Total pages in book: 15
Estimated words: 14744 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 74(@200wpm)___ 59(@250wpm)___ 49(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 14744 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 74(@200wpm)___ 59(@250wpm)___ 49(@300wpm)
Lila doesn’t deserve to be dragged into my father’s world. She doesn’t deserve my filth. She doesn’t deserve to be touched by this beast.
Yet I did.
And now, I am completely hers. Whether she likes it or not.
My handler’s place isn’t so bad. A bit smaller than Dad’s but still pretty extravagant.
After last night’s scare, I managed to convince Lila to trade one swanky neighborhood for another. I shouldn’t be surprised, though. I’ve made enough money to retire and live in luxury for ten lifetimes, so clearly, my handler will have so much more than that.
Too bad I never planned on settling anywhere, so I wasn’t too excited to buy a house.
Things have changed overnight.
As Lila explores one room and another, I follow her closely behind, part of me feeling a longing deep in my bones—to come home to her. Maybe even our future kids. Of her waiting up for me with a kiss and … shit, and maybe love in her gaze.
It’s too soon, I know, and I’ve never been the impulsive type.
“I like it here,” she declares, spinning on her heel and twining both hands behind her back. “It’s so nice I might just forget there are men hunting me.”
She tries to smile, but it falters, and it fucking guts me. I hate that she now has to live in fear of them coming for her. I hate that she’s going to be looking over her shoulder.
I need to do something about that. And soon.
“I’ll take care of them for you.”
“Just like you took care of me last night?” The side of her mouth lifts, and I’m starting to get used to her teasing me at all hours.
I sigh. “Listen, you can’t work this week, all right? You need to go on sick leave until I—”
She rushes to me and wraps her arms around my waist, leaning her cheek on my chest. The gesture has me feeling all sorts of things. As someone who grew up with zero affection from others, this is unfamiliar territory to me.
I don’t dislike it.
In fact, this seemingly innocent way of touching shoots a current through me, and the realization that this young woman just blew through my walls with minimal effort hits me with full force.
Without even thinking about it, I hug her back and pull her closer to me, rubbing my cheek against her hair, inhaling her fresh, clean scent. “You think you can get away with anything just by hugging me?”
She buries her face in my chest and giggles.
“You’re right,” I mumble. “But you are not leaving this house until I take care of those bastards. Okay?”
“Okay.”
“Look at you being submissive,” I tease. “I think I like this version of you better.”
She rears back and smacks my chest. “Don’t get used to it.”
Laughter rumbles from me, and the sound surprises us both. I don’t remember the last time I laughed heartily, and the sound is foreign to me.
Lila beams at me like I just handed her the sun. “Am I allowed to use anything here? Like the pool?”
“Yeah, sure. You brought a bikini?”
“I did.” I stare at her, incredulous, but she props both hands on her hips and tilts her head to the side. “What’s with that look?”
“I don’t know. If I’m running for my life, the last thing I’d want to pack is swimwear.”
She tries to smack me again, but this time, I catch her hand and intertwine her fingers with mine. “I don’t have a lot of clothes, Luca. I just thought, you know, in case there’s a pool.” She sweeps her arms behind her. “And lo and behold, there is.”
“You like swimming.”
“I do!” Lila’s face lights up, and she gets this dreamy look. “I used to compete, and I was pretty good at it until…”
Her smile fades, replaced by the downward curl of her lips.
“Until what?” I prod, lifting her face to me.
“Until Mom pointed out the cellulite in my thighs.” Her voice is soft, almost fragile. “She laughingly asked how I was swimming for hours and still looked the way I did.” Lila gives me a soft smile. “I’ve always had big thighs, even when I exercised and trained hard.”
“Wow, what an asshole comment.” The words are out before I realize, and I release a deep breath. “Sorry.”
“Are you?”
“Not really, no. Your mom’s … not nice. You’re her daughter. She shouldn’t say those things to you.”
“I know. Anyway!” Lila regains her spirit and smiles again, and it’s at that moment when I’m convinced I’m going to spend the rest of my life making sure she’s happy all the time. “I need to try the pool.”
“By all means.”
“You don’t want to swim?”
“I’ll look out for you.”
She blows out a raspberry. “Then watch.”
My phone vibrates in my pocket, and I take it out. It’s my handler. I called in a couple of favors earlier, and he’s the first to get back to me. It won’t be long before I have enough information on those men.