Total pages in book: 50
Estimated words: 47579 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 238(@200wpm)___ 190(@250wpm)___ 159(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 47579 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 238(@200wpm)___ 190(@250wpm)___ 159(@300wpm)
“I’ll look forward to it,” Hellcat assured her before turning to Wraith. “She was scared, Wraith. The wind has been wicked loud.”
“I’ll consider that. Thanks for keeping her safe. Sullivan’s crew won’t bother shipments anymore. We came to an agreement. The guys can explain more.”
Wraith opened his saddlebag for Caroline to stash her laptop and Jam inside. After unfastening his helmet, he strapped it on Caroline. “Let’s go home, Precious.”
“What about you?” she whispered, touching his helmet.
“I’ll make it safely to the cabin,” he promised as he started the bike.
Caroline slid awkwardly into place, wondering if she’d ever get better at hopping on and off the massive bike. Wrapping her arms around Wraith, she rested her head on his back and relaxed. He was safe.
CHAPTER 15
“Sorry!”
Wraith wrapped his arm around Caroline and escorted her inside. “I’m sorry you were scared. Going up to stay with Hellcat wasn’t the best idea. That could have been dangerous.”
“I realized that when Adam showed up.” She rushed forward to touch her fingertips to a bruise on his cheek. “You’re hurt. We need to get something cold on this before it swells.”
He allowed her to tow him into the kitchen and sat on the stool Caroline pointed to. Wraith enjoyed watching her flit around his kitchen to clean up his cuts and fuss over him. When she opened a drawer, he suspected she intended to make him an ice bag. “Put those cubes in a glass for me instead,” he suggested.
“Like for whisky?” she suggested. “If you have a blender, I can concoct a piña colada. It would be frosty and cool on your mouth.”
“I’m not drinking a froufrou drink, Little girl. You can make yourself one if you’d like to join me.” He stressed that he’d only allow her a drink as he rose to grab a bottle of bourbon from the top cabinet and a rocks glass.
“I could have some of that,” she suggested, pointing at the bottle in his hand.
Setting the bottle down, Wraith reached for another glass and held both out to Caroline. “Two ice cubes in mine, please.”
She leaned over to get ice from the dispenser in the bottom freezer drawer. Wraith enjoyed the view of her plump bottom and created a plan for later. A vision of Caroline on her knees in front of him popped into his mind. Yeah, that will happen. He imagined that as he splashed bourbon into each glass.
He handed her the drink and waited as she lifted it to her lush mouth. She swallowed, and he watched her throat move as the fiery liquid descended.
“Mmm.” She hummed with enjoyment.
She was full of surprises, and he loved them all. Love? That rocked him back to the cabinet. Could he love her already? Yeah.
He’d known she was in the guard shack after catching a glimpse of her computer on the desk. Caroline wouldn’t let it get out of her sight. Very little scared Wraith. He could stare down a giant man towering over him. The thought that she could be in danger had ignited anxiety inside him. She was incredibly special.
“What’s wrong? You look like you’ve been hit by a sack of potatoes.”
“No potatoes.”
“Did everything go okay? Are they going to leave Hellcat alone? What do they have against him anyway?”
Wraith smiled and winced when it pulled his cut lip. He rolled the side of his glass over it, enjoying the cold sensation on his swollen mouth. “There’s an ancient sack of frozen peas in the freezer. Would you grab that for me?”
“Of course!”
Another great view. Wraith adjusted himself slightly as his jeans got tighter. When she whirled back around to hand him the battered plastic bag, he said, “Thanks, Precious. Let’s go sit down, and I can answer your questions.”
“Thank you.”
Settling onto the couch with a sigh of delight, Wraith guided her onto his lap. This was the life. Good bourbon, an adorable Little, and the opportunity to enjoy both.
“So?” she asked.
“Hellcat was in the wrong place at the wrong time. He didn’t do anything wrong. That group was out to disrupt the transport, and Hellcat just happened to get that load.”
“What was in it? Were they trying to steal it?”
“There are some things I can’t tell you, Little girl. And yes, I’m sure they would have taken the truck if Hellcat wasn’t such a tough guy.”
“Did they have guns tonight?”
“It’s probably better if you don’t worry about that,” he told her.
“Do you ever drive a truck out?”
“I’ve been on runs before—trucks, cars, vans—pretty much everything. Now, I’m more useful to Lucien around the warehouse so I don’t haul loads anymore.”
Caroline took a sip of her bourbon, eying him over the rim. “Is what you’re doing illegal?”
“It would depend who you ask, Little girl.”
“That’s very cryptic. You can’t give me a straight answer?” she probed.
“The world isn’t always black and white, Caroline. I wouldn’t work for Lucien if I didn’t believe what he’s doing is right.”