Total pages in book: 98
Estimated words: 92559 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 463(@200wpm)___ 370(@250wpm)___ 309(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 92559 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 463(@200wpm)___ 370(@250wpm)___ 309(@300wpm)
“Callum. But I don’t know his bloodline at all, if that’s what you’re wondering. Why do you ask? Are you worried about something with him?”
“Like I said, I just need to know who’s on the estate. It’s not a big deal.”
Bullshit, she thought. There was nothing casual about the male, not from how he was standing like he was ready to pounce, to that simmering calculation on his face. Her father had always hired well because he had enough money to pay for the best in any position—and as the head of security for all the properties, Apex, with his aggression and intelligence, was exactly what was required.
He was always watching—and seeing too much.
But two could play at that game.
Mahrci sat up with a groan. “You know him, don’t you.”
The ever-so-slight recoil sealed the deal on her own suspicion, but she wasn’t surprised she was right. She had developed a sixth sense for those who kept secrets lately.
“Why are you pretending to ask me what his name is,” she murmured.
“Don’t get ahead of yourself. I didn’t know what he was going by now.”
“So I’m right—”
“Tell your father I said hello, why dontcha.”
Well. There you go, she thought.
“Um . . . Hemmy’s in the kitchen getting something to eat.” She nodded toward the back of the house. “You just go straight through there if you want to join him.”
“Hemmy?”
“That’s not his name?”
“Guess he’s claimed a nick, then.”
As Apex looked away, she studied his grim profile. “Can I ask you one question about the groundskeeper? Are you worried he’s dangerous?”
“Not to you,” came the tense response. Then the male focused on her. “You’re fine.”
Am I, she wondered listlessly.
From the far corner, Hemmy emerged with a tray of—
“Did you have to bring the entire kitchen?” Apex muttered.
Although he did have a point. Hemmy had clearly rooted around and brought out anything you could put a piece of cheese on, drag through a dip, or layer with a couple of slices of hard salami. But hey, at least he’d balanced all those carbs with a bag of M&M’s.
“There’s no food in there,” the male said as he came over and put things on the low table in front of her. “Did you just get here or something?”
For a second, she assumed he was talking to Apex. But no, those eyes were on her.
“Oh, me?” She tried to remember when the last time she’d had food was . . . and couldn’t recall. “I haven’t been thinking—I mean, I need to go to the store.”
“No one’s going anywhere.” Apex went to a window and stared out at the storm. “Not right now.”
Besides, what would be open this late this far upstate, she mused.
“Well, I raided the pantry.” Hemmy swept a hand over his display. “This is what we got.”
“You know, I think I am hungry.” She sat forward and forced a smile at the male. “And this looks terrific.”
Old saltines and oyster crackers. Fritos that had expired in November. Boxes of Triscuits and Wheat Thins. But she was suddenly starved, so it was a feast.
Breaking open the saltines, she looked back and forth between her two new roommates. Hemmy had gone over to the hearth and was throwing some more hardwood on the fire, his brows down low like log placement and BTU production was something he was going to be graded on. Apex was still staring out that window.
That looked across the circular pebbled drive to the garages. And the expression on his face was as if he’d seen a ghost.
Maybe she was just applying her own unrest to him.
She glanced at Hemmy. And then tilted her head to the side. “You have a mullet.”
The male looked over his broad shoulder. His smile was slow, and you know, suddenly the temperature in the grand hall seemed much, much warmer.
“It brings out the color in my eyes, don’t you think.”
Mahrci didn’t mean to laugh, and it was like the food. She couldn’t recall the last time she’d gotten her giggle on.
But it had been a long, long time since she’d had anything to even smile about.
It felt . . . magical to laugh. Especially with the bright-eyed, blond-mulleted male who was staring over at her as if he really, truly saw her.
CHAPTER TEN
The Black Dagger Brotherhood Underground Housing Complex
a.k.a. The Wheel
Caldwell, New York
Tohr arrived back at the Brotherhood’s cul-de-sac about ten minutes before it was BBQ time. And not as in Last Meal, and short ribs were on the menu.
Dawn was coming like something from Scuderia Ferrari.
As he re-formed by one of the five houses that had been built aboveground to keep the suburban, nothing-special ruse up for the humans, he could feel every inch of his skin prickle, even the stuff that was under his clothes. Likewise, his eyes started tearing up even though he’d deliberately become corporeal with his back to the east.