Total pages in book: 25
Estimated words: 24016 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 120(@200wpm)___ 96(@250wpm)___ 80(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 24016 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 120(@200wpm)___ 96(@250wpm)___ 80(@300wpm)
“I like it that way too,” she agrees and then takes a seat on the couch by the fire.
We spent the day putting up the tree and then decorating it while I made an early dinner for us. I had no idea it would take so long to put up the tree, but half the fun was watching Mina put on the ornaments and then take them off again. By the time the sun went down, she was exhausted and ready for bed.
While Nyah put her to sleep, I cleaned up the kitchen, but the night is still young. We’re all alone, and as she sits on the couch, I can see the reality of the day settling on her shoulders.
Her smile fades as she crosses her arms around herself and squeezes like she’s afraid she’s going to come undone. “Are you sure there wasn’t anything else in my car?”
She asked me the same thing earlier when she went through her bags. I told her I checked and didn’t see a purse, and all that was left was the two small bags of clothes I brought in.
“Yeah, I’m sure. I looked through it twice.” She nods and stares into the flames as her eyebrows come together with worry. “Tell me what you’re missing. Maybe I can go back and ask Roy.”
She bites her bottom lip like she’s thinking it over but quickly dismisses the idea. “No, the more distance you keep from that car, the better. Especially if someone found my purse.”
“Nyah.” Her eyes meet mine as I come over and take the empty seat beside her. When she doesn’t say anything, I reach over and tug on her arms until she gives me her hands. I sandwich them between my palms. Her fingers are cold, and I can feel her stiffen before she finally begins to relax. “I got you, remember?”
“Yeah.” She nods and then swallows hard. “I’m worried that the more I tell you, the more you’ll be involved, or worse, not want to be.”
“You’re afraid if you tell me the truth that I’ll do what? Kick you out?” The fear in her eyes lets me know I’ve hit the target, and I shake my head. “You’re not going anywhere. Understand that, beauty.”
“Fraser.” Her bottom lip quivers, and I have no choice but to reach for her and pull her into my lap.
I have to hold her close to me, I have to. Everything inside of me is screaming to make it better, and the only thing I know to do is hold her in my arms.
She curls against me in my lap, and I grab a blanket to wrap her against me. Without thinking about what I’m doing, I kiss the top of her head before I lay my cheek against it. It feels right and allows me to comfort her, which is what she needs most.
“If you don’t tell me what you’re running from, I can’t protect you, and I can’t protect Mina. Don’t do that to me. Don’t keep me in the dark and unable to keep you safe.”
The sigh she lets out is heavy, and when I lean back to look down at her, she nods. “You’re right. It’s not fair to keep it from you. My stepdad is a powerful man with a lot of connections to bad people. He’s kept me and Mina under his control for a long time, and it’s only gotten worse since my mother walked out. She left the both of us, and now he wants me to—” She stumbles over the words and has to swallow hard. “He wants me to take her place.”
Her cheeks burn with embarrassment, and I clench my fingers in the blanket to keep from breaking something. I know exactly what he wants from sweet, innocent Nyah and why he’d hunt her down to get it.
“So you took your sister and ran.” I say the obvious, and she nods. “Is there anything else he’s after?”
“Probably?” She looks worried more than afraid as she cuddles closer. “I stole some of his really valuable watches so that I could pawn them and get some cash.”
“Okay,” I say, and she blinks up at me.
“Okay?”
“You did what you had to do. I’m not judging,” I say, and I mean it. She looks relieved as she relaxes and tells me a little more about her journey to me.
Once she’s got it all out, she takes a deep breath like she’s tired from the confession, but I can still see the edge of fear around her eyes.
“Thank you for telling me.” I reach up and cup her cheek. “Someone he hired might have found your purse or it could have been a random person that grabbed it for some quick cash. No matter what, you’re safe with me, and I’ll give the sheriff a heads-up to keep an eye on strangers coming this way.”