Total pages in book: 168
Estimated words: 169013 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 845(@200wpm)___ 676(@250wpm)___ 563(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 169013 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 845(@200wpm)___ 676(@250wpm)___ 563(@300wpm)
A disjointed breath shot out of Brinley, and I gritted, “Stay behind me.”
For the first time since I met her, she didn’t have a cunning retort flying off her tongue.
She just curled one of those hands into the bottom of my cut like some kind of horrified promise.
It was the barest relief.
The smallest solace in knowing that maybe she did get that I was here to protect her and had no intention of keeping her trapped.
My attention scanned the few cars and faces.
It didn’t take long to land on the figure on the far-right side of the lot up close to the road.
His bottom half was concealed where he stood near the hood of his car on the opposite side of us.
There wasn’t really anything about him that should set me off.
To the normal eye, he looked like some harmless forty-year-old man.
Jeans and a casual button-down.
Dull brown hair.
Probably swinging in to grab something for his wife on his way home from the office.
But my gut told me that was all wrong.
I could almost see the waves of depravity rolling off him.
Hellsmoke and ire.
Was sure of it when his eyes met mine from over the top of his hood.
They were full of a challenge.
Maybe a warning.
That and the fact that he didn’t cower when he saw me standing there clearly prepared to go on a murder spree.
Instead, he punted what amounted to a mocking grin.
Fucker ignorant enough to think he might have the upper hand.
Teeth gritted and my heart thundering, I curled my finger around the trigger when he moved.
Prepared for things to get messy.
Though the asshole just kept smirking that smug smile as he edged back to his door and slipped into the driver’s seat, started the engine, and pulled from the lot.
Had half a mind to go chasing him down as the tail of his black sedan disappeared down the road.
But Brinley was gasping and shaking, and a fury I shouldn’t feel suddenly scorched through my veins.
Singeing everything in its path.
Warily, I tucked my gun back into its holster, not wanting to draw more attention than we already had, gaze still flashing from side to side.
“Who was that?” Brinley wheezed.
Panic laced her shuddery voice.
Her fear saturating the air.
That enraged me, too.
“We need to get back to the compound,” I gritted rather than answering.
Should have known she wasn’t going to back down with that non-response.
Woman refusing to budge as I tried to tow her toward my bike.
The spikes of her heels might as well have become one with the concrete.
“I asked you a question.”
I swiveled around, ducking in close to her face.
Harvest eyes went wide with surprise.
“That was exactly the reason you need to be secure behind the compound’s walls until we get this sorted.” The words were nothing but shards.
“Was he after me?” There she was again. Indignation pouring out of her demand.
“Don’t know.”
She scoffed out a sound of disbelief and frustration, her expression pinching in the same dissatisfaction.
“So, you’re saying it could have been nothing?” She lowered her voice even further, her brows scrunching together with the clear accusation. “You pulled a gun on someone, and it could have been a regular ol’ citizen of Crimson Creek?”
Exasperation flurried in my chest. “I said I didn’t know, but I’m not willing to take the chance. Now get on my bike.”
“I want to know what’s happening, Silas.” She might have lifted a defiant chin, but the quivering in it told me everything I needed to know.
She was terrified and trying to tap it behind all that ferocity.
“You want me to toss you over my shoulder and carry you to my bike, you just keep right on standing there,” I warned.
“You wouldn’t dare,” she seethed.
“Try me.” I growled it near her face, then I turned and started for my bike, never dropping my guard, even though it likely appeared that I didn’t give two fucks.
The problem was all the fucks I was actually giving.
Way I felt like I might splinter apart as I watched for anything that might be a threat.
That wildfire at my back.
Her flames ten seconds from consuming.
She finally started to clamber up behind me.
Thank fuck.
Because I hadn’t been bullshitting when I warned her I was going to toss her over my shoulder.
It was pretty much the only thing I wanted to do.
I wanted to pick her up and wrap myself around her and protect her from the monsters that loomed.
I knew they were there.
Lurking in the periphery.
I couldn’t stomach it, and it was becoming clear that I’d gotten lost in the wilderness.
Five thousand miles off course.
All rationale lost.
Because the second I made it to my bike, I was turning and sweeping her into my arms.
I got a flash of that wild, surprised gaze, her lips parted in confoundment and incredulity, before I jostled her around and planted her sweet ass on the seat of my bike.