Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 81787 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 409(@200wpm)___ 327(@250wpm)___ 273(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 81787 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 409(@200wpm)___ 327(@250wpm)___ 273(@300wpm)
My entire body was so tense that my head was pounding. This had to be done. Listening to her talk to this son of a bitch was going to send me over the goddamn edge if I didn’t stay focused on the goal. We had to find his location, and this was the only way.
I turned to handle the connection board. “Call him,” I told her.
There was a pause, silence. Then, her phone connected, and I watched it from my control system.
“Hey, Oakley. Are you okay?” A male’s voice came over the line.
The roar from deep in my chest began to radiate through my body.
He had gotten too close to her, and I’d let it happen. Never again.
Twenty-Five
Oakley
“I’m sorry, Hamilton,” I began and swallowed hard, praying I could do this without giving myself away. “Something … happened. My car had some problems.”
I paused and looked at Thatcher. He nodded his approval.
“Your car? What happened to it? Tell me where you are, and I’ll come get you.” Hamilton’s tone was tense.
Was he worried?
“You can’t. Just … stay away from my house, okay? It’s not safe, and I don’t really have the answer as to why. I wish I could tell you more, but right now, all I know is, someone doesn’t like me, although I can’t figure out what I could have done to anyone. Other than my stepmother, but this is … intense. It can’t be her.” I was rambling.
The longer I had him on the line, the better for Wilder to get his call traced.
I forced out a laugh. “Anyway, just stay away. I don’t want you to get hurt. I’ll be fine. Once this is cleared up and I can figure out what is happening, I’ll let you know.”
“No!” The fierce tone that came over the line made me jump. “If someone is trying to hurt you, then I can protect you. Let me come get you.”
Wilder turned then and gave me a nod. He had the location, and I could end this.
“I have to go. Thank you, and … and …” I looked at Thatcher, who raised his eyebrows at me. He wanted me to say it. Lie to him. “I miss you.” I ended the call before he could respond.
Thatcher grinned. “Good girl,” he said, then took the phone out of my hand, dropped it to the ground, and smashed it under his black combat boot.
I shivered, staring down at the pieces of what had once been my phone.
“Here,” Wilder said, turning to Thatcher and handing him something. “Now, go. Let her have some time to deal with this shit.”
Thatcher gave him an amused smirk before turning to leave. When the door closed and the dead bolt slid into place, I sank down onto the sofa. My head hurt, and I felt nauseous.
“Lie down,” Wilder said to me, taking the pillow from the twin bed and placing it at the end of the sofa.
I didn’t argue. The room was spinning now. I closed my eyes, trying to focus on my breathing. A blanket covered me, and I opened my eyes to see Wilder standing over me. Our gazes locked, and my stomach felt funny. Something was different.
“You did good,” he said softly. It had been so long since he’d spoken to me in a tone like that, and I didn’t know what to think. “Close your eyes. Sleep. Rest. I’ll be here. You’re safe.”
I did as he’d said, and the exhaustion from the day took over.
When my eyes opened again, they were treated to the view of a muscular, naked back, dark and damp hair, and a narrow waist before the rest of Wilder was hidden behind the counter. The smell of melted cheese and butter filled the air, and I realized he was cooking. Shirtless. He’d had a shower. Was he just wearing a towel? And was this going to happen a lot? Because I might not ever want to leave.
Feeling as if I should slap myself, but unable to move, I blinked, and thankfully, he was still there. Cooking. Flipping something with a spatula. Dear God, was that meant to be sexy? Because it was. The way his back flexed with each shift of his body. The blanket he’d put over me was getting too hot. I needed air. But if he knew I was awake, this peep show would end. Decisions.
Wilder turned then, and his gaze locked on mine. Dang. I’d been caught. I yawned and tossed the covers back before sitting up. Maybe he wouldn’t think I’d been silently ogling him. Doubtful. That was, if he had looked in a mirror lately.
“Do you feel better?” he asked with real concern in his tone.
This day could not get any weirder. Wilder worried about me was almost as out there as the fact that the guy I had been dating had put a bomb in my car.