Total pages in book: 77
Estimated words: 73208 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 366(@200wpm)___ 293(@250wpm)___ 244(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 73208 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 366(@200wpm)___ 293(@250wpm)___ 244(@300wpm)
They were watching me? Did they know about Dovie? Shit!
“He’s dead. I swear to God.”
Storm shrugged. “I believe you. King normally would trust that, but when it comes to his woman, he isn’t stable. He’s insanely protective of her, and I think, deep down, he wants Roger to be alive so he can be the one to kill him.”
Great. I’d killed a man. Gotten his sorry ass off this planet, and now, I was being stalked by the dang Mafia because of it. I didn’t need that kind of attention on me. On us.
Storm slowed the vehicle and turned right onto a driveway. The large white gothic-style house with a fabulous wraparound porch was lit up inside and out. It reminded me of something from a commercial about summer days, with kids running around in the yard and the perfect mother standing on the porch, smiling with a tray of lemonade and cookies in her hands.
“We’ve arrived at the dungeon,” he said, cutting his eyes at me before opening his door and climbing out.
I started to reach for the door and let out a small, strangled sound. That hurt like a son of a bitch. How was I going to play the guitar? I had to make money somehow. Sure, I had things that Jameson had given me that I could sell, but it wouldn’t be enough, and now, I wasn’t so sure it was all real. Had he bought me knockoffs?
This was a mess, and I needed to text Dovie. It had been well over an hour since I’d checked on her. But I couldn’t even open the freaking door. How was I going to get my phone out of my purse and text?
The door opened then, and Storm held out his hand to me. I stared at it, then lifted my eyes to his face. God, that face. I needed to stop looking at it.
“Take a long drink first,” he suggested, nodding to the flask I’d stuck between my legs to hold it.
I did as he’d said, and the burn from the amber liquid didn’t even compare to the pain in my shoulder. Once I felt the lightheaded sensation, I stopped and held it out to him. When he took it, I inhaled deeply, then decided to make this quick. Like ripping a Band-Aid off.
Sitting up, I swung my legs over and started to get out when I lost my balance. Storm’s arms were around me. A musk, mixed with tobacco, scent met my nose, and I leaned in closer to inhale deeper.
Was this cologne or just him? I wanted a bottle of it.
“Are you trying to fall on your face? I’d have thought someone like you would protect her prized possession a little more than that.”
His words snapped me out of the momentary haze I’d been in from the smell that clung to his body.
Jerking back from him, I straightened and glared at him. “Just take me to the doctor.”
He kept his hand wrapped around my arm as if he needed to steady me. “Gladly. Can you walk without falling?”
“Yes!” I sneered.
He let go of me slowly, as if testing that statement. I motioned with my good arm for him to lead the way. His jaw ticced like he was clenching his teeth before he turned and headed toward the steps leading up to the porch. If I wasn’t in so much pain, I would stop and appreciate the flower gardens as we walked past several. Seeing as I was concentrating on keeping myself upright, I didn’t do that.
The front door opened, and a petite, older woman with platinum-blonde hair styled in a short bob stepped outside. The pink apron she wore with white eyelet piping made her appear like the grandmother in one of those commercials I’d imagined earlier.
Where were we?
“Storm Kingston, I know you’re not leaving an injured woman to just walk by herself,” the woman said in a stern voice as she looked at Storm. When her eyes shifted to me, her gaze softened. “Poor thing. We will get you fixed up.” Then, she waved a hand toward me as she glared at Storm. “Get yourself over there and help her. She’s in a mess of pain. Look at how pale that pretty face is.”
Storm sighed as he turned around to me. “Might as well let me help you. She’s not gonna let this go any other way.”
I looked from him back to her. Was this his grandmother? She was too old to be his mother.
“I’m fine,” I explained. “He tried to help me. I told him I didn’t need it.”
She narrowed her eyes. “Well, that’s not true. Even a man can see it. At least a smart one like Storm. There is no shame in admitting you need some help,” she said as she walked down the stairs, headed straight for me.