Total pages in book: 90
Estimated words: 85512 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 428(@200wpm)___ 342(@250wpm)___ 285(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 85512 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 428(@200wpm)___ 342(@250wpm)___ 285(@300wpm)
I didn’t know what to say. I’d never thought about her, period. It had been AJ and me. That was it, but since finding out about her… “Thank you for finding me,” I said. My hand fell down between Carter and me. I held it there, pressed against him. I just needed to touch him. “There’ve been things going on, but I’ve been thinking about you, too.”
She nodded, clearly trying not to cry. She kept wiping at the corners of her eyes.
This wasn’t the time or place. So much had to be said, but I didn’t say another word until we arrived at our destination. When the car slowed to a stop and the door opened, we were in a large, brightly lit warehouse. There was nothing inside, only an office with a window in the door. As my sister followed us out, and then her friend, our guard went to a side door. Another guard took position beside him, and another two went to the main garage-style doors. As they closed it behind us, I saw three other cars parked outside. They had formed a wall, and more men waited by each of those vehicles.
We were heavily armed and heavily protected.
“Oh my.” My sister pressed a hand to her throat, taking in the scene before the doors slid to the ground.
Now it was only the four of us and the four security men inside. I was used to this, but seeing her reaction, I remembered the first time I became aware of how powerful Carter was. That’s what those men did. They were physical reminders of who Carter was, of what he could do. She looked at me, her eyebrows bunched together, and she stepped closer to her friend. I wasn’t sure if she was aware of doing it or not, but I understood. He was familiar. He was safe to her.
I wanted to go to her. I wanted to reassure her that I was safe too, but I felt Carter beside me. His hand touched the top of my arm as if he was reminding me. We didn’t know these people. We didn’t know anything about them.
I looked up, saw the concern in his wolf eyes, and nodded. The worry disappeared, and he pointed to the office. “I think Emma and Andrea might want to talk alone.”
“Yes.” I breathed.
My sister nodded her agreement right away. “Yes.”
“Andrea—” her friend started.
She patted his arm. “I’ll be fine, Kevin. We sought them out, not the other way.”
“But—” He grabbed for her hand.
She evaded him. “Stop, Kevin. This is her. I want to talk to her.”
“I don’t think you should be alone.”
“Stop.” Her eyebrows lifted in warning. “I mean it, Kevin. I don’t think these men will have any qualms about having you wait outside.”
He glanced around him before returning to look at Andrea. The red had begun to creep up to his face again, and he lifted a hand, itching the backside of his neck. “Andrea, I…okay. I guess.”
Carter went to the office and opened the door. I started to follow Andrea inside, but he held me back. “One minute, please,” he said to her as he shut the door.
She frowned at him, but didn’t respond.
“What?” I glanced over my shoulder. We were out of hearing distance from her friend. “What is it?”
“Stay within eyesight of me.”
“What?”
“I don’t trust you alone with her either. The door can’t be locked, and I’m right here on the other side. If you start getting a weird feeling, scratch behind your ear. I’ll come in.”
“You think, what? She’s going to attack me or something?’
“I don’t know.” He was insistent. “But I’m not willing to risk it. The Bartels killed AJ. I don’t put anything past them.”
“Oh.” I tensed immediately. “But her…”
“Emma,” he said quietly. His hand still held my arm, but he softened his hold and his thumb began rubbing back and forth. “Just be careful, okay?”
“Okay. Yeah.” I pressed a kiss to his cheek. “I will.”
I started to step back, but he caught the back of my head and pressed me to him again. One more kiss. One solid touch from him to me. This wasn’t about passion. It wasn’t even about comfort. This was a connection between us. I felt his need for me, and my own matched it, rising within me. It wasn’t sexual. It was primal. It was the need for both of us to be okay. My lips pressed back against him, tasting him, and then I leaned away, gazing up into his eyes.
I saw a bleakness there and my hand lifted, reacting to it. I hated seeing that. He shouldn’t feel that way, ever. I touched the side of his face to reassure him.
He nodded, but the bleakness didn’t leave.
I stepped inside to talk to my sister.
It was just her and me.