Total pages in book: 70
Estimated words: 68192 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 341(@200wpm)___ 273(@250wpm)___ 227(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 68192 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 341(@200wpm)___ 273(@250wpm)___ 227(@300wpm)
Thank God I’d spent so long playing out here when I was a kid. I knew a few paths that would take me to one of the back roads. When I was far enough away that I didn’t think anyone would find me, I stopped to take a breath and examine the contents of my bag.
As promised, there was a card with an address there for a location in Ville Marais. Why was she sending me there? I saw a rideshare app on the phone and realized there was money in the account that automatically opened. At least I had a way to get there once I docked the boat.
I quickly counted the money she’d given me. I had five thousand dollars. Should I just go to the airport and get a plane ticket? Not without an ID, and even if I had one, my father would track me. Surely he had already sent people out searching for me. I started moving again as I requested a ride from the road where the path would end.
Half an hour later, I stepped out of the rideshare in front of a beautiful house. Who lived here? How did my mother know them?
The car pulled away, and I still stood there, heart pounding, sweat rolling down my back. The humidity pressed down on me. If I kept standing there, I’d pass out from the heat.
I couldn’t remember the last time I’d had anything to eat. I took a shaky breath and forced myself to walk down the sidewalk and up the steps.
I rang the doorbell, aware that I was now on camera. I glanced up, hoping the person would somehow recognize me or be expecting me.
The last few days had been so crazy, so unreal. Was this any worse? Was anything worse than being stuck in the house with my father?
I heard footsteps, and then the door flew open. “What the fuck are you doing here?”
It was Lorenzo, the only man who had ever touched me so tenderly, made me feel so hot, so needy. My mother had sent me to his house.
11
LORENZO
Iclosed my eyes for a moment, then opened them again. The doorbell camera app still showed me Nikolai was standing on my porch with a bruised face and his arm in a cast. Had his father done that? If so, I would make sure he suffered for a good long time before he died.
I hurried down the hall and flung the door open. “What are you doing here?”
“I… I’m… Can I please come in?”
I didn’t even stop to think before gesturing for him to step inside. His presence had my head swimming. This situation was not good. Remington didn’t want Nikolai getting married tomorrow, but I was sure he hadn’t decided to take such a serious step as kidnapping the bride or groom. “What happened? Do you need me to call the doctor?”
“No, but I… I could use something to eat, and…” I caught him just as he slumped over.
Fuck. He was pale, and his skin was cool to the touch. Was he sick as well as injured? I scooped him up and carried him to the guest room, laying him carefully on the bed. “Nikolai? Nikolai, wake up. Talk to me.”
He blinked and slowly opened his eyes. “What happened?”
“If you mean just now, you fainted. Otherwise, I don’t know. Did your father do this to you?” He bit his lip and looked away. “Nikolai?”
“Yes.”
“Does he know about what happened the other night?”
He gave the slightest nod.
Fuck. “Don’t move. I’m going to get something to make you feel better.”
I stepped into the bathroom, wet a washcloth, and laid it across his forehead.
“Lay there and rest. I’m going to get you some water and something to eat, and you’ll have to tell me everything.”
I had to stop in the kitchen doorway to push down the panic that was threatening to overwhelm me. How the hell was this happening? I couldn’t believe Nikolai was here. In my house. Maybe I was still asleep. I’d had so many dreams about him, some pleasurable and some horrific.
How had he known where to come? What if this was a trap? I had my gun with me. I’d grabbed it as soon as I’d heard the doorbell, even before I’d seen who it was.
I should call Remington, but I wasn’t going to until I talked to Niko and figured out how he’d gotten here and what had happened. How had his father found out, and how could I get to the man and torment him until he begged for death? I wasn’t going to let him live, no matter what Remington said.
I quickly made a peanut butter sandwich and pulled a bottle of water from the fridge. When I got back to the guest room, he was so still I was afraid he’d lost consciousness again. I paused in the doorway and watched his chest moving up and down. He was alive, and I would make sure he got better.