Total pages in book: 81
Estimated words: 81930 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 410(@200wpm)___ 328(@250wpm)___ 273(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 81930 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 410(@200wpm)___ 328(@250wpm)___ 273(@300wpm)
If he grew any more handsome, she’d never get anything done. It was hard enough now to keep herself from staring at him all day. His messy, dark hair and those mischievous green eyes haunted her dreams.
“Isla.” Cullen crouched again.
She moved her gaze to his. Cullen was like a mountain. Unmovable. Steady. But he’d always kind of scared her. Although Ivy had smoothed out his edges. She made him smile.
“I’m sorry you had to come here,” she told him quickly. “I didn’t mean to bother you. I just…” She looked helplessly at Marcus. Then she realized he was still holding her hands, and she tried to pull them back.
He scowled at her. “No.”
“Marcus,” Cullen warned. “If she wants you to let go, then you have to let go.”
“She doesn’t want me to let go of her. She just thinks she shouldn’t cling to me for reasons that are stupid.”
Isla groaned. “Marcus!”
“What? They are stupid. You’re not a bother. Of course, you should call us. If you hadn’t called us, then I really would have spanked your ass.”
Maybe she should make him let her go. But she could see the stress and worry on his face. Marcus didn’t always deal well with big emotions. They scared him.
And she knew that was what was happening now.
“I’m really all right,” she whispered, moving closer to him.
To her shock, he drew her onto his lap. She tried not to stiffen up. She didn’t want him to think that she was scared of him. Or didn’t want his touch.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
But she was feeling vulnerable right now. Flayed open. Her insides were on display, and it was hard for her not to hide.
Marcus needed her, though. And she had to be there for him.
He wrapped his arms around her, and that’s when she felt him tremble.
Oh no.
Had she done this to him?
“I’m going to keep you safe. I might not be a big strong alpha dude, but I have a fuckload of money, and I will use every cent to keep this from happening again,” he whispered in her ear. “Not ever again, Isla. Promise me.”
She wasn’t sure she could make that promise. She didn’t know what the future would bring.
But she could tell he needed this.
“Never again.”
“Good. That’s just what I needed to hear.”
Wait. What was that note of satisfaction in his voice? What did he think she’d agreed to? When she glanced up into his face, he was grinning like a cat who’d gotten the cream.
Uh-oh.
When Marcus had that look on his face, it meant trouble.
“Why do you look so happy with yourself?” Ivy asked.
“Because Isla just agreed to move in with me.”
Good. Lord.
Chapter 2
Isla was exhausted by the time they’d finished dealing with the cops. Marcus had stayed by her side the entire time, holding her hand and supporting her as the officers took her statement. They’d asked her to go through and check if anything was missing. That’s when she’d realized that the intruder had taken her grandmother’s jewelry. It was the only thing of any worth she had.
But more than that, it had sentimental meaning.
She couldn’t really describe the person. He’d been completely covered in black, including a mask.
They’d asked her several times if she was sure her door had been locked. She’d had to cut Marcus off several times before he could tell the police officers where to shove their questions.
In the end, there wasn’t much the police could do other than talk to Mr. Fenton, the building manager, and search through the apartment. The assailant had worn gloves, so no one was hopeful about prints.
“Are you sure you don’t want to go to the emergency room?” Cullen asked as they left the apartment. Mr Fenton had promised to change the locks, although she wasn’t sure he would. He was lazy and a bit creepy.
At this stage, she didn’t care. She couldn’t come back here to live.
Knowing someone had been in her space… had touched her things… it made her feel ill. Like she’d been violated.
“No. I’m just a bit sore.”
Cullen frowned but didn’t argue.
“And you don’t want to grab anything to bring with you?” Ivy asked.
She shook her head. “N-no. I don’t want anything he’s touched.” It would be expensive to replace everything, but she didn’t have a lot.
Marcus squeezed her hand, and she glanced up at him. He appeared thoughtful. And he was quiet.
That wasn’t a good sign.
Marcus was rarely quiet. Which meant he was plotting. What was he thinking?
“Would you mind dropping me off at a hotel?” she asked. “I don’t think I should drive.” She was still trembling. The hotel was going to hurt. While she had a good nest egg saved up, she didn’t want to dip too far into it.
She knew what it was like to go hungry. Her parents had kicked her out on her eighteenth birthday, and she’d barely had anything. She’d had to live in a shelter for a while.