Total pages in book: 78
Estimated words: 73537 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 368(@200wpm)___ 294(@250wpm)___ 245(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 73537 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 368(@200wpm)___ 294(@250wpm)___ 245(@300wpm)
“Wait, let me help you down,” I told her while opening my door to get out.
She didn’t ignore me, but I figured that was only because she feared breaking her ankle if she hopped down in those fucking heels. She held out her hand to me, but I grabbed her waist instead. Damn, it was tiny. My mind instantly went to what she’d look like naked with those hips, tits, and little waist of hers. Fuck, I had to stop that.
But the idea of Canyon’s hands on her body pissed me off in ways I didn’t want to think about.
I preferred to believe he hadn’t touched her yet. That they hadn’t made it that far. If they had, then she was handling it better than I’d imagined. Still no weeping or even a sign of a tear.
I let her go when she was steady and stepped back. Her gaze lifted to me, and for a brief moment, there was a flash of something. The kind of something I was used to seeing in women. Oh, hell no. Not this one. She did not need to look at me like that.
I jerked my eyes off her and nodded toward the building. “Lead the way,” I told her.
She seemed to remember who it was she had been giving that heated look to and shook her head slightly, as if to clear it, then stepped past me without a word and headed toward the complex. It took every ounce of my self-control not to look at her ass as she walked. She even walked prissy. I’d never met a female as fucking feminine as Dolly Dixon, and I doubted I ever would. There was no way that Canyon had kept his hands off her. I might have to cut them off just to get some peace. Knowing he couldn’t touch her again. Making him suffer for taking advantage of her. Dolly was an easy target, and the bastard needed to pay for using her.
I followed her into the building and up the stairs to the second floor. She finally stopped at apartment 205 and pulled out a set of keys from her purse. Before she could put them in the lock, the door swung open, and my sister stood there, looking fierce and relieved, all at the same time. She barely glanced at me before throwing her arms around Dolly.
“I’m sorry you’ve had such a bad day,” she told her.
I heard the sniffle then, and Pepper’s eyes darted up to glare at me, as if this were my fault. Well, the fact that Dolly was about to cry might be my fault, but the day in general was not. I had not forced her to date that son of a bitch. I had saved her from him.
“It’s okay. Come inside and get off those heels. I’ve already opened a bottle of your prosecco, and I brought the caramel doughnuts you love from Seventh Heaven,” Pepper told her, taking her hand and pulling her into the apartment.
“I’m sorry,” Dolly choked out, and Pepper paused to study her a moment.
“You have nothing to be sorry about. Not one damn thing. Do not apologize to me or anyone. Do you understand me? I am here for you. You need me, and I am here to take care of you.”
Pepper’s eyes darted back up to me then, as if accusing me of something. She was right, of course, but she didn’t know it yet. Fucking know-it-all.
Dolly wiped at her face and sniffled again. I hoped she had something stronger than a sweet, bubbly wine. I was going to need it.
Another sob escaped Dolly. Even her crying was delicate. She was so damn fragile that it made a man want to wrap her up and keep her safe. Not that I was going to do that. Not now or ever. But I could admit she had that appeal. One I wasn’t interested in. It came with strings and drama.
“I didn’t know,” she whispered.
I winced. She was going to get right to it. Yep, I needed some whiskey. Even tequila would do.
Please let there be something stronger than wine in this place.
Pepper pulled her back into a hug. “Of course you didn’t know. What woman does when she starts dating a man? It’s part of dating and life.”
Dolly shook her head. “That’s not what I mean,” she said in a soft, pleading voice.
This time, when Pepper’s eyes met mine, they narrowed to slits. I saw the warning there in her gaze. I held up my hands and shrugged. I had done my best. What the fuck was I supposed to do, sit there and be silent while she had defended the fucker?
“Come sit down.” She guided Dolly to the pale blue velvet sofa with bright pink throw pillows.
Dolly sank down onto it and pressed her lips together.