Total pages in book: 38
Estimated words: 36019 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 180(@200wpm)___ 144(@250wpm)___ 120(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 36019 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 180(@200wpm)___ 144(@250wpm)___ 120(@300wpm)
Peyton wobbled a little, so I scooped her up and carried her back to the clubhouse. When we entered the kitchen, Maverick’s old lady was sitting at one of the long tables feeding applesauce to their ten-month-old son, Chase.
When Molly looked up and saw us, she laughed. “Didn’t take you long.”
“Didn’t need long,” I grunted.
She snorted and went back to her task. “None of you did.”
Peyton watched me with curiosity, but I just kept moving through the kitchen and down the hall to my room. After unlocking it, I nudged the door open with my foot and stepped inside.
My bed took up most of the wall on the right side of the room. Beside my desk was a small couch that sat under a window, and the dresser across from it had a bottle of water and a couple of protein bars I’d left there the night before. I gently lowered Peyton onto the mattress and went to my drawers, pulling out a soft black tee.
“You can wear this, baby,” I murmured as I tossed it to her. “While you change and get under the covers, I’ll get you food.”
She nodded again, her eyes wide and mouth parted like she wanted to say something but couldn’t find the words.
“Relax,” I told her with a wink. I let the door close behind me, rubbing a hand down my face as I stepped into the kitchen. Racer was there, munching on chips while fucking with something on his phone.
He looked up when he heard me, and his lips curved up. “Heard you were moonlighting as Florence fuckin’ Nightingale,” he joked, after he swallowed. “Your baby bird awake?”
I flipped him off and grabbed a plate and filled it with things that would be easy for Peyton to eat. As I was finishing, I heard Racer chuckle and glared at him.
“Didn’t take you for the coddling type. That little girl’s got your balls in a chokehold already.”
He was saved from my cutting response when my phone buzzed with a new message.
Deviant
Looks like every one of the buildings has Eclipse Insurance underwriting the projects—they are the underwriter for that real estate company, too. They used different registered corps, but I found the link connecting them all to Eclipse.
Also, a name keeps popping up.
Ward Calder.
I didn’t reply. Just stared at the name until my teeth hurt from how tight I clenched my jaw.
Ward fucking Calder.
He’d been my second when I was in command of my old unit. And a ruthless son of a bitch. Not like me or my club brothers. There had always been something sinister inside him. I’d had to intervene on several occasions when he’d been reckless and almost put our team in jeopardy.
Taking a deep breath, I put his name in the back of my mind. Later. I’d deal with that fucker later.
Tossing Racer one last withering glare, I grabbed the food and went back to my room. Peyton was already tucked in, my shirt nearly swallowing her, her legs pulled up under the blanket.
“Eat,” I urged, handing her the plate. “Then sleep.”
Her eyes turned soft as she looked over her feast and then she smiled gratefully. “Thank you.”
My hand itched to touch her, and I gave in to the impulse, brushing some of her black curls away from her face. I frowned at the dark circles under her eyes, hating the sight of her in any kind of distress.
While she picked at her food, I dragged my laptop to the loveseat and kept one eye on the screen and the other on her.
When she sighed contentedly and told me she was full, I took the plate and set it on my dresser. I turned back to tuck her in and realized she'd already fallen back asleep. Damn, she was gorgeous.
Deviant had sent some information to me, so I went back to work while I watched over her. Fox sent me a couple of updates on club business but didn’t ask me to leave Peyton, which I appreciated. He even sent a prospect up with dinner, though Peyton continued to sleep the rest of the day.
Later that night, I climbed into bed beside her, the heat of her body dragging something primal and vicious out of me. I wanted to roll over, pull her beneath me, and fuck her until neither of us remembered our own names. Until she was well and truly claimed.
But she needed rest. And I wasn’t gonna fuck that up.
I lay still, eyes on the ceiling, every muscle tight. But she eventually shifted in her sleep, turning toward me and snuggling up close to my body. Her hand landed on my chest, and my fingers circled her wrist. My other arm was around her waist, holding her to me.
I finally relaxed. She was with me. Safe. Warm. Protected.
And mine.