Total pages in book: 114
Estimated words: 114820 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 574(@200wpm)___ 459(@250wpm)___ 383(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 114820 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 574(@200wpm)___ 459(@250wpm)___ 383(@300wpm)
However, he commandeered Karen, one of Moran’s deputies, gave her the picture of the crystal found on Brittanie, and told her he didn’t care how many New Age shops she had to visit in her jurisdiction, out of it, into Idaho, down to Oregon, or up to fucking Alaska, he wanted to know where that crystal was bought, and he wanted it linked to Ezra or the Domme.
It was probably a wild-goose chase, everything was bought online these days. But the deputy was all in because she wanted to do something for Brittanie, and she practically tore out of the station.
He’d ended up at the Double D for dinner with Moran, and the waitress with the nametag of Heidi gave them a wide berth after they stared at the patty melts she served like they wanted to incinerate them.
Incidentally, the Double D was one hundred percent stuck in the fifties.
Needless to say, he was in no mood when he got back to the hotel, but he wasn’t stupid enough to run it off in the dark on a lonely trail in the woods with a serial killer on the loose, no matter how much the guy might like him.
So he changed into his gear and ran five miles on the treadmill in the hotel gym before he realized how hard he’d been running.
He went back upstairs, showered and put on the lounge pants he kept in his go-bag at his daughter’s insistence, but never had time to wear. He just liked the idea of her thinking he did. He threw on a thermal.
And he went, barefoot with hair wet, out to the balcony with his bourbon.
He was not feeling the cold, because he was deep in a very satisfying revenge fantasy of what he’d do to a pack of faceless boys who gang raped a young girl who committed the unforgiveable crime of liking one of them, when his phone in his front pocket buzzed against his thigh.
He pulled it out and saw a text from Lucinda.
He put his glass on the railing and checked it.
You’ll forgive me, Thea called. I know people. As such, I’ve obtained a keycard to your room. I’m coming in in three, two…
He turned around and saw her walking in.
Christ, she was something.
Ivory this time.
Ivory overcoat with tall collar.
Ivory dress that fit like a glove.
Though the high heeled boots were a shiny taupe.
She walked across the room like she owned it and came out on the balcony.
Rus was glad it was dark because he was growing hard.
“Hey,” he greeted.
“Tough day?” she asked.
“Less tough than some, tougher than others.”
“Stop it,” she whispered.
Yeah.
He liked her.
She got it.
And she was there.
He took a shot and held out an arm.
For once that day, he got a win.
She walked into him, rested her cheek on his shoulder, and wrapped her arms around him.
He wrapped both his around her.
As expected, she felt good. Add to that, she smelled good.
And she was warm.
“You shouldn’t be outside in the cold with wet hair and bare feet,” she admonished.
“It was all good. I was in the middle of a revenge fantasy.”
She tipped her head back. “Do those guard against colds and flus?”
He smiled and shook his head.
“Can I take you inside?”
He kept smiling and nodded his head.
She smiled back, twisted, got his drink, took his hand, and walked him in.
She closed the door behind them.
She gave him his glass before he went to the fireplace to turn it on.
She shrugged off her purse and coat, threw the purse on the table, her coat over a chair, and they met on the couch.
“Want a drink?” he asked. “Apparently, you’re buying.”
Her lips quirked. “I’ll get it in a second.”
“I’ll get it. I gotta get some socks. My feet are freezing.”
Her eyeballs rolled up.
This meant Rus was grinning as he pulled himself back out of the couch, sauntered to his room, tugged on some heavy socks, went back, got her order of a glass of wine from a full bottle that was in the mini-fridge, and then he came back to her.
“Thea shouldn’t be talking to you,” he shared.
“She was worried about you. She said you weren’t in a good way. She didn’t tell me why. She just told me she doesn’t know the whole thing, but it’s bad and maybe you might need some company.”
“What about the club?”
“Kleo is my second.”
“Kleo?”
She looked surprised. “You’ve met her. You met her before you met me.”
“Ah,” he said. “Security Sue.”
That was when he got what he’d wanted from her since he first met her.
Or at least part of it.
She busted out laughing.
Finally, he could see it as well as hear it, and it was just like it sounded over the phone.
Amazing.
She took a sip of her wine when she was done laughing and said, “I won’t tell her you call her that.”