Total pages in book: 38
Estimated words: 36353 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 182(@200wpm)___ 145(@250wpm)___ 121(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 36353 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 182(@200wpm)___ 145(@250wpm)___ 121(@300wpm)
My eyes flicked to hers. She was watching me carefully, cheeks pink and her lips slightly parted.
All I could do was nod, my mouth too dry to speak.
“It’s a prop,” she said, brushing her ponytail over her shoulder. “The bed, I mean. For shoots.”
I still didn’t answer. Just nodded again. Because I couldn’t trust myself to speak. Not without sounding like a fucking animal.
Then my phone buzzed again, breaking the spell so I didn’t do anything stupid like rip her clothes off and shove my face between her legs.
I glanced at the screen.
Deviant
Need to talk to her. Today.
I was frustrated at the reminder of the news I had to break to Gemma, but I still replied.
Me
Okay.
Then I slid my phone back into place. Wishing like hell that I didn’t have to wipe away her smile, I scrubbed my hands over my face. Then I dropped them to my sides and got it over with. “Ellen’s missing,” I said quietly.
Gemma’s entire body stilled. “What?”
“She hasn’t been seen in two days, and her phone’s off. Deviant’s trying to find a digital trail but wants to meet with you. See if you can remember anything that might help.”
Her eyes filled with horror, and her hands pressed to her stomach like she needed to physically hold herself together. “Oh no. No, no. She’s so sweet. And kind. Who would…why?”
“I don’t know, but I’ll find out.” I stepped forward to pull her into my embrace. She came willingly, burying her face against my chest like it was her safest place.
And it was.
There was nowhere that Gemma belonged more than in my arms. I held her tighter than I meant to. But she didn’t protest or try to break away. My hands splayed across her lower back, fingertips brushing the top of her jeans.
She felt so fucking right. Fitting perfectly against me. Another confirmation that she was made to be mine.
My woman. Old Lady. Wife.
I wanted to hold her like this every fucking day for the rest of my life.
Eventually, she pulled back with a shaky breath.
“I should—I need to work,” she whispered. “I need to keep busy and try not to spiral.”
I didn’t want to let her go, but I did. Barely.
She stepped away and moved toward her computer, swiping at her cheeks with the sleeve of her shirt.
At first, I searched for something to say, then I realized that the silence between us wasn’t strained by tension. It was comfortable and easy. Like simply being in each other’s company was all we needed.
I adjusted the bulge in my jeans and went to work setting up the final security feeds in the studio. I used the same method I would for any high-level asset.
Except this wasn’t any client. This was Gemma. And that made what I found next a hell of a lot worse.
Buried in a light fixture above the chaise lounge, so small I nearly missed it, was a bug.
The device wasn’t high-tech, but it was expensive enough to have decent audio. I looked closer. And video.
Fuck!
My entire body went still, then tight with fury.
They’d been listening to her.
Fucking watching her.
For who the fuck knew how long.
My jaw locked, and I turned to stare at Gemma’s silhouette as she sat at her desk in the corner, the light catching her profile.
They’d been spying on her.
On my woman.
My pulse turned to thunder.
It didn’t matter that she’d only been mine for a day. Or that she didn’t even know it yet. This motherfucker was gonna suffer. No one fucked with the people I cared about. Especially not the woman who belonged to me.
After taking a picture and sending it to Deviant, I snapped the bug in two, crushing the pieces in my fist as I marched across the room.
Gemma turned, startled. “What’s wrong?”
“You’re not staying here.”
She stood, blinking in confusion. “What?”
“You’re moving to the Iron Rogues compound. Tonight.” My voice was hard, leaving no doubt that I wouldn’t budge on this.
Her head cocked to the side, and her brows drew together. “Wait. What? No. I have clients. A business. I can’t just—”
“You can,” I snarled. “And you will. End of discussion.”
Her lips parted like she wanted to argue more, but something in my expression made her close them again.
The last thing I wanted to do was make Gemma scared to be in a place that was usually her sanctuary. But she deserved to know why I was putting my foot down about this.
“The studio was bugged, baby. For the moment, you’re not safe here.”
Gemma gasped and covered her mouth with one hand as her brown eyes filled with tears.
I hated that I’d put that look on her face, so I softened my voice when I spoke again.
“You can work, but I’ll be with you.” I held up my hand when she opened her mouth to interrupt. “Not inside the studio. I’ll be just outside. Watching. Because not one motherfucker is gonna come near you unless I say so.”