Total pages in book: 139
Estimated words: 133321 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 667(@200wpm)___ 533(@250wpm)___ 444(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 133321 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 667(@200wpm)___ 533(@250wpm)___ 444(@300wpm)
“There’s a news team that just brought in cameras. Someone tipped them off that you’re back. They’re at every door. You’re going to deal with this tomorrow morning. Don’t do it tonight. I reserved the Ritz presidential suite for you. Take it, man. We’ll meet you there.”
A muscle in my jaw begins to tick and I glance at Mia, prepared to explain. “I heard,” she says. “I don’t have any work clothes with me.”
Blake responds to her through me. “Kara and I can go to your place and grab what you need.” I intend to repeat this to Mia, but she holds up a hand.
“I heard again.” She presses her fingers to her temples and nods, before casting me a sideways look. “If it’s what we need to do, it’s what we need to do.”
“We’ll meet you at the hotel,” I say, and then call out to Smith and Adrian. “The Ritz,” before I speak to Blake again. “How long are we going to be stuck there?”
“I’d give it a week. We’ve already made arrangements to get you in and out of your offices tomorrow without challenge.”
I don’t ask how. I trust Blake. The problem is that my staff won’t. They’ll be overwhelmed. They’ll be shaken. “Like I said. We’ll see you at the hotel.” I disconnect, and speak to Mia. “Sorry, baby. Not the homecoming you were hoping for, I know.”
“But it’s still the right decision. You have to be at the office tomorrow. We have to be at the office tomorrow. Everyone needs to see that we’re good. That we’re okay.”
I cup her face and tilt her gaze to mine. “You, woman, are my superhero.”
“Funny,” she says, covering my hand with hers. “I was going to say the same about you. Room service in bed with you is my new goal for the night. I mean, how many girls get to sleep in the presidential suite with her future husband and it’s not even her honeymoon yet?”
“At this moment, I believe my father would say, ‘You chose well, my son. You chose well.’”
“And then he’d order us one of everything on the dessert menu,” Mia says. “Because that’s how he dealt with things. He always found the good stuff everywhere.”
“Are you suggesting we order everything on the dessert menu?” I tease.
“Well, sir, if you want to curl a girl’s toes, that’s certainly an option.”
“Or?”
“I’ll let you figure that one out.” She kisses me and laughs, and that laugh is a symphony in a firestorm. It’s a promise that at least for now, she’s in a better place. And it’s up to me to keep her there, which I’m getting the feeling from Blake might be a larger than hoped for task. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be bringing his wife as a back-up.
Which leads to the question: Is Ri so damn devious that he’s still coming at me from the grave?
Chapter fifty-five
Mia
We arrive at the hotel and Walker is cautious, arranging our entry through a side door, where we won’t be spotted. That they feel the need to do this does nothing to calm my nerves. What does calm my nerves is Grayson. We exit the backseat of the SUV and his hand is at my waist: protective, possessive, and amazingly, I feel the sizzle of his touch. That’s how reactive I am to this man. I’m wearing a coat, I’m a nervous wreck, and I’m aware of him on every level.
Once we’re inside the hotel, we are herded to a staff elevator and it’s a quick ride before we’re inside a room that is larger than many apartments. There’s a living area, dining room, bedroom, and sitting area. There’s even a kitchen. I know this because it’s not my first time in a Ritz presidential suite with Grayson.
For now, we’re in the entryway, and Grayson helps me off with my coat while Smith and Adrian crowd the hall next to us. Grayson hangs up my coat and I turn to watch him shrug out of his own, all that perfect muscle and manliness a welcome distraction. He watches me watch him, his stare burning as it meets mine, his hands catching my arms. I’m hauled forward against Grayson as Smith and Adrian are smart enough to head on into the living room.
“If you keep looking at me like that, we’re going to the bedroom and shutting the door.”
My teeth scrape my bottom lip and slip away, my intent is to be playful, but that’s not what happens. “I love you,” I whisper.
His eyes soften, worry I didn’t intend to stir, bleeding into them. “I love you, too. Baby,—”
There’s a knock on the door. I push to my toes and kiss him. “I’m good. Remember?”
“No. No, you’re not, but we’ll walk the fire together.” He kisses me hard and fast. “Let’s get this over with.” He sets me away from him and Smith is now back in our small space.