Series: Lee Savino
Total pages in book: 66
Estimated words: 63295 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 316(@200wpm)___ 253(@250wpm)___ 211(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 63295 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 316(@200wpm)___ 253(@250wpm)___ 211(@300wpm)
The Viking tilts his head as if he hears something outside the door although I hear nothing. “Come on, Paloma.” He beckons again, losing the casual air of seduction. There’s an urgency to his tone now. “We need to go. Now.”
The room spins a little from the medication. I’m not steady on my feet.
Some reckless part of me wants to go with him. But I can’t run away again–Thom will take it out on Wren.
I shake my head. “I can’t go with you. If you want me, go put your bid in with the others.”
I would very much prefer he win the bid. But he obviously doesn’t have the bank roll for that, or he wouldn’t have scaled the wall outside to break into my room.
He turns his head again, listening to something I can’t hear. “Okay, princess. Sorry about this.” He closes the distance between us, leans over, and puts his shoulder in the crease of my hip and straightens, effectively lifting me like a sack of potatoes over his back. “We’ll have to do things my way.”
My stomach flip-flops as the world turns upside down. I grab at his pants, but all I manage to do is feel up his iron hard hamstrings and glutes.“Stop!” I whisper-shout. My choice has already been made–I’m not going to get him killed by raising my voice.
But I should. Because he might get me killed if he leaves without my medication. Or get Wren killed if Thom thinks I’m part of this.
“I can’t…you can’t… Stop!”
But it’s too late. The Viking somehow manages to climb out the window with me over his shoulder–an impossible feat–and starts to scale the wall. He has to release me to catch hold of the vines with both hands, and I teeter over his shoulder.
“Eep!” My arms aren’t working properly, but I do my best to cling to his waist to keep from plummeting and breaking my neck. “I’m too heavy for you to carry. Are you trying to kill me?” I’m still whisper-shouting.
But I’m not going to die because the Viking moves so swiftly, we’re already close to the ground. He doesn’t make me feel heavy, either. He makes it seem like I’m as light as a feather.
“No, sweetheart. I’m trying to save you.”
My head is full of cotton balls, but I try to work out his words.
Save me. The Viking is here to save me. That’s a great romance novel twist.
We hit the ground, but he doesn’t put me down; he sprints across the lawn with me still on his shoulder.
The noise and activity of party-goers must protect us from the guards’ notice because the Viking makes it all the way to the giant circle drive before we’re spotted.
“Hold it right there!” One of them booms. In his earpiece, he shouts, “The asset has been lifted. Repeat, the asset has been lifted!”
Shouts sound all around us.
The Viking pauses for a moment, turning and taking it all in before he sprints faster than should be humanly possible into the woods.
“Help!” I call out, not because I want to be saved, but to be sure Thom doesn’t think I’m complicit in this. I don’t want Wren’s life to be in danger because of whatever foolish plan
Someone fires a shot. From the stables, Starlight whinnies, as if she knows I’m in danger.
I hear another voice yell, “Weapons tight! Weapons tight! Do not harm the asset.”
Being described as an asset makes me want to puke.
No, actually, it’s the hanging upside down over the massive shoulder of a guy dodging through the dark trees. That plus the medicine that’s still making me feel sick.
I guess my kidnapper really is a Viking, right down to the raiding and plundering. Too bad he’s going to get us both killed.
I pound his back. “This isn’t going to save me!”
Darius
Paloma is scared.
I can tell because her scent changed to metallic fear when shots were fired. I almost shifted because my bear wanted to tear every last asshole to pieces. Before that, I could have sworn I detected the faint honeyed scent of her arousal, as if some part of her liked being carried off over my shoulder.
Now she’s freaking out, and I want to kill the motherfucker who fired his weapon. I’m pretty sure he shot into the air to alert the others because what idiot would fire in the dark at ‘the asset’? Either way, I’m almost tempted to let my bear out to tear him limb from limb. But there’s no time to go on a rampage, and I don’t trust my bear not to hurt Paloma while he’s at it.
I need to get Paloma out of here and soothe her.
Preferably with her clothes off.
Oops. Scratch that entirely inappropriate thought.
It’s just that she’s wearing the most delectable satin shorts and cami with absolutely nothing else on, and I have the insane idea that I want to mark her right now to keep all these other fuckers off her.