Total pages in book: 38
Estimated words: 35017 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 175(@200wpm)___ 140(@250wpm)___ 117(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 35017 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 175(@200wpm)___ 140(@250wpm)___ 117(@300wpm)
“Hold on!” Rich shouts, making me shiver at the ferocity, but the banging stops. “Shit, sorry. You’re okay. I promise.” I pull back to stare up into his eyes, wanting to believe him. “I think we should get out of here. Away from the dock.”
Rich tries to move me, but I don’t let go of him. “I’m going to slide this hoodie over you to make sure you’re all covered and to help keep you warm till I get you someplace else.” Reluctantly, I let my hold on him go because I do want to get out of here. I need whatever space I can get from my father’s boat. I’m sure people are already looking for me, and if they aren’t, they will be soon enough. The dock will likely be one of the first places they search.
"Good girl." Rich slides me out from his hold and sits me on the couch.
He pulls away the hoodie that was lying across me, reminding me that I'm only in my panties and bra. I don't get a chance to try and cover myself before he’s putting the hoodie over my head, covering me up. His rich, warm smell surrounds me, and I know it belongs to him. Oddly, the sweater helps calm me.
“Now, I’m going to open that door.” My hand flies out and grabs his forearm to stop him before I can think. He mutters something under his breath, and I pull my hand back, not wanting to upset him.
“Hey.” He grabs my hand. “You can touch me anytime you want. I’m just pissed that you’re so scared, all right?” Rich ducks his head, leaning in closer. “Got me?” I nod my head. “Good girl,” he says again. I don’t know why the two words warm me from the inside, but they do. “Now, I’m opening the door because my sister and her husband are on the other side, and I’m sure she is freaking out.”
My eyes glance from the door back to him. Why would she be freaking out? I want to ask, but still I can’t bring myself to speak.
“They’re worried is all. And I’m going to need them to drive us home because—”
Home? I wrap my arms around myself, not wanting to go home, but I think he’s talking about his own. “Fuck.” Rich scoops me back into his arms and into his lap. “Come in.” He says it loudly. A few seconds later, I hear the sound of the lock clicking before the door opens.
A girl with dark hair and glasses comes rushing in with a man right behind her. “Is she okay?” I can see the concern in her eyes. I recognize her voice, and I’m guessing they are the two other people I heard vaguely on the dock.
“I want to get her out of here.” Rich stands. I wrap my arms around his neck to hold on to him.
“Is there trouble following her?” the man behind the girl asks.
“Don’t know, but I’m not chancing it, and she’s not too chatty.”
“Princess. You wait here while I pull my car to the back door,” the man says to the girl. She nods up at him. He drops a kiss on the top of her head. The two of them look like night and day, and I mean that literally. He’s in all black, tattooed up and down his arms, and she is in a bright pink sweater and has a bow in her hair.
The man disappears back through the door. “You think someone is after her?” The girl shifts on her feet. She and Rich might not look much alike, but you can see some of the similarities in their features that they are related.
“I would be,” Rich responds. His sister raises an eyebrow, and I’m not sure what he means with his answer.
“Okay.” The girl nods. “Well, I’m Willa. His twin.” They’re twins? “That was my husband, Vasily. Everyone calls him King.” She keeps going. “There is no place safer on this island than with these two. I can promise you that.” Willa gives me a big smile that puts me at ease a little.
“Nothing is going to harm you, dollface.” I rest my head on Rich’s chest, again wanting to believe him, but I don’t have much hope. I let my eyes fall closed, the feeling of exhaustion creeping in on me. I want to fight it.
I must doze off for a second because when I flutter my eyes back open, Rich is sliding me into the back seat of an SUV, keeping me tucked into him the whole time.
“It’s all right,” he reassures me again. “If you want to sleep, you can. I’ve got you.” I press my face into his neck, breathing him in as I let the exhaustion pull me under.
Chapter Four