Total pages in book: 72
Estimated words: 74227 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 371(@200wpm)___ 297(@250wpm)___ 247(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 74227 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 371(@200wpm)___ 297(@250wpm)___ 247(@300wpm)
“Uhhh,” I paused, not knowing what he wanted me to do with it.
“Take it. It’s Baylor’s.”
I blinked, then leaned forward and took it from his hand.
Almost on automatic, I checked the chamber of the gun, just like Baylor had shown me only a few short nights ago, and my stomach sank.
“That…it’s loaded.”
My eyes met Rafe’s.
“Seems to me the world isn’t quite done with you yet.”
Then Rafe turned around, but stopped and pivoted once again.
“You mind coming up to Kilgore?” Rafe asked. “Explaining things? Telling them what happened?”
Corroborating his story.
I nodded. “Once Baylor is out, and able to do a road trip, we’ll go. But not until then.”
Rafe winked. “I didn’t think you would.”
With that he left, banging hard on the closed trunk when a moan was heard.
Rafe got into the car, one that I just realized wasn’t just an average car. It was a 1972 Chevelle SS with cherry red paint and white racing stripes.
That hadn’t been the car he’d taken me home in.
The one he’d taken me home in was a company vehicle.
This was most definitely not a company vehicle.
“Uhh, Rafe?”
He looked at me through his open window.
“You get a new car?”
He winked.
“No, but I’ve had it in storage.” He paused. “Don’t need it in storage anymore.”
“Why?”
I couldn’t stop myself. I was curious by nature.
Rafe smiled. “My purpose has changed.”
With that, he started up the car, which nearly vibrated me straight out of my skin when the motor caught and rolled out of the driveway.
My breath caught when Rafe drove away.
I don’t know how long I stood like that for. Seconds? Minutes?
It was at least long enough to see the taillights of Rafe’s car disappear into the darkness.
Pongo rubbed up against me, reclaiming my attention.
I grinned and looked at Pongo.
“You are the most amazing dog I’ve ever met in my life,” I told him.
He blinked, then dropped down to his haunches, placing his head on one paw.
He looked sad.
He likely missed Baylor.
Which was not surprising. I missed him, too.
“You think we can sneak you into a hospital?”
Pongo perked up.
“You want that?”
He barked, answering me with exuberance.
I grinned. “We’ll go in the morning. I was banished to the house. He told the nurses that if they saw me, to send me home and not to let me pass until the morning.”
Pongo’s head tilted.
“He said it. I promise.”
Pongo sighed a big doggy sigh and then dropped back down, watching me cautiously.
“You ready for bed?”
His ears twitched.
“I’ll take that as a yes.”
He followed behind me, and later, when I was in bed and reliving my night, I realized that I was lucky times two.
Though Baylor had been nearly gutted, he’d made it out the other side.
He’d have six-to-eight weeks of doing nothing but sitting on his ass, but in the end, he would be all right.
Sal was in police custody thanks to every single veteran in the place corroborating my story, and it was likely that he was going to stay put.
That came from Rafe, though.
Rafe had let me know in no uncertain terms that the guys of Free, the men that had sent me to Baylor, didn’t like it when one of their ‘birds’ was hurt. They also didn’t like it when it was done by a man who was supposed to be a good guy.
According to Rafe, everything would be taken care of, and I wasn’t to worry.
And somehow, I believed him.
I knew that they’d follow through.
And it was a freeing feeling that I was almost afraid to embrace.
Harold was the icing on the cake.
I hated that he’d seen me in such a compromising state, but I couldn’t complain about the end result.
Harold was gone now, too.
There was no one else to ruin what Baylor was giving me.
And I fucking loved it.
What I didn’t love?
Calling my husband in the hospital and telling him that someone broke in and nearly saw me naked.
No, I didn’t love that at all.
Chapter 28
Life is like a penis. Sometimes it gets hard, but not forever. If it does happen to stay hard, see a medical professional.
-Fact of Life
Baylor
5 weeks later
I held out my hand for the man to shake.
“I appreciate all the help you gave her,” I said to Sam Mackenzie. “I know that you didn’t have to, but I appreciate you keeping her safe when I couldn’t, all the same.”
Sam took my hand and shook it, not letting go until he knew he had my attention.
“I may have failed her once, but I won’t fail her again.”
That statement was enough for me to understand what he was trying to convey without actually saying it aloud.
“I won’t hurt her,” I promised. “I love her.”
He studied my face, then nodded once. “I have a favor.”
My brows rose at that.
“What kind of favor?”
“The kind that asks you to be a point of contact if I ever need to send anybody down to you again.”