Total pages in book: 118
Estimated words: 110278 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 551(@200wpm)___ 441(@250wpm)___ 368(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 110278 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 551(@200wpm)___ 441(@250wpm)___ 368(@300wpm)
“Tinsley?”
“Hmmm,” I murmur, lost between a dream-like state and reality.
“Slade is sending me a contract. Can you sign it? We’re covering our bases. We’re putting it under that you hired us. But let me tell you this now, I am not charging you and neither is Slade, okay?” Leo states. I can hear it in his tone. He’s adamant about this.
“I’ll sign on one condition.” My voice is firm. There’s no way I won’t contribute in some way.
“What’s that?”
“You let me pay half for everything along the way, even when we get there.” I take my hand away from his, my pinky finger out, letting Leo know I’m not taking no for an answer.
“Sweetheart, I know you have money set aside. Save some of that. Who knows how long this shit is going to last. I don’t want the stigma of cash between us. Slade’s not charging and neither am I. You want to help with food every once in a while, I’m okay with that, but for the most part, I’ve got you, I promise.” Leo still takes my pinky in his.
“I don’t think you realize how much I’ve been saving up, Leo. It’s a lot. I mean, like, a lot. I’ve been putting money aside since the day my granddaddy died. He put a bug in my ear, and I listened.” I untangle my pinky finger from his, reluctantly. Leo needs to know what we’re working with. I packed two bags, one with clothes and one with this. It’s nothing pretty, but it was well hidden, and no one knew where it was.
“It’s been five years in the making.” I unzip the bag and show Leo.
“Holy fuck,” he breathes out before veering the truck onto the shoulder, slamming the truck in Park.
“Does anyone know you had that this entire time?” There are stacks of twenty-dollar bills, a few hundred-dollar-bill stacks. Everything bundled nice and neat. My obsessive-compulsive disorder definitely kicked in with this.
“No, should they have?” I ask, not understanding.
“Not sure we should be traveling across the country with that much cash on you. New change of plans. We’re driving as much as we can. Only stopping to eat, go to the bathroom, and sleep. That stays in your view or mine at all times, and Tinsley?”
“Yes, Leo?” I respond while nodding.
“That’s your money. You keep it. It’s your backup if something goes wrong.” His hand finds mine again after I zip the bag back up, placing it on the floorboard.
“Do you think something is going to happen?” I ask, my voice tinged with worry.
“Not if I have anything to do with it.” He brings my hand to his mouth, kissing my knuckles before placing it on his thigh. Leo’s hand on top of mine, holding it there as he gets back on the road and we head to our destination for the day.
SEVEN
LEO
Jesus, I can’t believe Tinsley has that much cash in her bag and carrying it around like it’s nothing. There must be close to forty grand in cash, no fucking lie. It puts a crick in my plans at finding the cheapest of the cheap motels. I’ll really have to look for a semi-decent one.
This just proves to me that Tinsley is more than meets the eye, more brains than beauty, but her fucking beauty already has me on my knees, ready to worship the ground she walks on. Tinsley doesn’t even know the effect she has on people around her, the way men would openly leer at her when she was walking in and out of her classes. How I had to put Dumb and Dumber in their place, to let them know she was off fucking limits. Holding a gun to Matt’s head while David looked on probably told them I was not screwing around. Shit, if Slade were here monitoring me on this case, I would have been in the same damn position as those two rent-a-cops.
“Might have a slight change of plans. We’ll more than likely travel through the night, sleep for a few hours at a hotel or truck stop, then get back on it. Your father hasn’t caught on yet, but he will as soon as you don’t show up to that event tomorrow evening, and I’d like to get as far away as we can. You okay with that?” I ask Tinsley. My only thoughts now are getting her back to my place. All of us who work at Nighthawk Security have the top-of-the-line alarm systems, thermal motion sensors that let us know if someone’s on the property, without night goggles. Keeping Tinsley safe is my number-one priority, even if that means hiding her from the Suttons.
“I’m good with whatever. We’ll need food soon though. I’m running on empty, and I’m definitely in the need-caffeine department.” She dances in her seat while she talks about breakfast and coffee. It’s a routine for her as soon as her feet hit the floor. I’d be in the sitting room waiting for her, she’d come out fully clothed, grumbling, ‘If were at my apartment making breakfast. Pajamas would be allowed. Not like when you’re in the Sutton household.’ Tinsley isn’t the dressed-up person if she doesn’t have to be.