Total pages in book: 158
Estimated words: 160684 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 803(@200wpm)___ 643(@250wpm)___ 536(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 160684 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 803(@200wpm)___ 643(@250wpm)___ 536(@300wpm)
She wasn’t even entirely sure what was happening right now.
“Too obvious,” Grady replied. “I’m thinking an ankle bracelet. Or something to go in her shoes. She doesn’t have many pairs.”
“Hmm, we should buy her more shoes,” Steele commented.
“Agreed. I saw some cute light-up ones I think she’d love.”
What the heck was happening?
Did they realize she was still in the room with them? She needed to get things back under control.
Although she wasn’t sure she’d ever had any control around these two.
“You aren’t buying me a tracker. And you’re not buying me light-up sneakers. Although I would like to know where you saw them because they sound adorable.”
Maybe after a few more pay checks she could buy herself a pair. She did love cute shoes. And perhaps she could get some cute socks to go with her cute shoes.
That would be adorable.
“We’ve lost her,” Steele said.
“That’s all right she doesn’t need to pay attention for us to get a tracker sorted for her.”
Wait. What?
“No tracker.”
Grady raised his eyebrows at her coolly. “Did you leave in the middle of the day without letting me know where you were?”
“Yes, but there was an emergency!”
“Was it so urgent that during the drive to Brooks’ school, you couldn’t text me to let me know where you were going?”
Shoot.
She could have done that.
But also . . . Raul was a big fat tattletale. And she was going to tell him that the minute she saw him. And she wouldn’t be baking him any more of her pecan chocolate cookies that he loved.
Okay . . . that was a lie. She would totally keep baking those for him. Who was she to deny him his favorite cookies?
But they wouldn’t be made with love.
All right . . . that was a big fat lie too.
Darn it.
She tugged at her earring, wincing slightly as it pulled too hard.
“Stop that,” Grady commanded. “I’m going to take your silence as agreement.”
“I’m sorry. You’re right. I should have texted to let you know where I was.”
“And you could have texted too.” Grady turned to Steele.
“She was out of her mind with worry, man. When we got there, she undid her belt and opened her door before Raul even came to a stop. Jumped right on out of the car.”
“What?” Grady turned back to her.
What. The. Hell?
Had Steele just thrown her under the bus? Or, in this case, thrown her in front of a rather irate-looking Grady?
“You did what? What were you thinking? You could have hurt yourself!”
“I’m taking the cake back.” She pointed at Steele.
“You’ll still make me the cake.” He gave her an arrogant, knowing look.
Darn it. She totally would. Urgh.
“I didn’t mean to. I don’t even remember doing it. I just needed to get to Brooks.”
“He’s all right, isn’t he?” Grady now looked alarmed.
“Came to a girl’s aid when she was being picked on by three guys. Those guys jumped him. Principal tried to expel him because he’s a scholarship student and those boys said he started it. Those boys’ parents are also lining the principal’s pockets.”
Something changed in Grady then. The heat in his rage disappeared and he became chillingly cold. This Grady . . . he was absolutely terrifying.
“What?” he whispered.
Deadly. Furious. He would terrify her if he wasn’t mad on behalf of her kid.
“I’m dealing with it,” Steele said. He didn’t even seem to notice that Grady had turned into an ice-cold warrior king.
“You need me to make him disappear?”
“I don’t think we’ll have to. Ink’s kids go to that school.”
“Ink’s kids?”
“Yeah, remember that his woman has those twin stepsons?”
“I remember. They’d be what? Seventeen? Eighteen?”
“Think so,” Steele replied. “Anyway, they must have cameras everywhere in that school. They handed the principal his ass and I think they plan to shove him out the door. Hard.”
“Interesting.”
Steele gave him a look. “I think Ink will have something to say if you recruit those kids.”
“They sound like the sort of kids I’d like to know.”
“So, am I good to go back to work now?” she asked.
When would she learn? If no one was paying her attention, she needed to keep quiet. But nooo, she had to go open her big mouth.
Both men were now staring at her.
“From now on, if you need to leave this building for any reason, you text me. Understand?” Grady said in a low, commanding voice.
“Ah, but what if I’m on a break?”
“You text me when you’re leaving and when you get back. And where you’re going.”
“Um, just saying. I don’t think you can do that.” She knew he couldn’t do that. Because it was nuts! She wasn’t a prisoner.
“Look, I wasn’t in any danger. And I’m really sorry I didn’t tell you, but I’ll make up the time. And I’m sure nothing like this will ever happen again.”
“I’m not,” Grady countered.
“Trouble magnet,” Steele muttered.
There was a knock on the door before she could answer.