Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 101872 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 509(@200wpm)___ 407(@250wpm)___ 340(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 101872 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 509(@200wpm)___ 407(@250wpm)___ 340(@300wpm)
She giggled as she shook her head. Although he didn’t see what was so funny.
“I don’t want you in pain, Opal. Did you ever abuse substances in your past? Alcohol? Drugs?”
“I would never fucking touch drugs. Not after Mom. I did drink a lot for a while there, but I don’t overdo it now.”
“That’s good.” He grasped hold of her cheeks between his hands.
She licked those luscious lips. Hmm, she hadn’t taken off her makeup. Shouldn’t she do that before bed? Some of it had come off in the shower, but not much.
“So there’s no reason to think that you’ll get addicted to the pain pills, that you’ll take too many. I just want you to take some Tylenol, anyway. Start off small, yeah?”
“I . . . I . . . shit.”
“Tell me.”
She stared at him. “Don’t want to ask too much.”
“That’s another rule.”
“What is?”
“You can never ask too much. So don’t start thinking that you ever will.”
“Weird rule.”
“Well, it’s one. As well as no putting yourself down or calling yourself names. No putting your health or safety in danger, which includes carting around anything heavy. Like fucking carpet or furniture. Also includes not walking around at night on your own, without a coat.”
“But I’ve got to get my furniture back into the spare bedroom. And it’s not always cold enough for a coat.”
“Well, you’ve got me now. I’ll be moving anything you want moved and you will remember a coat or I’ll start doing that for you.”
“That would be nice if you helped me.”
“Not helping you, Gem. I will be doing it. You will be directing, telling me where I can put stuff. And I’ll let you order in some food to feed me, that’s it.”
“Because of my back?” she queried.
“Nope. Because it’s a man’s job to carry heavy shit for his woman.”
“That seems a bit sexist.”
“It is what it is,” he told her firmly. “Now, Tylenol?”
“I’ll take it,” she told him.
Thank fuck.
“Only, I don’t have any.”
“No problem. I’ve got some in the glovebox of my truck.”
“You do?”
“Don’t look so shocked, Gem,” he told her, feeling amused. “Sometimes, us cavemen have to take painkillers too.”
“Huh. You learn something every day.”
14
“Here, I got the pills and some water.” He held out the glass to her. She waited for the pills, but he just stared at her.
“Um, are you going to give me the pills?” she asked.
“You want to take them or you want me to put them in your mouth?”
Was that weird?
It sounded weird.
Eh. Who gives a fuck what’s weird?
“Stick it in my mouth, darlin’,” she told him with a smirk.
“Oh, I will.” He grinned back.
She managed to hide her unease. She was being ridiculous. He was nothing like Stefan.
“You want to see what I’m giving you first?” he asked.
Did she?
Maybe.
So she nodded. He opened his hand, showing her two small white pills. Her stomach tightened.
“Open your mouth and stick your tongue out,” he ordered. “Now, Gem.”
There was no denying the order in his voice. And she did as commanded.
Perhaps she should have taken them herself.
Maybe it wasn’t right for him to order her to take them.
But screw it. They were down and she was swallowing them with the help of the water.
And the world didn’t end.
Still, it was hard to get them to stay down. The memories of the past threatened to have her throwing them up, Renard took hold of her face with his hands, cupping her cheeks.
“That’s it, baby. Just swallow. Then breathe. Good girl. One breath. Then another. That’s all you’ve gotta do. Just breathe. I’m here. Let me take care of the rest.”
Lord.
Why? Why send her such a perfect fucking man? Was it torture?
“Such a good girl for me, Gem. Deserves a reward.”
“Am I getting a gold star?”
“Hmm, I was thinking more like my mouth on your pussy until you’ve come several times. Once you’re feeling better, that is.”
“All right. I could accept that.”
“Glad you could accept that,” he replied solemnly. “Any reason why you couldn’t take liquid painkiller?”
She grimaced. “I don’t know. Maybe? The thought of it still makes me feel ill and I don’t think I want a lot of it in the house.”
God. Did she sound like a complete lunatic?
“Understood.” He nodded and stood. “Going to check the doors and windows.”
He disappeared and she lay there for a long moment.
Renard was in her house.
And they were a . . . well, whatever they were. Could she call him her boyfriend?
It didn’t seem the right word.
Her obsession?
Yeah, that sounded more likely.
When was he going to leave? Probably soon.
And she’d be alone.
You can be alone. You’re fine.
“Gem, do you know you’ve got a broken latch on one of your living room windows?” he asked as he returned.
“What? I have?”
“Yeah. Gonna go see if I can find something to wedge in there to secure it.”
Before she could tell him that it didn’t matter, he was gone. The pills started to take effect and she could feel the pain in her back ease. She slid down lower in the bed, managing to get the heating pad back into the right spot.