Total pages in book: 225
Estimated words: 218500 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1093(@200wpm)___ 874(@250wpm)___ 728(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 218500 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1093(@200wpm)___ 874(@250wpm)___ 728(@300wpm)
She drops it before she hurriedly squats to grab it and then points it at me. “Don’t come any closer or this will burn your eyes badly. It might even blind you permanently.”
I stop two feet away. She’s full of it, but I need to calm her down.
“Why does my fingerprint get me in here, Derek? How do you know where Adam is? How did you know about the jam and the rye toast? You’re kind of freaking me out with this creepy shit, but I’m giving you a chance here to give me a reasonable explanation why I shouldn’t report you to the police. And before you make another move toward me, someone I know knows I’m here right now and the cops will be called if they don’t hear from me in fifteen minutes.”
“Creepy?” I ask.
“Yes, creepy!” she cries out, her pitch now soprano. “Why the fuck did my fingerprint open your doors, Derek?”
“You shouldn’t have called your friend. Pass me your phone.”
She jolts in surprise.
“Send the blonde a text message and tell her you’re good. That everything’s cool, you overreacted and misunderstood the threat, and you’ll call her later. You don’t want her or that lawyer buddy digging into me. I’ll forgive you this time for making that call, but don’t disobey me again, Chloe. And if you use the word totally in your text message I’ll have to act fast to do damage control and believe me, you don’t want that.”
Her body trembles. Her eyes widen. My cock hardens.
“Don’t be afraid. I won’t harm you,” I assure.
“I don’t understand why you’re doing whatever you’re doing,” she whispers, eyes filled with fear. She begins to back up again.
“Do what I’ve said, little bunny. I’m about to make another of your fantasies come true,” I tell her.
“Derek, you’re freaking me out. Let’s be rational here.”
“I’m as rational as I can be, believe me. Give me your phone. Here.” I reach out and snatch the spray and scoop her up into my arms.
She pulls in breath and I’m sure she’s about to scream, so I cup her mouth with a hand.
“Shh. Don’t be afraid. You’re okay. I’m not gonna hurt you.”
Grace’s car was outside when I got back, and I don’t need to run into her in this hall.
She tries to struggle in my grip, but I rush into my place, placating, “Don’t be afraid. This isn’t like that,” I tell her. “I’d never harm you, Chloe. Never.” I sit, tossing the spray to the other side of the couch while keeping her on my lap and reaching into her coat pocket, fetching her phone myself.
She watches me stop and erase the recording she’s been making of our conversation. I open up a message to Alannah and begin typing a reply while she stares at the screen.
So he wants more of what we had the other night and he’s making a good argument/being kind of irresistible so I’m gonna listen to what he has to say and talk this out with him. I misunderstood the threat and you’re right. He does investigate anyone he hooks up with to make sure they’re not bunny boilers. Call off your search for now. I’ll let you know if I want you digging further. K? I’ll call you later to explain more. Just messaging you from his bathroom. XOXO
Yes, I know the way she signs off. I’ve read her blog, a lot of her emails, her social media statuses and text messages, and I know how she writes texts to her best, rather breast friend. I can see she’s coming to grips with some things as I set the phone down on the coffee table and reach for mine.
I phone Kenny on speaker.
He answers on the first ring.
“Yeah, Derek?”
“You’re on speaker. Chloe will be leaving here at eleven. You’ll follow her to make sure she gets home safely?”
“Got it.”
I end the call and wrap my arms tighter around Chloe’s trembling body.
“Now,” I say, “I know you’re upset and confused, but I really wanna take you to bed and fuck you senseless for the next three or four hours.”
“No,” she whispers, looking terrified.
“Yeah, baby, I do. You’re lucky I even let you out of here Saturday. I wanted to keep you in bed all weekend. I knew you weren’t quite ready for that. Based on your behavior since then, I can see it’s time to take the reins here, so it’s what I’m doing. Let’s go to my bed so we can take the edge off. We’ll talk specifics after.”
She blinks at me, panic all over her pretty but currently pale face.
“Be my good girl, Chloe, or things will move at a pace you’re really not ready for.”
“What does that mean?” she asks.
“One step at a time. Tonight, we’re gonna have some fun. From here, I’ll figure out the pace. Your actions will dictate it at least partly. Okay?”