Total pages in book: 49
Estimated words: 56149 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 281(@200wpm)___ 225(@250wpm)___ 187(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 56149 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 281(@200wpm)___ 225(@250wpm)___ 187(@300wpm)
The drive should take about twenty minutes, but it’s Friday night in downtown Chicago, and I’m having a hard time getting around the traffic. I’m constantly checking my phone for more texts and switching between that and her tracker to see if she’s moved.
I finally find a break in traffic and pull up outside the front of the club. The valet comes around to take my keys, but I don’t hand them over. I just give the kid a hard stare and he steps away. The head bouncer comes over as I step up on the curb, and he holds his hand up to the kid.
“Sparrow.”
“Oak.” I nod to him as he lets me pass, leaving my car exactly where I parked it. He and I go way back, and if I’m pulling up outside this club, it’s for a good goddamn reason. I don’t hang at places like this unless I have to, usually if I’m working a job or con.
Just as I reach the door, it’s pulled open for me and I walk straight into the club. Oak is by my side now, and I tell him what I need.
“I’m looking for my girl. Redhead, curvy, name’s Tessa. She’s here with a regular, her name’s Harper.” He looks around for a second and then points across the dance floor. I spot her in half a second, something pulling me to her. Moving towards Tessa, I toss a thanks over my shoulder to Oak and make my way around to her table on the other side of the club.
There’s a sea of people here, and it’s loud as fuck, but I don’t take my eyes off my girl.
She’s leaning back in the booth, the small table in front of her littered with empty glasses. Her head is resting on the back of the bench, her dark auburn hair piled up, revealing her neck. Even from across the room, I can see she’s got a ton of make-up on. Jesus, has she been crying? It looks like the dark black around her eyes has run down her cheeks a little. As I get closer, I can see she’s wearing something strapless, but her lower half is covered by the table. I grit my jaw tighter when I see the amount of cleavage she’s showing. No one should get to see that but me. I’m ready to stab out every eye that so much as looks her way. That is only for me to see, and I know who came up with the outfit.
As I get even closer, I look around her table and see Nick is there. Clenching my fists, I continue to push through the crowd, trying to get to them, pushing off anyone who tries to grab for me. It looks like just the two of them are at the table, and I see him leering at her. Just as I approach, I see hands come up around his waist from under the table and realize that must be Harper under there.
I don’t want to scare Tessa, but I need her out of here, and I won’t negotiate. She turns her fuzzy eyes to mine, and I see the moment she realizes it’s me. The shock is clear on her face.
I pull off my leather jacket and lean down to help her put it on. I don’t say a word to her, and she doesn’t fight me.
I help her up out of the booth just as Harper comes up from under the table. Nick looks at me, and if I didn’t have Tessa in my arms, I’d fucking shoot him dead.
“Hey, where are you going with her? We were having fun!” Harper’s words are slurred, and I can tell she’s just as drunk as Tessa.
“Yeah, stay awhile. We could all share.” Nick wraps his arms around Harper as his eyes roam over my Tessa, showing that all the offhanded comments he’s been making about her are bullshit. He wants her. I can’t blame him, but it doesn't mean I won’t stab him in the throat if he tries to have any part of her. And I do mean any.
If I have to choose between killing him in the middle of a club and getting Tessa out of here, I’m taking care of my girl first. I can kill him later. And as much as I don’t like Harper, I don’t want to leave her here with him. I know if something happened to her, it would rip up my girl’s soft heart.
I can see his words about getting at Tessa hit Harper harder than she expected, and I see her grabbing her purse and moving away from him.
“Do you need a ride?” She doesn’t meet my eyes as she stands up and nods her head. I’ve got Tessa wrapped up in my jacket, and I want to carry her from here, but even as long as my jacket is, her bare legs are showing. I can’t even think about how short that dress is and who saw her in it.
I hold her to me, still not speaking a word as I help her from the club and to my car at the curb. I open up the passenger door and let Harper climb in the back, putting Tessa in the front.
As I lean over her and buckle Tessa’s seatbelt, I feel her lips whisper against my ear.
“I’m sorry.”
“Not now,” is all I can say in response as I walk around my car and get in the driver seat. I see Nick come out of the club just as I pull away. Both of us know this isn’t finished.
“Take Plymouth up to Trent. We’re two blocks up,” Harper says from the back. Her voice is tired, and if I’m not mistaken, it sounds like she’s more than angry.
I look over at Tessa and see her leaning her head against the door, and her eyes are closed. She passed out within seconds, and I’m relieved I got to her just in time.