Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 79160 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 396(@200wpm)___ 317(@250wpm)___ 264(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79160 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 396(@200wpm)___ 317(@250wpm)___ 264(@300wpm)
I swallow hard and look at the agent. “How fast can you get me back there?”
“There’s a Jameson jet on standby,” he says. “We can have you in Pittsburgh in about ninety minutes.”
I nod, heart still thundering in my chest. I press a hand to the back of my neck, still feeling the weight of what just happened.
“Get me to the airport,” I tell him.
CHAPTER 30
Mila
By the time Penn pulls into the garage, I’m already bracing for what’s coming. The sound of the metal door rolling upward seems like a bad omen. I can’t even begin to imagine what’s going to walk through that door, but I know he’s not going to be happy. He’s not going to be grateful that Jace is in custody and will likely be charged with attempted murder, along with a variety of lesser charges, including stalking and harassment. Penn’s probably not going to be relieved I’m safe, although a tiny bit beat up, and he’s not going to be grateful to my brother for stopping any further carnage when he attacked Jace after he shot me.
Jackson is still sitting at the kitchen island, Willa nursing a cup of tea beside me on the couch—both of them quiet but keeping me company since I got home from the hospital.
It wasn’t bad. Not really. After the initial fear subsided, the remaining buzz of adrenaline kept the pain to a minimum. It was as Greer said… a graze wound to my upper arm. A few stitches. A lecture from every single Jameson agent about risk and luck and doing stupid shit for the right reasons. It was not part of the game plan that I divulge Jameson was there. It was decidedly the factor that pushed Jace over the edge, angering him so much that he shot me. So yeah… I’ve already been chastised by no fewer than four agents, including a blistering from Kynan when it was all said and done.
A fucking banner day.
When the mudroom door opens, my entire body tightens, causing a tiny throb in my arm where a small bandage covers the wound. Willa puts a reassuring hand on my leg and whispers, “It will be fine. Let him rant.”
She knows just how pissed he’s going to be. Someone called her when I got to the hospital and then she was there, watching the emergency room doctor work on me and holding my hand. She knew I was thinking about doing this against Penn’s wishes, and we spent a lot of time talking the last few hours about how to make this right. I obviously owe him an apology, but I do not regret my decision.
It’s over because of what I did.
Footsteps through the kitchen and then I hear Jackson’s stool scrape against the tile. Penn steps into the living room like a man carved from stone. His expression is hard, fierce and unreadable. Jackson stands right behind him.
My eyes flick past Penn, looking at the Jameson agent. He doesn’t know me or Penn all that well, and he’s been a protector to both of us, but by the look on his face—he’s still on the job to make sure I don’t get hurt by the man I love.
My gaze goes back to Penn and I find eyes roaming all over me as they scan for injury, for damage, and land on my arm where the bandage wrap is clean and neat.
“You okay?” His sounds gruff, emotional, but I can’t tell if he’s angry.
“I’m fine,” I answer quietly. “Doesn’t even hurt.”
He nods once, glancing over his shoulder at Jackson. “Jace?”
“In custody,” Jackson confirms. “Taken without incident after medical cleared him. He’s going down and won’t be a threat to either of you again.”
Penn exhales slowly—not relief exactly—just one less thing on his plate.
The weight in the room shifts almost imperceptibly. Not lighter. Just different—like he’s setting one burden down only to brace for another.
“Appreciate you being here,” Penn says to Jackson, then glances at Willa. “Thanks for coming.” Then his voice turns ice cold. “But I’d appreciate it if you’d both leave now.”
I jolt at how rude that sounds, but this is Penn’s house. And well… we need to talk.
Jackson pins his eyes on me. “You good?”
I nod, noting the way Penn seems to bristle under Jackson’s concern. Jackson puts a hand on Penn’s shoulder. “She’s tougher than all of us combined. You need to at least give her credit for that.”
Penn doesn’t say a word.
I rise from the couch with Willa and she leans in to give me a gentle hug. “Call me if you need anything.”
“I will,” I promise, and I mean that. I might be calling her sooner rather than later, asking if I can crash at her and King’s place since there’s a good chance Penn’s going to kick me out of his home when this is all said and done.