Total pages in book: 108
Estimated words: 100853 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 504(@200wpm)___ 403(@250wpm)___ 336(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100853 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 504(@200wpm)___ 403(@250wpm)___ 336(@300wpm)
“Inch her forward a little bit,” Hawk said. “Get it all the way off the road. I’ll call the garage to pick it up in the morning.”
I nodded, and he stepped back, shutting the passenger door. It only took a minute to ease the car carefully off onto the shoulder. I got out, locked it, and found Hawk standing at the side of the road, hands on his hips, watching West shove my would-be assassin in the back of his cruiser.
I recognized him as the same guy who had shot at us in the parking lot, but I didn’t know him otherwise.
“Can I get a ride back to Heartstone?” I asked.
Hawk gave an abrupt nod. “You handled the vehicle well,” he said. “For a second, I was worried you’d go off the mountain.”
It had been close. Closer than I’d liked. “Me too. I wonder if that was his plan.”
Hawk shrugged. “Hard to say. So far, he hasn’t overwhelmed me with intelligence or skill.” His dark eyes cut to me. “The next one Haywood sends will be better.”
“I know,” I said.
“We’ll get that one, too,” he stated with absolute assurance.
I nodded, my throat tight. I wanted to say I could handle it, but I wasn’t going to endanger the people around me by being an arrogant ass. This was not my area of expertise. I’d only survived this guy because, as Hawk said, he was a dumbass.
If Cole Haywood managed to find someone who knew what they were doing, I’d be a sitting duck at best.
We rode back to Heartstone in silence.
Griffen met us at the door, his eyes scanning me from head to toe. A grim smile spread across his face as he nodded in satisfaction. “You’re okay.”
“Yeah,” I said.
He looked to Hawk. “And West?”
Hawk’s jaw tightened slightly. “Has him.”
Griffen raised an eyebrow. “Yeah?”
“He won’t be a problem again.”
“Good.” Griffen looked back to me. “You’re off nights at the brewery, but you need to be careful. I don’t know how long it’ll take Haywood to find another, but—”
“He will,” I nodded. “I know.” I found myself saying words that turned my gut into a block of ice. “I need to go to the prison. I need to talk to him.”
Griffen nodded slowly. “I’ll go with you.”
I wasn’t expecting that. “Yeah. That would—” I didn’t have the words.
I felt sick at the idea of walking through those doors again, even as a free man. I didn’t want to do it alone. But asking Griffen seemed like too much. He didn’t owe me anything. The child in me, the part that had never stopped hero-worshipping his older brother, wanted nothing more than to have Griffen at my side if I had to go back to that place.
“Thanks,” was all I could choke out.
Griffen nodded once. “Tomorrow?”
“Yeah. Tomorrow.”
“I’ll see what I can arrange.”
I doubted Griffen would have any trouble getting us in. He hadn’t when I’d been locked up—the prison warden happy to acquiesce to the top-dog Sawyer. Once upon a time, that had almost been me. I was familiar with the power at Griffen’s fingertips and knew I no longer wanted it. For so many years, I’d been eaten up by jealousy, by envy. Now, I knew I wanted more than tending bar. I didn’t know what that looked like, but I did know I didn’t want what Griffen had. Not anymore. I just wanted my brother back.
“I’m going to head up,” I said, suddenly exhausted.
“I’ll let you know tomorrow when we can head out,” Griffen said.
I nodded and shifted to face both Griffen and Hawk. “Thanks.”
“It’s what we’re here for,” Hawk replied casually.
I shook my head, my gaze moving from Griffen to Hawk. There was no question that Hawk’s loyalty belonged to my brother and to my sister Quinn. Hawk had helped me for their sakes and not my own. It didn’t matter. I still appreciated it. “I know it’s your job, but it’s more than that. I know I’m the last person you or West want to help, but you did it anyway. So, thank you.”
Griffen’s hand closed over my shoulder in a tight squeeze. “I’m glad you’re okay.” He squeezed again and let go, shoving me gently at the stairs. “Go get some sleep, and we’ll figure out tomorrow when we get there.”
I nodded, trudging up the stairs and down the hall of the guest wing. The sconces were turned low, the bedroom doors shut. There was no light under Paige’s door, and the stab of disappointment was sharper than I’d expected. I wanted to tell her the guy who’d almost hurt her was behind bars. She was safe, for now, and I’d make sure she stayed that way.
I wanted to touch her, strip her to the skin, and watch the light that hit her eyes when I made her come. The way she’d moaned my name—I wanted to watch that over and over, the sounds of her pleasure a balm to my bruised soul. I wanted to lose myself in Paige.