Total pages in book: 108
Estimated words: 102546 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 513(@200wpm)___ 410(@250wpm)___ 342(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 102546 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 513(@200wpm)___ 410(@250wpm)___ 342(@300wpm)
“Here,” I hold out the glass, and her bloodshot eyes meet mine. “You must be thirsty.” Handing it to her, she grips the cup in her hands and downs it. Some drips down her chin to her filthy T-shirt.
She sucks in a deep breath, and the cup falls from her hands at my feet. “What …?”
Her wide eyes meet mine, and I cup her face. “It had to be done,” I tell her, and then her eyes close. I catch her in my arms and pull her limp body into my lap. My eyes meet his.
He shrugs. “I was prepared to drug her if need be.”
I told him what Luca once told me. Do what you need to do.
“Text Nite. Have him meet us ASAP.”
He nods, flipping open the blade once again, and holds it out to me. Turning her onto her stomach the best I can, I take the knife while he pulls her hair off her neck.
I take my free hand and feel around her neck until I find the little bump. It’s so small I would have never noticed it. I push the blade into her skin and make a small cut. Blood instantly starts pouring down the sides of her neck and onto my slacks.
Pushing my thumb and pointer finger into her open skin, I grab the device and pull it out. Tristan holds the empty cup out to me, and I drop it inside. Then I grab a shirt that we brought with us. Honestly, I expected her to be naked. Jasmine had packed Mia a bag while we had a meeting at my house yesterday and discussed our plans to bring Mia back with everyone. I made sure to grab an outfit from that bag for her this evening since her dress was ripped last time.
I press the shirt to the wound, applying pressure as the limo comes to a stop.
MIA
I WAKE IN an unfamiliar room. I sit up, gasping for a breath, panic gripping my chest. Getting to my feet, the room sways, and I hit my hip on the nightstand by the bed, making it rattle.
I hear a door open behind me, and I run toward the other one that I see at the opposite end of the room. Just as I reach the door handle, an arm snakes around my waist, practically picking me up off my feet. I let out a scream, but a hand slaps over my mouth, cutting me off. I start kicking and trying to grab at anything I can touch.
“Shh, you’re okay.” I hear a voice in my ear. “You’re okay, Mia,” it repeats.
My tired body goes limp in his arms, and he removes his hand from my mouth, allowing me a deep breath. Setting me on my feet, he spins me around, and I look up into a set of blue eyes. The ones I thought I’d never see again.
I slap him as hard as I can. Which probably isn’t much.
“Mia—”
I do it again. “You drugged me. Again.”
He grips both of my wrists and slams them up against the wall, pinning me to it with his body. His eyes narrowing down at me now. “I had no other choice.”
“I didn’t want—”
“To live?” He interrupts me. “That was our only option. And I didn’t have time to argue with you about it.” Letting go of me, he steps back and runs a hand through his dark hair. “Fuck!” he shouts. Then he pins his eyes on me once again. “It needed to be done. And we had a very short timeframe. I was either going to hold you down and force you to drink it or have you do it willingly.”
I cross my arms over my chest and lean up against the wall. My legs are still wobbly, and the room is still spinning. I wouldn’t have taken it on my own. I’m too stubborn for that, and we both know it.
Stepping into me, he cups my face, and his hard features soften just a bit. “How do you feel?”
I just stare up at him.
He sighs. “Please talk to me. You can be mad, but I need to know how you feel.”
I lower my eyes to his Kingdom T-shirt that hugs his defined chest and broad shoulders. “I’m tired.” I finally say. Fuck, I missed him so much. I hate that he outsmarted me. Once again, Dillan Reed saved me. Why? Why not just let me go? Was it another favor for Luca? I doubt it. Luca wanted me far away from a King.
“You need more rest. It’s not out of your system yet.” I hear him through my internal rambling.
“I want a shower,” I argue, glaring up at him. I feel disgusting, and I stink.
“How about a bath? That way, I don’t have to worry about you falling over in the shower.” He offers.