Total pages in book: 62
Estimated words: 58253 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 291(@200wpm)___ 233(@250wpm)___ 194(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 58253 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 291(@200wpm)___ 233(@250wpm)___ 194(@300wpm)
She spun too fast and fell to the ground, disappearing from sight.
“Shit!” But he hadn’t hit her. He hoped. After jamming the vehicle in park, he flung open the door and climbed out, rushing to where she’d gone down.
The doorman was already fussing over her, insisting he call an ambulance.
“I wasn’t hit,” she argued. “Just startled.”
Dex stepped closer. “Are you really okay?” he asked, as familiar indigo blue eyes looked up at him and recognition dawned. “Samantha?”
He was surprised to realize he’d almost hit Ian Dare’s youngest sister. Ian, the Thunder team owner and Dex’s former boss. And the man who’d blocked any shot Dex could have had with Samantha years before. Just recently, he’d heard from Ian, who was now a good friend, that his sister was getting married, but Dex hadn’t known where, when, or to whom. Truth be told, he’d tried to block the entire thing from his mind.
“Dex! Small world,” she said, as he helped her to her feet, wincing as she stood. “I twisted my ankle,” she muttered, leaning down, lifting her skirt and pulling off her heels.
She was as beautiful as he remembered, her blonde hair falling to her shoulders, clipped behind her head with a white bow. Her skin was a gleaming porcelain, with a hint of blush, and a smoky look to her eyes.
She was stunning. And marrying another man.
“Shouldn’t you be inside… I don’t know, getting married or something?” His voice sounded unnecessarily harsh.
She flinched, his words causing her eyes to open wide. As if remembering where she was and why. “No, that’s the last thing I want to do.” She glanced back over her shoulder then met his gaze. “Get me out of here, Dex? Please?” She blinked and a tear dropped down her face.
“Samantha!” A man in a tuxedo stepped out of the revolving hotel entrance.
She grabbed Dex’s hand and a jolt of something powerful ran up his arm. “Please,” she said, desperation in her tone. “Let’s just go.”
He groaned, knowing what he was going to do even before he’d consciously made the decision, aware it could possibly bring the wrath of Ian Dare down on his head.
Dex opened his car door. “Get in.”
“Samantha, you misunderstood everything. Let me explain,” the other man, obviously her groom, called out just as Dex slammed the door, catching her gown in the process. The snick of the lock sounded.
Given that she’d immediately shut her fiancé out, he doubted she cared about anything but escaping.
“Is that bag hers?” he asked the doorman, pointing to the luggage laying on its side.
“Yes.”
Dex popped the trunk with the key fob. Then, he looked at the valet. “Put that in the trunk.” He slid his hand into the other pocket, retrieving the five-dollar bill he’d stashed earlier. Once the luggage was in the back, Dex slapped the money into his hand.
“What are you doing?” her groom shouted furiously. “You can’t take my fiancée anywhere!”
“Move away from the car.” Dex glared at the man whose frustrated expression had morphed into anger.
“Who the hell are you?” he asked.
Dex rolled his eyes at the man’s stupidity and didn’t give him the answer he wanted. “She obviously doesn’t want to see you, genius.” He strode to his side of the vehicle, unlocking the door and sliding in.
The asshole banged on the passenger side window and Samantha jerked in her seat. “Go!”
Dex put the car in drive and took off, leaving the man yelling at his taillights.
Samantha breathed heavily and twisted the lace on her gown between her hands.
“So, where to?” he asked the distraught woman in the passenger seat.
“I don’t know,” she said, barely loud enough for him to hear.
He shook his head. “Your apartment?”
“No!” She sucked in a breath. “I mean, that’ll be the first place Jeremy will look.”
Her phone buzzed in her lap and she clicked off the notification.
He turned a corner and decided driving in large circles until she made a decision was his best bet. “Would you care to tell me what happened to make you run from your wedding?”
She exhaled a deep breath, but her expression was pained. “I just discovered my fiancé was sleeping with his personal assistant. Not to mention he planned to stay married only long enough for things to look real so he could get half my money. Luckily, I overheard that conversation minutes before walking down the aisle.”
He gripped the wheel tighter, wishing he’d throttled the man back at the hotel. What kind of ass set up and cheated on any woman, let alone one as beautiful and smart as Samantha?
“Your brothers are going to kill him,” Dex said.
“And then they’ll come for me,” she muttered.
He raised an eyebrow. “Doubtful. Your family loves you. Speaking of your brothers, does everyone know you left?”
She nodded. “My mom and the bridal party do. Mom told Ian. And I escaped before I had to face him.”