Total pages in book: 211
Estimated words: 201554 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1008(@200wpm)___ 806(@250wpm)___ 672(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 201554 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1008(@200wpm)___ 806(@250wpm)___ 672(@300wpm)
“No,” Eric says firmly. “You will not go to him.” His tone is absolute, a wall I intend to bust through to make him see reason. “If I go to him, he’ll see weakness. He’ll feel empowered and act. I have to do this,” I say. “I’m going to do this.”
“That’s not happening,” Eric replies. “The end. No more conversation.”
“Eric—”
“No.”
I glance at Blake. “Blake,” I plead.
He just points at Eric. “What he says.”
“He’s desperate. My mother left me a message ordering me to call your father, Eric. I’ll call her back and convince him I really have turned against you.”
Eric rounds the counter and pulls me hard against him. “If he hurts you, I go to plan C and then you’re gone and I’m in jail the rest of my life. Is that what you want?”
“No. But why—”
“Because I said. And because I know how hardheaded you are, so that won’t be enough for you, I need you to trust me, really trust me. I’m protecting you.”
“I’m protecting you,” I counter.
“I protect you,” he counters. “That’s just how it is.”
I laugh. “Really? Did you just take that caveman attitude with me?”
Blake whistles. “I’ll just get a bagel and pretend Eric’s not about to get his ass kicked by a hundred-and-ten-pound female.”
Eric releases me and faces the island, pressing his hands to the granite, and speaking to Blake. “Is your wife as bullheaded?”
“Worse,” he says, finishing off a bite of a bagel. “And she’s an ex-FBI agent who carries a gun.”
“I’d like to meet your wife, Blake. Maybe she can give me tips.”
“We walked right into that one,” Blake comments, disapproval in his tone.
“I need to buy us time,” I say. “He gave me twenty-four hours to make contact, and nearly eight are gone. He’ll have a move planned when I don’t show up.”
“He probably has a move already in play and it won’t take twenty-four hours for us to find that out,” Eric says, pushing off the counter and facing me again. “You haven’t called him. You haven’t called your mother. That tells him that you’re talking to me, not them.”
“Then I need to call him now.”
“What you need to do is listen to me.”
“Okay. Then I’m listening. What are you going to do, right now, to distract him?”
“What he doesn’t expect. What I never give him.”
“Which is what?”
“Me. I told you, Harper, this is all about me. He wants me.”
“You said he fears you.”
“Which means he needs to control me. He’s attempting to do so through you. He needs to know if he goes after you, he gets me.” He pulls his phone from his pocket and punches in a number. A moment later I hear, “It’s Eric. Let’s meet.”
My heart zips and zags. Is that his father?
“Your hotel room,” Eric says. “Yes, coffee in your hotel room works.” Eric disconnects. “I’m going over now.”
I catch his arm. “The last time you went you were attacked.”
“That was at night in an alleyway. I’m going to walk in there, in my Kingston Motors shirt and have a civil conversation with the man. Like fathers and sons should do.”
It’s only then that I realize he’s changed into a Kingston shirt, I’m shocked he even owns. “Not this father and son.”
“Today we do.”
He turns away and starts to walk.
I dash around him and plant myself in front of him, hands flattening on the hard muscles of his chest. “So you can walk into a trap and end up dead? I forbid it. I’m not going to lose you. I just got you back.”
He drags me to him, that spicy dominant scent of him teasing my nostrils and wrapping me in the almighty force that is this man. “Princess, you’re not getting rid of me today, or this easily. If you run, I’ll run after you.”
“You can’t do that if you’re dead. I forbid you to do this.”
“If you want to forbid me, do it while you’re naked. I’ll listen a whole lot better.”
“Fine. Yes. Let’s get naked. Am I supposed to complain about getting naked with you?”
“No. You most definitely are not.”
“Then let’s get naked.”
“Not now, sweetheart. When I get back.” He kisses me, his hand on my head, a deep, passionate kiss, a promise on his tongue that lands on mine. He’ll come back. He’s not leaving me. With those promises, he parts our lips, and for long moments, seems to just breathe me in before he releases me and turns away. He starts for the door, and this time there’s no stopping him. His strides are too long and determined.
When I turn to Blake to appeal for help, he’s on his feet. “Savage is waiting on us downstairs. We’re going with him. We’ve got his back and Smith has yours. He’s in the living room.” And then he’s walking away, and disappearing around the corner. There’s no stopping Eric now. He’s gone and it feels bad. It feels like he’s not coming back.