Total pages in book: 165
Estimated words: 166103 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 831(@200wpm)___ 664(@250wpm)___ 554(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 166103 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 831(@200wpm)___ 664(@250wpm)___ 554(@300wpm)
“I . . . I’m not . . . I’m not always doing that.”
“You sure are, little darlin’,” Hux said. “You tried to do it twice on me today. Three times now.”
Judd shook his head. “Three times, that is naughty. Maybe she needs some baby gates to keep her in.”
“I do not.” Temper filled her face.
Relief filled him. Anything was better than the blankness on her face before.
“We’ll see,” Hux said. “Now, Judd is going to go and get His Lordship and send one of the security guards to see if your handbag is out there. While we wait here.”
“I should go with Judd,” she said. “Jonathan will need me. He might have been calling me. I should go.”
“No.” Judd gave her a firm look to back up his order.
She stared up at him, looking dazed. “No?”
“Do you not hear that often, little one?” he asked. “No, you are not allowed to come with me. You are to stay here with Hux. Understand?”
“Yes. I understand.”
She probably wouldn’t have given in so easily if she wasn’t still in shock. He should have felt bad about using his Dom voice on her. She was shaken by what had happened and she hadn’t had time to regroup.
But if this kept her safe, then it was what he had to do.
He headed out quickly, talking to security before he raced upstairs. Technically, he shouldn’t have left His Lordship, and Judd was usually a by-the-book guy. Rules were what he lived by, they kept order in his life.
And he needed order and control.
However, there had been no way he’d been willing to stand by and let either of them get hurt.
He met Jonathan when the elevator opened.
“Ahh, there you are.” His Lordship looked positively cheerful. Weird reaction to have to his assistant nearly getting hurt.
But there was something off about this guy.
“Sorry I took so long,” Judd said.
“No, no, not at all,” he said. “You have Chloe somewhere safe, I believe?”
“Yes, she’s waiting with Hux. We have a car waiting at the back entrance. We’re going to collect them and head out now. We’ll keep you both safe.”
“I’m sure you will.”
As they reached the ground level, a security guard met them, holding Chloe’s bag.
“Thanks. She’ll be happy to see this.” They headed back to the meeting room where Hux and Chloe were.
When they walked in, Judd noticed that Chloe had pulled her blank mask back on. She’d tidied her hair and wiped off the mascara smudges. It didn’t hit him as healthy. He glanced over at Hux to see his thoughts, but the other man was staring at a wall.
Fuck.
He was more messed up by this than Judd had thought. But Hux had to pull himself together and help him. Judd checked his phone for a message from Beck.
Beck:
Back entrance. Clear.
“I’m so sorry, Jonathan,” Chloe started to say.
What the fuck?
Why was she apologizing? And why did she look so on edge again?
“No need to apologize, dear.”
“I tried to be here in five minutes, but we were too far away. And then I lost my handbag and didn’t have my phone. I’m sorry.”
“Chloe, dear. I’m not upset with you. This was out of your control.”
Yeah, he really didn’t like this guy. Did he ever consider asking her if she was all right?
“We need to go,” Judd barked. “They’re waiting with two cars outside for us. Your Lordship, you’ll go in car one, and we’ll get Chloe into car two.”
“Is it necessary to split us up? I’m sure Chloe would feel safer with me, wouldn’t you, dear?” His Lordship asked.
No. It wasn’t necessary, but he wanted to keep Chloe away from this asshole.
She nodded woodenly. “Yes, that would be best.”
“Do you have some time to clean up a bit?” Jonathan asked her.
“Oh, yes. Certainly.” She nodded almost woodenly.
“There’s no time to clean up, she’s fine the way she is,” Judd snapped.
His Lordship shot him a look.
Shit. He needed to pull back or the asshole would complain about him.
“And splitting you up is protocol.” Two cars meant they could split up if necessary.
Beck:
I can’t keep Owen here much longer. Hurry up.
Judd:
What the fuck? You brought him?
Beck:
There was no leaving him behind.
“Let’s go.” He gave Hux a slap on the back, hoping it would jolt him out of his thoughts.
Judd led them out through the hallway. As they reached the back exit, Owen stormed through the door. The look on his face was pure rage.
“What is wrong with him?” Lord Jonathan asked.
“Nothing. He’s upset about what happened.” Judd had to hustle His Lordship out the door. He just hoped that Hux was with it enough to deal with Owen in this mood.
She felt dazed. Out of it.
Chloe wasn’t used to feeling like this. But she kept putting one foot in front of the other.
Keep it together.
It wasn’t easy though. She checked Jonathan’s hand.