Total pages in book: 46
Estimated words: 43080 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 215(@200wpm)___ 172(@250wpm)___ 144(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 43080 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 215(@200wpm)___ 172(@250wpm)___ 144(@300wpm)
Clive purposely looked away from him, instead focusing on the city outside. He loved Seattle and had picked it as his home for several reasons. Mainly because of the tech industry that gave him so many clients, but also because when he did manage to get out of his house, the city was pretty. Surrounded by evergreen forests, mountains and water—if he talked himself into braving the outdoors, there was so much to enjoy. And the atmosphere worked for him. Some found the amount of rain and gray skies depressing, but he liked that. He found rain soothing. And the amount of rain they got was kind of blown out of proportion anyway. Yes, the skies were often gray, but to him, that just made the evergreens pop even more. He had a few in his backyard that looked beautiful when he left his curtains open.
He watched a guy in a bright yellow helmet riding his bike in the designated path. Clive had always wanted to try that form of transportation here, but that would mean crowds—something he just didn’t like to face more than one or two days a week.
He directed Bain toward his bank. Clive was surprised when Bain got out of the car, too. “You can wait, if you’d like. I’m just making a deposit so it won’t take long.’
“I go where you go. Always.”
Clive was about to respond when he caught one of his “sightings” out of the corner of his eye and every muscle in his body went tight.
Don’t look. Don’t look.
He couldn’t help it. He looked. The man, or creature, had blue-tinted skin and a long, thin tail that snapped around his back. Black eyes whipped his way, and Clive hurriedly turned his head.
“What is it? What’s wrong?” Bain came around the car and wrapped his fingers around Clive’s arm. He turned his head, obviously looking at the same man before his head whipped back to Clive. “Clive? What do you see?”
“Nothing!” Clive snapped. He pulled away and marched inside the bank. As he approached the teller, he reminded himself that it was okay. He’d seen these…beings…before. He was safe. He had a bodyguard.
It’s not real. It’s not real.
But the mantra didn’t help. The usual fear filled him, turning his legs to jelly, and his hands shook the whole time. He should have started these deposits online, but this was one of his only places for outings, and he needed those. Needed to have his schedule.
Hurrying through the transaction, he tried to ignore the way Bain was studying him. But he wondered why Bain had asked what he’d seen.
He kept wondering as he directed Bain toward his grocery store, and they stayed quiet while they were inside. He felt Bain watching him, could actually feel the questions Bain obviously had for his behavior.
Needing a moment to himself, Clive stopped in the canned goods aisle. “I forgot the chives. I’m going to run back and grab them. Will you get the rice and pasta? I prefer angel hair.”
Bain shook his head. “Remember what I said about where you go?”
He waved his hand. “I’ll be just a moment, and there are people everywhere.” Not waiting for a response, Clive hurried off. The chives were toward the back of the produce aisle, next to the door that led to the back of the store.
As he was bagging a couple of batches, he suddenly felt heat against his back.
“Walk with me and not one word.”
The gravelly voice sent chills down his spine, freezing his legs into cement pillars. There was no way his muscles were going to work, so he started to shake. “Please leave me alone,” he whispered.
“I said move.” A hand grabbed his arm hard enough to leave bruises as he was nudged toward the back door. Clive had no choice but to walk that direction.
Utter terror gripped his throat, turned his mouth desert dry.
He was shoved through the door and into a wall. He grunted as his cheek smashed hard against the sheetrock. Then he was viciously turned to face a huge man with big, bulging nose and a body built like a brick wall. One who sneered down at him. Clive instinctively tried to kick the guy in the groin, but he blocked Clive easily.
Bulging nose opened his mouth to speak only to croak as an arm slammed around his throat from behind.
Bain had found them. The relief was so instantaneous, Clive nearly slid down the wall because the fear that had locked his legs disappeared. He just knew Bain could take this bigger man down. He didn’t know why. Some instinct maybe.
Bain bent the guy’s arm behind him and held him in a chokehold. He growled into the man’s ear, “You fucked with the wrong man. Who hired you?”
Bulging nose tried to jab his elbow back but Bain easily dodged it and tightened his arm until the guy’s eyes bugged out and he started to turn blue.