Total pages in book: 60
Estimated words: 56893 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 284(@200wpm)___ 228(@250wpm)___ 190(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 56893 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 284(@200wpm)___ 228(@250wpm)___ 190(@300wpm)
“Okay since we have to stick around for a bit, how about we go get Dani something to eat before we go do our thing at the police station?”
Dani’s head perked up at the mention of food. “Yes! I’m starving! Mom said lunch so I didn’t eat anything before I left, and nobody gave me food or water.”
Zach shook his head, his grin wide, now that Dani was back to her old self, at least on the surface. “Sounds like they kept you in prison.”
“Might as well have been,” Dani muttered. “Speaking of prison, if Dad’s locked up like Mom said, and she’s probably going to jail too, what’s going to happen to me?” she asked in a small voice Hadley never wanted to hear again.
She grabbed her sister’s hand. “You’re with me, just like always.”
She didn’t bother explaining their father would have to sign over custody. That would hurt. Hell, it hurt Hadley just to hear it, too. But she didn’t want Dani worrying at all.
Dani remained quiet.
“You want to be with me, right?”
With a nod, she gave Hadley a tight squeeze again, holding on as if she’d never let go. Hadley rubbed her hand over her messy bun. “Everything’s going to be okay, sis. We’re a team. You and me.”
After a few seconds, Zach cleared his throat. “It’s hot as hell out here and someone said they were hungry.”
Dani perked up and they walked back to Zach’s car, leaving Hadley alone with her thoughts.
The danger was over. She and Dani were safe. Hadley knew what that meant. Her time with Zach had come to an end.
Chapter Seventeen
Once Zach drove them home, late thanks to the length of time it took for them all to make their official statements, Dani asked to stay with Hadley. Zach’s heart broke for the teen who, in one day, had lost both her father and her mother. The only silver lining for Dani was Hadley. She’d always been her rock and that wouldn’t ever change.
He turned down the covers and slid into bed alone. Hadley was in the guestroom with her sister. They had a lot to talk about and for all her bravado, Dani was still just a scared kid. He expected Hadley to sleep in her sister’s room and was shocked when the bedroom door opened, and she walked inside.
Wearing a long, pale pink, V-neck sleepshirt, he couldn’t help but be drawn to the outline of her breasts and nipples beneath. His cock reacted but now wasn’t the time. Though he and Hadley hadn’t been alone since rescuing Dani, he knew what came next and his gut churned at the thought of her telling him they were leaving.
“Hey,” she said, walking over to the bed and collapsing on her side.
“How’s Dani?” he asked, worried about the teen.
Hadley lowered the covers and sat down, pushing herself up against the pillows before turning to face him. “Asleep, thank goodness. We talked and I believe her when she says Tony didn’t touch her that way.” She shuddered at the thought.
“Thank fuck.”
They’d learned the dirtbag boyfriend’s name from Dani and Zach hoped he got the ass-kicking he deserved once he was permanently locked up. Unless he wanted to fight the charges, but Zach assumed he’d turn on the bigger guys for a lesser sentence. He didn’t want Dani near a courtroom. She’d had enough trauma.
“I thought you were going to stay with her tonight?”
Hadley sighed. “I was going to. I figured she’d be wired but she fell asleep so fast and is out cold. She’ll come find me if she needs me.”
Leaning against the pillow, she faced him, exhaustion evident in the dark circles beneath her eyes. “You should get some sleep, too.”
She nodded, her eyelids half-mast already.
“Come here.” He held out an arm and she slipped into his arms. Pulling her close, he wrapped her tight and they lay in comfortable silence.
His heart beat hard in his chest but apparently, tonight wasn’t going to include the conversation he dreaded.
He breathed into her hair and suppressed a groan.
He loved her. He loved her irrepressible sister. And he wanted them both here in his house and in his life. In the morning, he intended to out his feelings and ask her to stay.
He didn’t want to let her go but he respected her enough to accept her final decision. He just hoped she didn’t gut him in the process.
* * *
Hadley woke up early. Zach slept beside her. He’d rolled onto his stomach but had one arm over her waist. She couldn’t help the smile that tugged at her lips at how he always touched her in his sleep. Tears followed because they needed to talk and she didn’t know how to say the words she needed to say.
Slipping out of bed, she went to the bathroom, did her thing, brushed her teeth, and headed back to bed, finding Zach awake and waiting for her. The covers fell to his waist, revealing his delicious abs, tanned skin, and muscular arms, folded across his chest.