Total pages in book: 23
Estimated words: 21225 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 106(@200wpm)___ 85(@250wpm)___ 71(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 21225 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 106(@200wpm)___ 85(@250wpm)___ 71(@300wpm)
“Brace yourself on me.” Saint offers me his giant arms.
“You’re not even bundled up.” He’s in a thick sweater and jeans, but he does at least have on winter boots. “You do know there is a blizzard happening, right?”
“I’m fine,” he grunts as he all but plucks me out of my vehicle.
I think I exaggerate when I think of how big Saint is. In my mind, I always picture him as this giant man, the biggest I’ve ever met, but now as he pulls me into his side to shield me from the snow that has quickly turned to ice, I know I remember him correctly.
I barely come to the center of his giant chest. If I had to guess, the man is three times bigger than I am. If he’s not a drug dealer as I expected at first, maybe he’s a retired NFL lineman or something.
He rushes me into the house, the door slamming behind us. Saint reaches for my hat, pulling it off my head. My hair comes spilling out. I reach up and try to smooth down my wild curls, knowing they must look a mess.
“What’s wrong?” I still have no clue why I’m even here.
“Stay put,” he orders me as he jogs out of the entryway and through the house, leaving me standing there.
“Hey!” I shout after him. “We don’t have time. I have to get out of here. Why did you call?”
He doesn’t respond or come back. The heck? I glance around the entryway filled with boxes. I shuffle over to them and debate peeking inside. I have an inner battle with myself. It’s stupid really.
I’m clearly going to lose. Hey, if he didn’t want me poking around, he shouldn’t have called me out here. Or left me in here with all of this temptation. I rip open the first box, finding a bit of holiday magic inside. I have to admit it takes me by surprise, only making my curiosity grow as to who this man is.
3
Saint
It worked. I’m starting to think fate is on my side for once. The snow has quickly turned to ice and is even worse than it was predicted on the Weather Channel. Once again, those weather people had gotten it wrong. The storm rolled in sooner than any of us anticipated and is proving to pack a punch. And I couldn’t be happier about it. Marley made it here safe and sound, so it can snow ten feet for all I care.
I slip out the back and round the house toward the garage. I know what I’m about to do is horrible, but still I pull the knife out and stab the back tire of her vehicle, guaranteeing she won’t be able to leave. I know. I know. I’m an asshole. That still doesn’t stop me from going for the other tire so a spare won’t even do the trick. Not that anyone should be driving in this weather with a spare tire. She shouldn’t be trying to leave at all at this point, anyway. The slashed tires are just a little bit of insurance in case she tries.
I try to tell myself I’m doing this for her own safety. She is going to try to leave here in a few minutes. This is making it impossible for her to risk the danger. I would have called this whole thing off after I’d made the call to Sally if it wasn’t for the fact that her place is in the direction of mine. She would be heading this way no matter what.
Besides, she lives in this small little house all by herself. She doesn’t need to be trapped alone. Who knows if she’s even prepared for that? Someone needs to look after her. To make sure she’s fed among other things. I’m more than capable of that. Not to mention I’m pretty much prepared for the end of the world. I won’t even lose power. I have generators and everything else we might need. We could hole up here for a few years and be more than fine.
I pocket my blade before I open the side door to the garage. Bear jumps up from the bed I made him in there. I reach in to flip the heat off, no longer needing it in there.
“Front door,” I order him, shutting the garage up after him and heading in through the back door. I expect Marley to be trying to find me to see why I called her out here. Instead I found her opening boxes in the entryway where I left her. She’s sitting on the floor surrounded by them looking like a kid who just got busted opening their Christmas presents early.
“This isn’t what it looks like.” She squeaks when she sees me. “Wait. Why am I even here?” Fuck she’s too damn cute. How do they let her run around town? I'm surprised someone hasn’t kidnapped her already. Thankful I’m the first and last that will be getting that idea.