Total pages in book: 101
Estimated words: 97944 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 490(@200wpm)___ 392(@250wpm)___ 326(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 97944 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 490(@200wpm)___ 392(@250wpm)___ 326(@300wpm)
“Minds, why didn’t you tell me about the flowers?”
I look at Fay, my eyes squinting. “Because there was nothing to tell.”
“Someone’s been sending you flowers with creepy notes and then you get attacked? And you don’t think that’s something worth mentioning?”
“You know what? I’m done being interrogated. In case you all forgot, I’m the victim here.” I twist around to leave when the big oaf steps in my way. “Move it, Hercules.” I move to get around him, and he shifts with me, blocking my path. “Are you serious? I said move.”
“Mindy, just hear me out.”
“Nah, I’m good,” I say to Theo over my shoulder. “Maybe you should have Tate follow your fiancée. There were a bunch of men eyeing her at the department store the other day.”
Fay rolls her eyes, and I don’t need to see Theo to know his jaw is about to crack. He would murder a puppy if it looked at his woman wrong.
Fay steps up to me, pushing the ape out of the way. “Tate, back down for a second. Mindy, please. I’m worried about you. I didn’t sleep a wink last night. I know you’re a badass and don’t need help from anyone, but I also know you are beautiful and smart, and if anything ever happened to you, I wouldn’t be able to live with myself.”
I stare at my bestie. All buck-twenty of her. She came from a safe home. Loving parents. She doesn’t understand what it’s like in my world. I don’t have a choice but to be brave and independent. “You think I’m smart, huh?”
She lets out a small chuckle. “You most definitely know how to con me into a dozen drinks anytime I tell you I can only have one.”
I shrug as my lips curl into a knowing smile. “You fold like a cheap suit every time.”
“I do. Please, just this once, fold for me. Let Theo do this. For me.”
I stare at her, then my eyes roam to the tree trunk to my left. Fuck me. I groan. “Exactly what is he supposed to do?”
Theo walks over and hands me a stack of papers. “Mr. Deveraux has an extensive background and all the credentials to keep you safe. I’ve supplied him with your schedule. When you work. Names of your employers.”
My eyes bug. “You know this is fucked up, right?”
“And now you can see how, without breaking a sweat, I was able to obtain basically every detail of your life. Until the cops find this guy, Tate stays with you.”
“Like, stays with me?”
“Just until we know the police—”
“Okay, no way. Not only did I not ask for a bodyguard, I certainly didn’t ask for a roommate.” I glare at Fay. “Your man—is he high?”
Fay tries to hide her snicker. “No.”
“Well, I must be then. I swear he just said He-Man and I are going to bunk up.”
“He’s fully trained—”
“In what! Eating people? You do realize people get attacked every day. Four out of ten women experience assault.”
“Those numbers are false.”
I whip to my right. Ouch. “Excuse me?”
“Your statistics are wrong. It’s not four out of ten. It’s every—”
My eyes narrow. “Are you seriously trying to correct me right now?”
“Yes.”
I stare at him. Mostly in confusion. Because what the fuck? “You all are high.” It’s the only conclusion for what the hell is happening right now.
“The cost will be covered like you have a roommate. Allow him to keep you safe, offer him a living space, and you’ll be compensated for rent in return.”
“I live in a one-bedroom apartment.” I feel this is an important detail to add.
“The couch is fine,” Supersized chimes in.
“The check is already written and attached to the last page,” Theo adds.
I flip to the last page, and my eyes almost pop out of my head. “It’s definitely me. I’m high. This…” I look up at Theo. “You may want to fire your accounting department. This is like three months of my rent.”
“Consider it compensation for pain and suffering.”
“I—I can’t accept this.”
“You can, and you will. If you don’t, and my fiancée spends another night crying and keeping me awake, not only will I drag you to our penthouse with all your belongings, I’ll have your apartment building torn down and turned into a dog park.”
“You wouldn’t.” I narrow my eyes at him.
“I would. In a heartbeat. You know better than to underestimate the love I have for my fiancée.”
Fuck. He’s got me there.
Fuck!
“This is coercion, you know.” Theo doesn’t respond. I look at Fay, then peer over at the jumbotron, aka my bodyguard-slash-new roommate. “My apartment isn’t even big enough for you.”
“I’ll manage.”
“Like, I don’t think the ceilings are high enough. You’re going to have to duck the whole time.”
He shows zero emotion. “Part of the job.”
Part of the job, I mimic in my head. “And I don’t cook. You’re on your own.”