Page 37 of Tangled Kisses
“Always.” Piper’s voice softens, her smile slipping. She fiddles with the paper straw wrapper, shredding it to pieces. “She protects everyone. Sadly, no one ever protected her. Not even me. I knew Vander was an egotistical shithead. But I suspect he was way worse than that.”
God help him if he ever laid a hand on her.
Piper glances down, swirling the ice in her glass. “He’s a powerful man who’s a mean drunk. I don’t know for certain, but I think he hit her. More than once.”
“Fucking hell.” Heat floods my body, ugly and sharp. I grip the edge of the table, fighting the urge to find Vander and break his goddamn face. Knowing how tiny Reese is makes the thought of his hands on her unbearable.
Piper exhales sharply, covering the break in her voice with a bitter laugh. “And my sister stayed with him because… hell, I don’t know. The man never gave her an orgasm, and that’s the least he could’ve done.”
Okay, now we’re getting somewhere.
“How do you know that?”
“We’re sisters. We talk. I bought her a vibrator for Christmas. She told me it got plenty of mileage. Her ex was a stingy lover, probably because he was spreading it all over town.”
And I know a man who will lick every inch of her until she’s gushing and unable to stand.
Hell, just the thought of it makes my dick twitch, and I adjust myself with a slight grunt.
“She deserves so much better than that.”
“She does. She deserves everything.” Piper leans back and folds her arms, a smirk cutting across her delicate features. “Which is where you come in, because you have a ridiculous crush on her.”
My hand scrubs over my jaw, restless. “I do. Is that stupid?”
“Not at all. Reese needs a good man in her orbit. I’m not sure how ready she is to dive into love, but I am on a valiant and ridiculously important mission where she’s concerned.”
“Tracking down her piece of shit ex and beating him senseless, so that he never raises a hand to another woman again?”
Piper squeezes my forearm. “You are such a good man, but that is not the mission.”
“What is the mission?”
“Getting her laid properly.” Piper leans in, conspiratorial, eyes glinting. “She’s earned a string of phenomenal, over-the-top orgasms. And we both know you’re highly talented in that department. How about you help my sister out? I’ll pay good money, too.”
I groan, dragging a hand down my face. “Jesus, Piper. I don’t want your damn money.”
She smirks wider. “But you do want my sister.”
My chest tightens, the truth sitting heavy but certain. I shift in my seat, meeting her head-on. “More than that. I’m more than happy to be whatever she needs.”
“I’m sure you are.” Piper’s smile tightens as she glances up and over my shoulder. “Hello, Sabine. What’s up?”
“Nothing.” Sabine slips into the booth next to me, her gaze locking on mine. “I heard a rumor you’re retiring, Griffin.”
And here we go. Seems good news travels fast.
“Partially, yes.”
“Interesting. Why the sudden change?”
I drum the table and huff out a breath. “Not a life I care to pursue anymore.”
Sabine smirks, dragging a razor red nail down my cheek. “Would a certain new resident have anything to do with that change?”
I jerk my head away. This woman may be stunning, but she has a cold streak that flows outwardly in every direction. “Yeah. She is. Reese is unlike any woman I’ve ever met.”
For a second, sparks flit across Sabine’s eyes, but she covers it with a practiced smile as I wait for the viper to take another bite. “A woman who’s never gotten off? Sounds more like a pity project than a romance.”
