All Chapters of Sold For $1 To The Hawthorne Brothers : Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

You hurt her, didn’t you?” My voice trembles. The tears that spill down my cheeks burn with the same white-hot rage racing through my veins. I grab his wrist with my other hand, bending with all my might. His face flashes with contempt, then fear. His grip loosens on my hand, but I don’t let go of him. “You,” I snarl, “you beat her. She trusted you! She gave everything to you, and you hurt her! My mother.” “She deserved it,” he hisses. “She had a mouth on her, just like you do. I was only trying to set her straight. And after a while, she realized it was in her best interest…that she made me do it.” He glances down at his wrist, his face turning pale as I sink my fingernails into his skin. “You’ll understand as you get older that I’m only looking out for you.” Looking out for me? I drag my nails down his arm, stepping away quickly as he grunts loudly in pain. Fresh lines bloom red across his skin, showing the marks my nails left behind. He grabs his hand tightly. “

The helmet sits slightly too loose on my head, the strap tugging under my chin as I try to steady my breathing. The engine feels alive as Shane weaves through traffic, the cars blending in a haze of barely visible colors. It vibrates through the seat, through my thighs. I feel freer than I’ve felt in a very long time. “Are you okay?” He calls out, glancing back for a split second. I have to piece together his words because his helmet muffles the sound, and the wind carries the rest of them away. My head bobs as I hold on to his jacket, the thick leather firm under my fingers. “Yeah!” I yell. “I’m okay. I feel fantastic!” I feel the chuckle rumble through him, vibrate under my fingers, and my smile grows into a grin. I let go of one hand, tentatively holding it out. A gust of wind blows, and I jerk in fear, clutching Shane again. He laughs, raw and filtered. I join him a moment later, shaking my head as laughter pours out of me nonstop. I could close my eyes an

“Chain,” I let out a thin, shaky laugh. “That’s a bit much, don’t you think?” “Do you?” Adrian pushes the question back to me. “I know I was somewhat careless,” I offer willingly, going from defensive to worried and grateful to negotiating in the span of minutes, “but tying me down to the bed violates at least five human rights.” I spread out my five fingers. He looks unimpressed. “Besides,” I press on urgently, “I gave you my word that I wasn’t going to run away. There’s no way I’m getting within five feet of the bodyguard at the door without your permission, and you know it.” Adrian folds his arms loosely, his eyes still narrowed. “A compelling argument—” “A logical one,” I argue without thinking, withdrawing into myself as he abruptly leans in even closer. We’re breathing the same air at this point—although I doubt I’m breathing at all. He’s so close that my head swoons and my thoughts dissolve into complete static. I glance down, looking for something to anchor myself

"You're trembling," he observes, his finger tracing the line of my jaw, the touch light as a feather but burning hot. "It's cold in here," I bite out, though my skin is flushed and burning. "Is it?" His hand drops, skimming down the side of my neck, over the collar of my pajama top, to rest right over my racing heart. "You seem awfully warm to me.” "Adrian," I breathe. "Tell me," he commands, his voice hardening. He cups my chin, his fingers firm, tilting my head up until I have no choice but to drown in his eyes. "Tell me what you need." I don't speak. I can't. Instead, I surge up, crashing my mouth against his. His lips are demanding, taking and taking, tasting of whiskey and dominance. I part my lips instantly, inviting him in, and he groans low in his throat, the sound vibrating against my mouth. His hand leaves the wall and slides into my hair, tangling in the curls, angling my head to deepen the kiss. His tongue sweeps against mine, a wet, rhythmic thrust that

Alina.” “Mm?” I blink sluggishly, rubbing my eyes as I blink Adrian into focus. When did I doze off? I know he…he carried me in his arms after he cleaned up and helped me back into my pajamas, gently dropping me down on his shirt. I was absolutely boneless from being put and held every which way. He was going to be back—that’s what he said. But he was taking too much time and I couldn’t keep my eyes open any longer. Just rest my head a little. That’s what I told myself when I placed my head on my arms on the desk. He smelled like sharp mint and the ocean waves sweeping over beach sand, wearing a hoodie and a pair of camo shorts. “You should go to bed.” “Mm,” I nod, barely listening to him. “You look so good,” I mumble. “So good I could eat you.” I paw at the air, pretending it’s him. He chuckles, his eyes crinkling a bit. “Eat me? That’s a Herculean task, don’t you think?” I tap my chin, thinking about it. “I don’t know. I could try. I’m a big bad wolf too,