Total pages in book: 153
Estimated words: 154595 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 773(@200wpm)___ 618(@250wpm)___ 515(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 154595 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 773(@200wpm)___ 618(@250wpm)___ 515(@300wpm)
“No. Not happening,” Gray said firmly.
“If you try to leave without them, then they’re going to call Alejandro and he’s going to come back here, gun’s blazing, murder you in your sleep, and steal Maeve.”
“Like fuck he will,” Gray growled. “I thought he was a friend.”
“He is,” Maeve said.
“But sometimes he’s not always rational when it comes to family,” Sampson said. “We’ve managed to keep him from overtaking our lives, but this is different. Maeve was nearly killed. We can probably try to sneak you out, but they’re going to notice at some stage and Alejandro will be furious. But if you call and explain, then they might not insist on coming home.”
“You want me to tell them that I nearly drowned?” Maeve asked. She sounded incredulous.
Sampson shook his head. “No, just explain who Gray is. Where you’re going. And why you don’t need Alejandro’s men anymore.”
“Okay, I can do that,” she said with a sigh as the doorbell rang again. She leaned her forehead against Gray’s chest.
Sampson walked out. Who would that be? Why was there so much going on? She didn’t think she could handle much more.
“Daddy,” she said in a low voice.
Fuck. He hated how lost she sounded. How scared.
“Just hold on a bit longer, baby. As soon as it’s the two of us, you can be Little as much as you like. You can spend the entire trip in Little headspace if you want. Let me make all the decisions.”
“Not fair to you.”
“Think we’ve already established that I like being in control.”
Sampson walked back into the room. “That was Steve, the next-door neighbor.”
“What did he want?” Maeve asked.
“He wanted to know what was going on since he saw our extra security. So I told him we’d been robbed and that someone hurt Abe and destroyed our camera feed. Apparently, some of his cameras sweep over our yard, nosey bastard probably uses it to spy on us. But he’s going to get us the footage. This might mean that we can capture an image of the bastard stalking you.”
Finally. They had a lead.
35
Maeve stared nervously at her phone.
They were all packed up. She’d borrowed a suitcase from Immy and added most of the clothes from her closet here. Immy had surprised her with a new velvet coat that was even more beautiful than her own.
Sampson should be back with Isaiah soon.
The only thing left to do was put in a call to Cat.
Fuck.
“If you don’t want to call her, then you don’t have to.” Gray watched her pace back and forth with concern.
“It’s not that I don’t want to talk to her. I just feel bad about interrupting her honeymoon. And also . . . I don’t like lying to her. When she finds out I nearly drowned, she’ll be upset we kept it from her. But if I tell her now, she’ll insist on coming back.” She stilled and looked at him. “Are you mad we might have to have their men come with us?”
“I’m not mad. But I’m not happy about it.”
She chewed her lip. “I suppose I could get on a flying death trap. It would be easier for you, right?”
“Girl, come here,” he growled at her. She walked over and he drew her onto his lap. “I only ever want to do what is best for you. You can’t get on a plane, then we don’t get on a plane, you understand me?”
“Yes, Grumpy Bear.”
He grunted. “Call your friend. We’ll figure out what to say. Together.”
Right. Because she wasn’t alone.
Cat answered after a few rings. Her hair was disheveled and her lips were swollen. Maeve could hear Alejandro grumbling in the background.
Whoops.
“What is it? What’s wrong?” Cat demanded.
“Oh, man, I’m obviously calling at a bad time, I’m sorry.”
Alejandro appeared on the screen. He was topless.
Maeve groaned. “Really, really sorry.”
“Stop saying you’re sorry, Maeve,” Alejandro told her firmly. “You would not call unless it was important, we know that.” His gaze moved to Gray. “Who are you?”
“This is Gray. He, uh, Cat, you remember me telling you about meeting a guy at a nightclub? This is him.”
Cat squealed and clapped her hands. “Oh, good! Wait, he’s there in Nashville with you? How? Why didn’t you mention him before?”
“Yes, why?” Alejandro added smoothly.
“Because back then I didn’t realize the depth of my feelings for him or his feelings for me.”
“Does he know about your stalker?” Cat asked.
“Yes.”
“And why did he not protect you?” Alejandro demanded, eyeing Gray suspiciously.
“If I had known about her stalker, he would never have gotten near her,” Gray told the other man. They stared at each other while Cat groaned.
“You kept that information from him? Maeve, you’re just asking for a spanking.”
“Yes, she is,” Gray agreed. “But it’s partially my fault. I didn’t realize until she was gone that I loved her. That’s why I tracked her down.”