Total pages in book: 25
Estimated words: 23614 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 118(@200wpm)___ 94(@250wpm)___ 79(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 23614 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 118(@200wpm)___ 94(@250wpm)___ 79(@300wpm)
“Thanks,” I say with a grateful smile. “I owe you.”
“You owe me double!” Kimber squeals. “One for getting you into the breeding party, and now this.”
“Okay, okay,” I giggle. “I massively owe you, Kimber. But I appreciate this so much because I have to know. Dane claims … well, I already told you. My relationship with him hinges on this.”
Kimber looks sympathetic.
“I’m so sorry this happened to you, Jamie. He fucked-up by being at the club that night, but maybe it’s not as bad as you think.”
“Maybe,” I nod slowly. “But I want to get the details sorted out first, and then try to process everything. Because so much has happened in just a couple weeks! It’s insane.”
“That’s New York for you,” Kimber says with a wink. “You’re living in the fast lane out there.”
“It’s warp-speed,” I agree before giving her a wave and saying goodbye. Then we hang up, and I’m left to the silence of my small apartment. A pigeon on my windowsill lets out a gurgly coo, but for once, I don’t feel annoyed. After all, I’m consumed with thoughts of Dane. Was the older man being honest? Or were his words and actions all lies? Soon I’ll know … and the anticipation makes me hopeful yet nauseous at once.
11
Dane
Life fucking sucks. Ever since I showed up at Jamie’s apartment that day, it feels as if there’s no reason to continue living. Don’t get me wrong - I’m not going to commit suicide because I have a business empire to lead, but it certainly feels as if I’m walking around like a dead man. I barely hear any sounds, my vision is in shades of grey, and I can hardly be roused from my stupor most days.
“Dane,” my secretary Cathy says in an impatient tone over the phone. “Are you still with me?”
“Yeah,” I say, startling back to life. “Sorry, you were saying?”
She lets out another sigh of frustration.
“Do you want the car to come at 4 p.m.? Or are you comfortable with five?”
After all, I’m booked on a flight out of New York tomorrow afternoon. I was supposed to leave ages ago, but I kept postponing my departure because of Jamie. I loved being with the curvy girl, and we spent the better part of our days in bed together, enjoying each other’s bodies. But I haven’t seen Jamie in a week now, and my life’s fallen to pieces. I don’t even know who I am anymore. Sure, I’m Dane Kenneally of Dane’s Coffee, but what does that mean? Who the fuck cares, anyways? There are so many specialty coffee shops in the world, Dane’s is just another, indistinguishable from all the rest.
I sigh into the receiver.
“Four is fine. Shit, make it three. The sooner I’m out of this hellhole, the better.”
“Great,” Cathy says, ignoring my curses. “Three it is then. There will be a town car waiting for you at the curb of the Wythe at three sharp. I’ll text you the car’s license number later today.”
Then, we hang up and I gaze glumly out of the window in my suite. The East River continues to sparkle like nothing’s the matter, the sun glinting off the roiling waves. Fuck. How can the Earth keep on spinning, when I’ve fallen so far off my axis?
But I guess I deserve it. I shouldn’t have taken Brad’s place at that breeding party. I never should have showed my face, nor touched that girl either. But even if Jamie believes me, it doesn’t excuse my actions. I’m a fucked-up asshole who got used to doing whatever he wants, and now, I’m paying the price for my thoughtlessness.
Suddenly, the front door to the suite creaks open, and I look up in surprise. There’s only one person with a key to the place, and to my shock, it’s Jamie. The curvy girl’s here, as gorgeous as ever in a yellow sundress with her curls springing about her shoulders. My heart contracts with longing, but I make myself stand and nod.
“Hey,” I say in a low voice. “I didn’t think I’d ever see you again.”
Jamie nods as she shuts the door quietly behind her.
“I had some thinking to do,” she says by way of explanation. “And some verifying too.”
“Verifying?” I ask, one black brow raised.
“Yeah, verifying,” she says, looking me straight in the eye as she puts her purse down. “I needed to make sure you were being straight with me, Dane. I had Kimber ask her contacts at Club Z, and they confirmed that Brad Thornton was supposed to take part in the breeding event two nights ago. You were a last minute sub.”
I let out a relieved exhale.
“So you know what I said was true then. I’m not a breeder. I was just there because Brad begged me. Literally, begged. He said his sex dolls needed attention, and it was urgent.”