Total pages in book: 113
Estimated words: 109086 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 545(@200wpm)___ 436(@250wpm)___ 364(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 109086 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 545(@200wpm)___ 436(@250wpm)___ 364(@300wpm)
“Clara’s already made friends with Willy.”
“She didn’t.”
“She did. Willy’s pissed at what Beck did to you. He trained his cameras on the house, and he’s been sending that footage to Clara on the regular. We know his entire schedule, and say the word, we’ll start moving in to fuck him up. You know that Clara also changed her daily walks to go through Manda’s neighborhood. She’s making connections there, building up a network of spies. We’re loading our resources so you have them when you want them. We’ll keep compiling all the information you need to know.”
Jesus. Her aunt Clara sounded more gruff and abrupt downstairs, but hearing this one speak of their movements, both of them thought how Mafia gangsters operated.
Sawyer’s voice was strained when she replied, “That’s very thoughtful and appreciated, but right now, I kinda just want to go to sleep and wake up tomorrow to enjoy a day with you guys. All of you. I mean, we’re in Graham’s house. Graham and Oliver.” Her voice dropped off to a whisper, thick with emotion. “That’s a really big deal, Aunt Bess.”
The bed whined again. “Come here.” Her voice grew muffled. “One last hug and I’ll head off, let you go to sleep.”
Sawyer’s voice was also muffled, a bit teary as she sniffled. “I love you.”
“I love you too, Sawsaw.” There was a kissing smack before the bed groaned once more. The floor creaked. The door sounded as it was swung open. “You sleep good. If you can’t, you can sneak in with us. That bed is giant. Did you see how big their bed is? Five people could fit in there.”
Sawyer snorted, holding back a laugh. “I think it’s more so they have enough room for them and the dogs.”
“Right. The dogs. We might need to get you a German shepherd when we get back. Or a Doberman.”
“I don’t need a Do—” She stopped to rethink. “I’ll think about it. Night, Aunt Bess.”
“Night, sweetie. Love you.”
The door shut.
She went to her bathroom and I could hear the water turned on.
I waited for her to finish in there.
Except the closet door swung open.
Sawyer wasn’t in the bathroom.
She was staring right at me.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Sawyer
Oh my god!
There was a man in my closet.
I opened my mouth to scream. He got to me first, his hand clamping over my mouth, and he jerked us around so I was pushed up against the wall. From the movement, we went fast, but he wrapped his other arm around my neck to cushion the impact. My head didn’t smash up against the wall, but his body pinned me in place.
That’s when rational thinking returned, and I sagged in relief because it was only Jake.
My eyes went wide.
Only. Jake.
I tensed all over again. Jake found me!
He had been waiting, his head cocked, his eyes narrowed. “Are you going to scream?”
I bit down on the inside of his hand, and when he barely reacted, I growled, shoving him off me. “Asshole.”
Holy. I pressed a hand to my chest, feeling my heart pumping like crazy. It needed to slow down.
Jake moved back another step, folding his arms as he watched me try to calm myself down from a fucking panic attack. He raised an eyebrow, smirking. “Surprised to see me?”
I glared at him, panting. “If I knew fifty different languages, I’d be cursing you in all of them. What were you thinking? Hiding in my closet! It’s the first place someone hides.”
“You’d rather I hid under your bed?”
“Maybe,” I growled back. “Then I could’ve jumped real hard on the mattress and hopefully squashed you.”
His eyes flashed, getting hard, and he was in my space once again. I was pushed back to the wall, and he was leaning over me.
I wanted to shove him back, but I figured if I touched him, he’d grab my arms and pull some twisty half-ninja move and somehow I’d just regret it. I huffed, my shoulders slumping down.
“Why did you open the closet door if you were going to be scared by someone being in there?”
“Because I didn’t think it was true! I didn’t really think someone was in my closet. Just like when you’re a kid, you’re pretty sure there isn’t a monster under your bed so you get up and turn the light on, and then look. And they’re never there. Same thought process. But you were in there! I just lost five years of my life.” I raised my hands, only to press against his chest, and they stayed there.
Fuck.
He was so warm.
And strong.
And solid.
And not a killer waiting to slit my throat. Or I didn’t think.
I eyed him. “Are you going to kidnap me again?”
His gaze turned fierce and he leaned in again. “Princess—”
I gulped. “Don’t call me that.”
“Lunatic,” he clipped out.
I huffed. “That’s better.”
His hand slid around to the back of my neck, cupping me. He angled my head up to his, and closed the distance between us, his chest pressing to mine. “If you ever think a killer is in your closet, you run, you scream, or you get me. I’d prefer you run and scream first.”