Total pages in book: 37
Estimated words: 34709 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 174(@200wpm)___ 139(@250wpm)___ 116(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 34709 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 174(@200wpm)___ 139(@250wpm)___ 116(@300wpm)
“I can’t believe they used me as bait.” She wiped several small chips of rocks and sequins off her dress to land on the hard-packed floor.
He gently lifted her by the biceps, and more blue sequins rained down. “Don’t worry about it.”
She blinked, her brain finally catching up to the moment. “You knowingly walked into a trap?”
“Of course. They had my mate.” He brushed rock dust off her bare shoulder, enthralled by the smoothness of her sweet skin.
A fine tremble he could feel went through her body. Was it his touch or his statement? Both? He’d given her space these many decades, and she no doubt didn’t understand the possessiveness filling his pores. He’d have to find a calming way to explain it to her, although her instincts had always been excellent.
Her gaze dropped from his. “What’s our plan?” She pushed some wild hair off her face. “I lost my purse and any evidence I had against a child trafficker. I need to find the clutch. Or, alternatively, the bastard who trafficked the kids. We may need to make him talk, and my window to get answers is probably less than three hours.”
He admired her grit. Sometimes, he forgot that they’d met when she was injured while working as a spy. “Actually, we need to discuss you not staying where I put you.” His voice went dominantly low.
Chapter Eight
Jasper stared at the female who wasn’t heeding his warnings. At. All.
“Right now?” Leah punctuated her words with both arms in the air.
Good point. “No, but soon.” Unable to help himself, he set two knuckles beneath her chin and lifted her face. His lips took hers. Sweetness and spice—all her. Fire lanced through him, landing hard in his groin. She murmured something into his mouth that coasted down to land in his heart. He deepened the kiss, wrapping an arm around her back to keep the rock wall from scratching her fragile skin.
Power and energy roared through him, drowning out caution. She tasted like everything he’d ever need. Partially lifting her against him, he groaned as her breasts brushed his chest, even with clothing in the way.
She returned his kiss, a soft sound of surrender whispering from her.
With more control than he knew he possessed, he released her mouth and gently placed her on her bare feet. Her three-inch heels were across the room as if she’d kicked them there. “Shoes or not?” He had no idea if she could move in them. “We’ll have to run.”
“No shoes,” she breathed, her chest rising and falling rapidly. “My feet are tough, and I can’t do much in those. I’d break an ankle.”
“I can carry you.” However, that would present a problem if he needed to fight.
She shook her head, one trembling finger touching her swollen bottom lip. “The ground is smooth, and I can run for now. If it gets too rocky, I’ll let you know.”
He’d always loved her practical side. “Okay. For now, follow me.” He turned and headed down the lone tunnel, pausing when it split three ways. Straight ahead would lead them to the convention center, but knowing that’s where he’d try to go, more than one Kurjan would be guarding that exit. He didn’t know about the path to the west, but the left turn went east, and he could pick up weapons at Benny’s before heading back to the convention center.
“Stay behind me,” he whispered, turning left.
She nudged him in the back. “We have to get that address, Jasper. There are kids who need to be rescued.”
He continued moving and looked over his shoulder at her. “Tell me.”
“Trafficked ones. I have proof on a pen recorder, but apparently, I dropped my clutch when they sedated me. We have to get to those kids before it’s too late, even if I don’t have the evidence against the kidnapper any longer.”
The desperation in her eyes made sense to him now. “Tell me your initial plan.” He kept moving silently, making sure she hadn’t started limping.
“To give the recorder and the address to the authorities at the charity auction,” she said.
Seemed like a good plan. “Now?”
“To find the guy who trafficked them and get the address.” Her voice hardened. “No matter what I have to do.”
He was the killer in the family, and she should probably learn that truth sooner rather than later. He sensed a Kurjan up ahead, but the guy had been injured in the fight, and healing cells lightened the air around him. Good. That must be the soldier Jasper had nearly decapitated.
He ducked his head as the tunnel constricted and moved swiftly, keeping track of Leah behind him. Their path twisted and turned, the corridor becoming narrow in some spots and wider in others. Soon, the floor turned damp, and the walls seemed to sweat, even as a depressing chill permeated the environment.