Total pages in book: 135
Estimated words: 129027 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 645(@200wpm)___ 516(@250wpm)___ 430(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 129027 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 645(@200wpm)___ 516(@250wpm)___ 430(@300wpm)
Her trusting gaze breaks my fucking heart. I don’t even have my PPO certification in hand yet. She deserves so much better. Better than me. Better than that asshat police captain back there. Better than the bitch mother life dealt her. Better than her fuckwad fiancé.
I just start shoving her clothes back into her luggage.
She keeps getting the shit end of the stick, but if it’s the last thing I do, I’m gonna finally convince her she deserves better.
She’s still young, but I’ve got faith that she’s gonna see it. And see it one day soon if I’ve got anything to do with it.
“C’mon. I’m gonna get you somewhere safe for the night.”
Her shoulders slump. “He wasn’t on the security footage?” Even exhausted, she’s still quick on her feet.
I shake my head.
“Where even is safe then? If he can get to me at a nice hotel like this with security and an electronically locked door on the sixteenth floor?”
“I know a place. Come on, Red. I got you.” I finish with the luggage, stack it so I can pull it with one hand, then reach down and lift her off the couch into my arms. I don’t care who’s watching. I know she’s exhausted after the adrenaline rush at the club. I don’t know what subdrop feels like, but I’ve seen it plenty of times. I’ve seen subs’ knees buckle and watched them literally go down in a dead faint. I’m not risking not catching Kira before she hits the ground.
Best if I just carry her until she gets her wits about her. Especially if her goddamn stalker is still nearby. He hung around last time and for all we know, he could be watching her right now.
I glance around. We’re in a public place. It’s late and I don’t see anyone else in the lobby besides staff. But considering the blank tape, he could very well be staff. I check every face, but don’t recognize any. None of them are any of Kira’s students, anyway.
The hotel security could have been hacked, though. He might be watching us through cameras. I glance around at the black orbs placed strategically around the ceiling. Fuck. Either way, it’s time to get the hell out of here.
“Where are we going?” Kira mumbles, head resting against my chest again.
“Somewhere safe. Don’t worry for once. I got you.”
“I trust you.” She closes her eyes and breathes out.
Fuck but her saying those words to me after a night like tonight makes my chest clench hard.
THIRTY-FOUR
KIRA
When I finally blink my eyes open, there’s bright sun shining in through a window. Immediately I shoot up in bed.
Shit. That sun is too bright. That’s not early morning sun. That’s afternoon sun, and I have class.
Had class.
My hand scrabbles on the nightstand for my cell phone.
“Sleeping Beauty finally awake?”
I look over at Isaak reading the paper on an overstuffed couch by a big open bay window. An actual paper paper. I didn’t even know they made those things anymore.
“What time is it?”
“Eleven-thirty.”
“Holy shit! I missed class.”
“You emailed to let them know you were sick last night before bed.”
I breathe out in relief, a hand going to my forehead.
“I did?” I blink hard, scrambling to remember last night. When I finally look around, I realize we aren’t in the hotel room, and everything else finally floods in.
Oh shit, right. SLUT. WHORE. I wince with the memory.
“Did they ever find out if it was actual blood or just paint?” My head swings back to Isaak.
He makes a face. “They weren’t real big on sharing details last night. But Domhn’s been on the phone haranguing the police chief all morning, so I bet we’ll be getting more news soon. Money talks in this town. Looked like paint to me. It was too bright for blood.”
I frown. I probably don’t want to ask how he knows that, do I?
“Where are we?”
“Domhn’s house. Well, his and Anna’s new mansion, I should say. We got a whole wing to ourselves. And nobody knows security like Domhn. No amateur’s gonna be able to hack their way into this place.”
My head’s scrambling to catch up, but I don’t feel nearly as tired or foggy as I did last night after our scene. I stretch my arms over my head. While I’m a little sore, I actually feel pretty fantastic. Especially considering my psycho stalker struck again last night.
“So is that what happened? Somebody hacked the security system at the hotel?”
Isaak folds the paper and puts it on a coffee table in front of the chair where he’s lounging. “Now that you’re awake, why don’t we go ask Domhn what he’s found out?”
I nod and climb out of bed, surprised when I look down and find myself in a lacy camisole and silk pajama shorts. I look up curiously at Isaak. “Did we bring my bags?”