Total pages in book: 68
Estimated words: 67000 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 335(@200wpm)___ 268(@250wpm)___ 223(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 67000 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 335(@200wpm)___ 268(@250wpm)___ 223(@300wpm)
I looked over at him with my eyes heavy and said, “What for?”
“For taking care of my family.”
That night, I slept in Quaid’s arms all night long.
Though, I couldn’t be sure if it was because he was forced to keep me there or I’d sleepwalk, or because he needed me there.
Either way worked for me.
Be the bigger person? First of all, asshole, I’m 5’5”.
—Text from Ellodie to Quaid
ELLODIE
The shrill blaring of a phone jolted me out of sleep so fast that I knew, without a doubt, I wouldn’t be going back to sleep. Not with my heart pounding a million miles a minute, and my ears ringing from the intensity of his ringtone.
“Shit,” Quaid said as he all but rolled over me to answer his phone. “Hello?”
I groaned when his weight settled on top of me, my eyes peeling open despite their desire to stay closed.
Jesus, would I ever get used to having a cop for a man?
What was it about people’s inability to do anything without first contacting him?
My hands trailed up the length of his naked sides, relishing the way he felt under my soft hands.
I felt shivers start to trace along his bare skin, and the very evident arousal that was now pressing against my skin.
“What happened?” he said, sitting up quickly, taking his weight from my body in such a way that it caused the breath to woosh out of me. “When? Where? Atlas is there?”
I felt my heart start to pound.
“I’ll be there as soon as possible,” he said into the phone. “Yes. Don’t leave without me.”
Leave?
Where would they be going?
He hung up and moved some more.
“Things have escalated,” Quaid said into the darkness as he climbed off the bed. “I have to go in. Do not, and I repeat, do not, leave this house without taking someone with you.”
I thought about that for all of two seconds before wincing, even though he couldn’t see me.
I wasn’t dumb.
I may be independent, but I didn’t want to lose my life if this psycho killer was out taking women in this city who looked exactly like me. Someone who had already shown an interest in me.
But…
“I have to work today, Quaid,” I admitted. “And I have three classes that I have to go to tonight.”
They were mandatory in-person classes so that we could go over the final exams that were to take place later this month at the testing center downtown.
“Skip it,” he suggested.
“I’m not skipping it,” I disagreed, searching my brain for a solution. “I’ve spent the last few years building to this point. I will not flunk out because of some asshole serial killer. I will live my life, Quaid Carter. Will I take one of your brothers to help protect me? Yes. Will I be very vigilant, hyperaware of my surroundings, and follow every single thing to the T that one of your brothers tell me to do? Yes. But I will not skip this.”
He growled in frustration. “I’m sure your teachers will understand.”
“They won’t,” I disagreed, feeling my stomach bottom out as he flipped on the light switch in the bedroom. “This is a fast-track program that has absolutely no leeway in it. If I don’t make these classes, I get a zero. If I get a zero, I get kicked out of the fast-track program and have to reapply for the regular one. I’m going. With or without your permission.”
Quaid headed to the bathroom, utterly frustrated.
I could tell because his movements were jerky as fuck as he shoved his feet into the legs of his pants.
“A woman got away,” he said into the darkness. “She was able to run. Made her way to Atlas who was pulled over performing a traffic stop on the side of the road. She climbed into his car, and the guy she’d gone hiking with wasn’t able to catch her.”
My heart started to beat fast inside my chest. “That’s good, right?”
“That’s good.” He paused. “But she’s hurt pretty bad. Not to mention it means he’s still out there hunting. Use your brain today, Ellodie. Overthink everything. And I do mean everything. If it gives you even a second of hesitation, don’t do whatever it was you were going to do. Promise me.”
I promised, and he angrily flipped the bathroom light on and slammed the door.
I sat up and stretched my arms up high over my head, tapping his phone that was sitting on the bed beside me so I could see the time.
Three-forty-three in the morning.
Ugh.
I had at least another hour and a half to sleep, but I was wide awake now.
And, since I was wide awake, I might as well get up and make him a to-go cup of coffee.
I was in the kitchen wearing his t-shirt and nothing else when I felt him come up behind me.