaning at how good it felt with having him so close.
“What difference does it make why I want you to do something?” He lifted one of his hands and placed it right by her cheek, so close, yet not touching her. “The fact is I want you to do something, to tell me what I want to know.” He stared in her eyes, all but demanding she obey him. “Maybe this started as me wanting to know why you were so adamant on leaving, of wanting to be away from me when I am the only one that can protect you. But it doesn’t matter now, because what I want to hear is the truth, Marra. All of it.”
Although he had never asked her to tell him one of the reasons she didn’t want to stay here with him, the fact still remained that she was scared of what was going on, had just been told her life may or may not be on the line, and he was asking her to tell him more than she felt comfortable saying. “I told you why I wanted to leave, because according to you my life is in danger.” She swallowed. “I don’t need any other rational explanation than that.”
He made this low sound in his throat. “I know that already, Marra. I want to know the other reason you want to leave. It’s the honest and rational reaction, but I want to know the other reason. The one that is making your heart pound at this very moment, the one that makes your nipples hard, and that most likely has that sweet little pussy wet for me.”