Total pages in book: 105
Estimated words: 100604 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 503(@200wpm)___ 402(@250wpm)___ 335(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100604 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 503(@200wpm)___ 402(@250wpm)___ 335(@300wpm)
A light entered his eyes. It burned brighter with each word I spoke. “People die around me.”
“So be it.”
“You could die.”
“Not long ago, I was halfway there.”
He closed his eyes and exhaled a long, shaky breath. He looked back at me, and that light hadn’t dimmed. “I kill people.”
“I might’ve killed one last night.”
“No.” He shook his head against the pillow. “Your shot didn’t kill him. It was mine. I shot him twice in the head. That’s not you. Don’t take that on you. It’s not yours to carry.”
My hand shifted, and my thumb went to his lips. “Thank you for saving my life last night.”
His eyes darkened. “You were in that situation because of me. Don’t thank me for that.”
“I don’t care.”
“You should.”
But I didn’t. No thoughts held weight inside me when I was around Cole. My body was drawn to his, had been from the beginning, and as he moved over me, his lips finding mine, I knew what I’d said was true: I couldn’t walk away from him.
His lips moved down my throat.
Nothing could drag me away.
A few hours later, we woke again. Cole’s elevator was buzzing on repeat, like someone was leaning on the button. Cole slipped from bed, cursing under his breath. He pulled on some pants and padded barefoot out of the room.
Checking the clock, I saw it was past noon. Good gracious. It was time to get up. I’d showered the night before, but I showered again. I found a pair of shorts in Cole’s closet and grabbed a shirt. I didn’t think he’d care. Then I tried remembering where all of my stuff was from last night.
I’d grabbed everything when I got his keys, wallet, and phone. I’d taken my purse to the stables, and I’d had it slung over me—his car. I’d put in his backseat. Everything would be in there, including my phone. I was hesitant to leave the bedroom. Somehow it had become our private sanctuary, but I had to face the real world.
I was coming around the corner when Cole almost ran into me, coming my way.
His hands caught me, holding me at the waist, and he stopped me from careening into his chest. He winced, but that was it. He’d been able to be with me earlier as if his wound didn’t bother him at all. I saw now that it did.
“Sorry.” My hand rested on his chest. “I should get going. I think my purse is in your car.”
“I was coming to get you.”
“You were?”
He gestured over his shoulder. “Dorian’s here for you.”
“For me? Dorian?”
He nodded.
Time slowed. There was nothing dramatic about this, but I knew it wasn’t good. Dorian wouldn’t have come for a “Hey, how are you?” There was a storm coming. I felt it in my gut.
As I turned the corner and approached him, my gut was right. He was closed-off. I’d thought Dorian liked me initially, but since that morning he’d woken Cole up at my place, things had gone downhill.
“Your friend has been trying to get ahold of you.”
“My friend?”
“Ms. Clarke.”
My alarm spiked. “Sia? What’s wrong?”
“Do you know where your phone is, Mrs. Sailer?” He glanced at Cole as he said my married name.
Cole grunted, leaning back against a kitchen counter. “Stop being catty, Dorian.”
He didn’t reply. His shoulders lifted in one slow motion before relaxing back down. He didn’t even blink as he said to me, “She called me ten minutes ago with the request that I open your doors. She’s concerned something is wrong. You’ve not been answering your phone since last evening.”
“Oh, no.” I stepped back. That wasn’t good. “Sia’s been calling me since last night?” I cursed and turned to Cole. “I need my phone. I have to call her.”
He nodded, straightening from the counter. “I’ll get it for you.” He took his keys and squeezed my shoulder as he passed between Dorian and me.
As soon as the doors closed behind Cole, Dorian spoke again. “She said the police called her. There was a break-in at your home—your other home.”
I grew wary. “Why are you telling me this?”
“I don’t think a small excuse that you felt unwell last night, or forgot your phone at the running track will satisfy your friend. She’s been very insistent that I find you if you’re in the building.”
“Is she at Jake’s?”
“No. She’s at the police station.”
“Shit.” It was worse than I’d imagined. “A break-in? Really?”
His head barely moved in a nod, and after a minute of silence, the elevator broke the tension. Cole had returned. He had my phone in hand, along with my purse.
“Here you go.” As I took it and thumbed in my passcode to call Sia, he said to Dorian, “Was that it?”
“Mrs. Sailer can fill you in with the rest.” Dorian left in all his uptight, stiff-neck-and-back gloriousness. He gave me one more searing look of disapproval before the elevator took him away.