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)
Sampson placed the phone down on the coffee table.
“Maeve?” Isaiah asked urgently. “Are you all right?”
“I’m fine,” she told him, slipping around on Gray’s lap. He held her against him when she attempted to climb off.
This wasn’t the first time they’d mentioned Isaiah. Was he another friend? Where was he?
“What the hell happened? How did someone get past the security system to attack Abe and hurt Maeve?” Isaiah demanded.
“Looks like an inside job,” Sampson said grimly. “Andy is missing.”
Isaiah swore long and loud. “He hit Abe? You think he tried to drown Maeve?”
“Don’t know,” Sampson said with clear frustration.
“I don’t get why Andy would try to kill me. He can’t be my stalker, right? He was here when I was attacked?”
Gray growled.
“Who was that?” Isaiah asked.
“Maeve’s friend,” Sampson said.
“Maeve’s boyfriend,” Immy added.
“What?” Isaiah asked.
“He turned up just after someone drowned Maeve,” Jenner explained.
“He saved her,” Immy said with a sigh. “It’s all rather romantic.”
“Maeve nearly dying is romantic?” Sampson asked her incredulously.
“No! Obviously not. Gray saving her was, though.”
“Gray?” Isaiah asked urgently. “Gray Hawkins?”
“Yes. Do I know you?” Gray asked. How would he know his last name?
“Remember I told you that I asked Isaiah to help me find your phone number after my phone got smashed and I had to leave it behind,” Maeve explained.
“Sampson! Get Maeve away from him! Right fucking now!” Isaiah snapped.
“What?” Sampson stood and Maeve went stiff.
“I wouldn’t,” Gray warned. “I won’t think kindly of you touching her right now.”
“I’m fine, Sampson,” Maeve reassured him.
“I’m guessing you know who I am,” Gray drawled.
“Yeah, I looked into Gray for you, Maeve. And I’m willing to bet he hasn’t explained exactly who he is, have you, Gray?” Isaiah snarled.
“Who is he?” Sampson snapped.
“Ever heard of Drew Markovich?” Isaiah asked.
They all had blank looks on their faces.
“No,” Sampson replied.
“Yeah, I hadn’t either until I started looking into Gray for Maeve. Drew Markovich runs a criminal empire here in Montana. And Gray Hawkins is his second-in-charge.”
“I thought you were a bodyguard?” Maeve asked.
“I am. I guard Markovich.”
“You’re a criminal?” Sampson asked.
Gray just stared at him. Did the other man really expect him to answer that?
“Sampson?” Isaiah asked.
“We’ll deal with this,” Sampson said. “Anything else?”
“No, I’ve looked into everyone here, there’s no huge red flags coming up. I talked to the lady who runs the boarding house and she knew jack shit about anyone here. It’s ridiculous.”
“People came and left from there all the time,” Maeve said. “And some of them weren’t nice people. Like Jenny. I lent her money and she left without paying me back.”
“What?” Gray asked in a low voice.
“Rude, huh? I was really short on money because of her.”
“What’s her last name?” he asked.
“Oh no,” she said, wiggling a finger at him. “I’m not telling you.”
“I can try and find out,” Isaiah offered in a tight voice.
“Isaiah! Don’t encourage his revenge plots.”
“Nobody takes advantage of my girl,” Gray said grimly.
“So romantic,” Immy sighed.
“What about the security cameras at the house?” Isaiah asked. “They must have recorded this guy trying to hurt Maeve?”
“They were all turned off,” Sampson told him. “Probably by Andy after he hit Abe. Come home now.”
“I’ll be there as soon as I can. Look after Maeve.”
Gray waited, watching them all. However, the only person in the room he cared about was Maeve. The rest of them could disappear and the only reason it would matter to him was because Maeve would be upset.
“Maeve, come here,” Sampson said.
Maeve looked over at her friend. Gray waited for her to do as he said. He wanted to see what she would do. Not that he was going to allow her to move. Nope. She was where she belonged. With him.
“Why?”
“Because he’s a criminal.” Sampson gave her a bewildered look.
“So what? You think he’s suddenly going to hurt me because we just found out he works for a criminal?”
“He doesn’t just work for one,” Jenner said, eyeing him. But he didn’t seem as upset as his friend. “I’m certain he has dirty hands.”
Gray just stared over at him. He didn’t owe any of them an explanation.
“Is that true?” Maeve asked. “What Isaiah said about your boss? Are you a criminal? Have you broken the law?”
“Yes, it’s all true.” Maeve was the only one he owed any truth to.
He waited for her to get upset. To tell him that she never wanted to see him again. It didn’t matter, since he wouldn’t allow her any space. If he had to kidnap her, he would. And frankly, the idea of locking her up in his rooms was very appealing.
At least then she’d stay put.
“And you’re dangerous?”
“I am.”
“Deadly?”
“Yes.” He studied her, unable for once to read what she was thinking.
“Have you killed people?”
“Maeve,” Sampson choked out. “You can’t fucking ask him that.”
“I can’t?” She looked puzzled. “Why not? That’s not a social rule, right?”