Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 78732 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 394(@200wpm)___ 315(@250wpm)___ 262(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78732 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 394(@200wpm)___ 315(@250wpm)___ 262(@300wpm)
I think I knew better than to leave. I knew there was danger. I just never thought it would show up on my doorstep five minutes after I did. I wanted to spite him for telling me what to do, and the risks were secondary to that need.
Is Dima tracking me? Do they have people sitting outside of my house? Do they suspect that Ellis isn't who he said he is? Will my actions today affect what happens with Morgan? Will they hurt her for my not staying where Ellis left me? Is he part of their organization but only pretending not to be in order to manipulate me?
Is that even possible? The man picked me over all those other women. He picked the one person who didn't want to go, the newest woman there. Did he scout me out at the grocery store? Did following those women to their home and the warehouse somehow become part of their plan? Have I been manipulated right into this very position?
I have a million and a half questions and no answers in sight.
I look down at my phone, needing to call Morgan and make sure she's okay, but I need to get myself to safety first.
I only hesitate for a second when I think about returning to the hotel. As much as I want to blame Ellis for everything that has happened, it's too far-fetched to believe he is somehow one of the bad guys in this situation.
Once I feel like I've waited long enough for the goon to leave, I place another order for an Uber, only I give the address to the gas station a few blocks away. It takes me ten minutes to sneak out of the alley and head in that direction, but the car ride back to the hotel takes place without incident, despite my constant looking around the vehicle to make sure we aren't being followed.
I only start to feel calmer when I enter the hotel, and the trembling begins to fade the closer I get to his room. I don't have the headspace right now to evaluate why that might be because he's standing in front of me before my fist can knock on the door.
He looks pissed. I don't know if it's because I left or because I bothered to come back, but then when his eyes meet mine, his mood shifts.
"What's wrong?" he asks, stepping just outside the room and dropping his hands to my shoulders. "Are you okay?"
I manage to nod, but resisting the warmth of his body seems like it's just too much to ask of me, so I step into his chest, burying my nose in his shirt.
The tears start in torrents, soaking his clothes, but instead of pushing me away and telling me to get a grip, he wraps his arms protectively around me and lets me sob.
I don't know how long we stand there, him holding me while I cry like a baby, but once the tears start to subside, I feel drained, as if I've cried for days.
My head aches, my eyes burn, and I feel almost too weak to walk inside, although I do manage it, just barely, when he finally takes a step back.
I sit on the sofa, glad he doesn't avoid me when he sits right beside me. I explain what happened, saying that I went to get more appropriate clothes rather than telling him the full truth because his demand to stay at the hotel while he was gone seems completely warranted now.
"I'm just glad to be back here," I say, looking up from my clasped hands for the first time since I started talking.
His jaw is clenched tight, that muscle below his ear flexed.
"I should've stayed."
"Were you followed?"
"I don't think so," I say. "But I didn't know you followed me that night from the grocery store, so I could've been."
He stands, clasping my hands and pulling me up with him.
"I want you to go get everything packed up."
"I know I shouldn't have left, but—"
"I'm taking you back to my place. At least there I know you'll be safe," he says, instead of telling me to leave like I expected him to.
Chapter 17
Heathen
I know without a doubt that Kaylee Rhodes won't be in my life forever. I know there are things that I will do and experience that I can't discuss with her because of that fact, but the Cerberus Villa is the only place in town where I know without a doubt that she'll be safe.
I probably should've asked if it was okay for her to come here, but Cerberus is all about helping people in her exact position in life. I can't see it being that big of a deal. It's not like Rooster leaves confidential paperwork lying around for people to read.