Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 77236 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 386(@200wpm)___ 309(@250wpm)___ 257(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77236 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 386(@200wpm)___ 309(@250wpm)___ 257(@300wpm)
“Me too,” I agreed, sniffling. “It had been a last-minute decision to spend the night with my… friend,” I said, gesturing toward Alaric.
He’d chosen to shrug out of his biker cut in the SUV, and I guess it was because he didn’t want the detective to immediately place him as an outlaw biker. Then maybe assume that these guys were targeting me because of him.
“Alright, hon, I’m gonna level with you,” the detective said. “I could bring a whole team in here, have them dust for prints. But I imagine they will all be the same as the ones we got from your neighbor’s apartment.”
“It’s up to you,” Alaric said when my gaze went to him. “But I know you wouldn’t love the idea of even more people in your space.”
He got me.
“I don’t think that’s necessary then,” I said, shrugging.
“I will file a report for you,” he said. “If you have insurance, they might want proof of that.”
We talked for a few more minutes before the detective left, leaving us alone.
“Do you want to try to clean some of this,” Alaric started, “or do you want to get away from it?” he finished.
“Away,” I admitted.
It was too depressing to face yet.
“Though maybe I should clean up the glass, so when I bring Frida back lat—“
“I’d really prefer it if you stay with me a little bit longer,” Alaric cut me off, making my gaze shoot to his. “These guys know where you live. They are clearly able to break in. I just… don’t like it. Not until maybe Kylo wakes up, and he can point some fingers that lead to some arrests.”
“But we don’t know how long that might be,” I reasoned, even if my heart was all gooey at the very suggestion of staying longer with him.
“So? I’m in no rush to have you guys leave,” he said, shrugging it off. “Though, you might want to grab more of your shit than I did,” he added. “I was kinda doing it blind. But if you’re gonna stay longer, you should make sure you have enough of your shit.”
Oh, I was going to stay longer, alright.
Hell, I would stay as long as I felt welcome.
So I did go into my room, dragging my big duffel out from under my bed, and shoving clothes and bathroom essentials into it with wild abandon. For good measure, I grabbed some of my important documents, too, not wanting to leave them in an unmanned apartment.
By the time I was done, Alaric had already packed up what was left of Frida’s things, then took my stuff from me.
Maybe it was silly, but as I locked the door behind me as we left, it almost felt like it might be the last time. Like I wouldn’t be coming back.
“So, what do you want to do today?” Alaric asked as we drove back to his place. “Go try shooting? Go out to eat?”
“Actually, what I really want to do is paint that living room of yours,” I admitted, since we’d discussed the swatches over breakfast, and had both decided the green shade was the winner.
“Yeah?”
“I really like that kind of thing,” I admitted.
Even if, maybe, I should have suggested anything other than something that felt a heck of a lot like playing house, like making his place feel a little like mine as well.
But that was something I could think about later.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Alaric
Two days stretched into three.
And I don’t know where the self-control came from not to throw her down on the bed and fuck her into oblivion.
Well, actually, I did.
The painting.
It was the painting’s fault.
We’d started in on the living room, but really got into the swing of things, painting the ceiling and trim, then the dining room, and the kitchen cabinets.
After that, we were both laughably weak and achy, and so exhausted we could barely manage to each shower the paint slashes away before crashing in bed.
Then, well, mornings didn’t leave much time for fooling around thanks to Frida and her very finely tuned internal clock.
I suddenly wanted to finish clearing the backyard, put up a quick fence, then install a doggie door. If that would allow me time to stay in bed with Siana for another hour or two. Doing anything other than sleeping.
I was bringing Frida back inside, knowing Siana was likely just getting out of the shower, a towel wrapped tightly around her that I could so easily flick off, when I got a call that had me letting out a sigh as I reached for it.
“Hey, Huck,” I said, wondering how much Seeley had told him already.
“Hate to break up your fuckathon,” he said, making me close my eyes as I let out a huffing laugh. “But I need my SUV back. If you want, come and trade it for one of the cars. But there’s a drop coming up this afternoon.”