Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 76812 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 384(@200wpm)___ 307(@250wpm)___ 256(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 76812 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 384(@200wpm)___ 307(@250wpm)___ 256(@300wpm)
She frowns at me, and despite that whisper that she could be dangerous to me and the club, I can't help but also want to see her smile at me rather than look at me with disappointment.
I grab my pajamas rather than continuing the conversation. I spend longer than needed in the bathroom. Part of me wishes she would've taken me up on my offer. I'd probably get a better night's sleep, but there's another part of me that is glad she didn't look like she was planning on leaving the closet any time soon.
The closet door is still open when I open the bathroom door. She turned off the lights, so the room is cast mostly in darkness when I turn off the one in the bathroom.
I feel restless as I climb into bed. I knew my inactivity was going to catch up with me eventually, and it's no surprise that I'm questioning everything. A mind that never rests tends to do that.
Unlike the cracked closet door last night, the door is standing fully open tonight, and knowing that makes my skin itch.
Darkness swirls around me, making me grow even more restless. After an hour, I question whether the noises I'm hearing are in my head or real.
The third time she whimpers, I know I'm not losing my mind. She's having a nightmare.
I know better than to reach into the closet and shake her. I'd never violate her trust that way. Instead, I pull my blanket and pillow from the bed and lie down just outside of the closet door.
I don't know if it's the rustling noises I made that calmed her down or if she could sense in her sleep that I was near, but the whimpering stops. For reasons I can't explain, being closer to her also quieted my own mind, allowing me to finally fall asleep.
Chapter 14
Brielle
Warmth covered me all night. It felt like a hot bath, soothing and comfortable. It was a vast difference from how I thought my night would go after sitting outside in fear. My position on the poolside lounger made it easy for a sniper to put a bullet in my head, but I faced that fear anyway. I don't think Nathan would take me out that way, but my place at the Cerberus clubhouse definitely puts a kink in his plans to get to me.
After being questioned about my intentions and then Beck suggesting that I go to a different room, I was restless and terrified that he would make me leave.
The warmth from the dream I was having carries over, but instead of the Caribbean sun heating my skin, I open my eyes to find myself almost halfway out of the closet, Beck lying beside me with his hand covering mine.
He looks at peace, and I have to wonder what the man has gone through in his life that he looks as comfortable sleeping on the hard floor as he might look on a bed made of feathers.
I don't move, but it isn't fear keeping me locked in place. The man is either a good man, or he's better than anyone I've ever met at hiding who he truly is. I watch him, wondering what the lines of his neck tattoo would feel like under my fingertips, even though I know I'll never be brave enough to actually reach out and touch him.
I have to be crazy for not taking him up on his offer, but just the words made my pulse kick up in the same way it did when I heard Nathan climbing the staircase toward my room. I hated the idea of being in a different room. At least in here, I can get lost in the lie that I'm safe. I can picture him standing tall and defending me. If I were alone, I'd never sleep.
Every step someone takes toward the room I'd think would be Nathan. Every hushed word I heard through the door would be someone making plans to hurt me. I think I'd go insane in a matter of days if not hours. If he asked me to leave, I'd have to reach out to Emmalyn and see if the offer to stay at her house was still on the table. At least all the men here would fight to keep their club president safe, so I'd have a shot at living if I were there.
I begin to question why I chose to stay here instead of going to Kincaid's house, but before I can dive too deep into that questionable decision, Beck opens his eyes.
A slow, lazy grin pulls up the corners of his mouth, and, for lack of a better word, it's devastating. The man is insanely handsome. I knew that the second he walked up to me right after Beth screamed in my face to get away from her.