Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 103413 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 517(@200wpm)___ 414(@250wpm)___ 345(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 103413 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 517(@200wpm)___ 414(@250wpm)___ 345(@300wpm)
“Liam has a bad reputation, but then so do Regent and Victor. That doesn’t mean any of them would ever hurt a woman.”
She sucked in a breath. “No, I know.”
“Then why do you look so frightened when you’re near him? Has he said something, done something to upset you? I mean, it is Liam. I love him, but the guy has some real social issues. He says what he thinks.”
“Sometimes honesty is a good thing,” she murmured.
“And sometimes it’s just rude.”
She gave him a tiny smile. Better than nothing, he supposed.
“I don’t know why I feel nervous around him.”
“What about me? Do I make you nervous?”
“A little bit,” she confessed. “Sorry.”
“Don’t be sorry. But you’re safe with me, pretty girl. With Liam and me. We’d kill anyone who tried to hurt you.”
She sucked in a breath, looking shocked.
Too far, idiot.
Before he could say anything, there was a scream from the wooded area. Fuck, he’d forgotten about the kids.
Only there was something different about this scream. It sounded like the person was in pain. Afraid. Jumping up, he moved to the door then paused, looking to Lottie.
“Stay here. Don’t move.”
Lottie stood at the doorway. She stared out at the trees. Peter, one of the guards, had rushed over there, behind Nico.
Who screamed? Ace? Keir? Had someone gotten them?
Even now, they could be hurting them. And here she was, fighting demons that didn’t exist.
Move, Lottie. Be stronger than this.
She managed one step. Then another. She felt like she was trudging through mud. But she was doing it. There was no one here. No one to hurt her. She was safe. She moved toward the trees as Nico burst out with Ace in his arms. He was crying. Keir walked beside Peter, talking animatedly.
Relief slumped through her. They were okay, but was Ace crying.
“What happened?”
Nico gave her a surprised look then his gaze narrowed as he studied her sternly. “I said to stay inside.”
She was taken aback by the scolding. Nico was always so gentle when he spoke to her. This was another side of him. One she hadn’t realized existed.
“I’ll go get the car,” Peter said.
“What’s going on?” she asked as Nico walked inside with Ace, setting him down on the sofa. The boy was sobbing, holding his arm.
“Ace fell from the high tree,” Keir said. “I told him not to climb it. But he wasn’t listening. And then he slipped and fell.”
“Oh no, Ace.” She knelt beside the small boy. “Where does it hurt?”
“My a-arm.”
“I think it might be broken,” Nico said, drawing out his phone. “He’ll have to go to the emergency room.”
“Gerald!” she called out, running over to open the door. “Gerald! Where are you? Gerald!”
Gerald rushed down the passage. “What is it?”
“It’s Ace. Ace is hurt. He needs to go to the emergency room. We suspect he’s broken his arm. Peter has gone to get the car.”
“Right. Do you have your phone on you?” Gerald asked as he moved into the solarium.
She patted her thighs, only then realizing she had a skirt on. “No, I don’t know where it is.”
Nico turned to give her a frowning look. “You don’t know where your phone is?”
“I . . . no. I can go find it.” Why couldn’t she think of what to do? Poor Ace. “I need to . . . to . . .” Why couldn’t she think?
“Miss Lottie,” Gerald said in a cool, calm voice. “We need to take Ace to the emergency room. I need you to call Thea and get her to meet us. Peter will drive. I’ll get Andrew to follow us.”
“I’m going too,” Keir said. “I’m not leaving Ace.”
“All right,” Gerald replied. “I’ll also call in Trent to stay with you, Miss Lottie.”
“Okay. All right.” Trent and Andrew were both guards employed by Regent.
“I’ll be here with her,” Nico said.
“No!” Ace cried. “I want Lottie to take me.”
Pain slashed through her.
“Ace, I’m going,” Keir said. He sent Lottie a worried look. Poor Keir. He knew she was a wimp. A failure.
“Ace, I . . .”
“Please, Lottie. Please.”
She couldn’t even go into the trees where the boys had been because she couldn’t stand not being able to see the house. The few times she’d gone off the property, she’d always had Regent with her.
Could she go to the hospital?
No. Absolutely not.
But Ace needed her. She had to go with him.
“I—”
“What if I come instead?” Nico suggested. “Thea will meet us there. Lottie needs to stay here and call her. Let her know what happened.”
It made no sense since she could easily call Thea as they drove to the emergency room. But she knew he was doing it to try to help her. Although she didn’t think Ace would be overly enthused about Nico coming along with him.
“No, Lottie! I want Lottie.”
“I’m sorry, Master Ace,” Gerald said in that overly stuffy way of his. “But Miss Lottie has to stay here.”