Total pages in book: 78
Estimated words: 75585 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 378(@200wpm)___ 302(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75585 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 378(@200wpm)___ 302(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
“If I hadn’t left you alone earlier, I would have walked you out and that man would never have even approached you. I won’t let something like this happen again.”
What could I say? I couldn’t risk him finding out I was staying at a storage facility. I didn’t need Val offering me even more. I had to figure out how to get out of this situation, not fall deeper into it.
I tried to push away from him. He held onto me for a moment, then let his arms drop. “Please understand. I need some time.”
“I’m not letting you drive away from here alone. It’s too dangerous.”
I glanced at the dead man and then quickly away. “You just killed the man who was after me.”
“That doesn’t mean you’re safe. You’ve got to be more aware of your surroundings. You’ve got to look out for people.”
“So it’s my fault?”
“What? No. You know that’s not what I’m saying. I just want you to be careful. I’m not always with you, and where you live isn’t safe. I should help you find a new place.”
His offer was so tempting, but if I ever wanted to be free again, I couldn’t accept it. “No. I’ve taken enough from you. I’m working off my debt, not adding to it. Besides, I’m not in that apartment anymore.”
He frowned. “Where are you living now?”
I waved my hand dismissively. “I’m staying with a friend.”
“What kind of friend?”
“I’m not fucking them if that’s your concern.”
He ran a hand through his hair. “God, Liam. Would you just let me help you?”
“Letting you help me is what got me here.”
Val blew out a long breath. “Why are you so fucking stubborn?”
“Why are you?”
“Because I intend to get what I want.”
“And what is that exactly? Killing everyone who comes near me?” I looked down at the blood on my robe and bile rose in my throat. I was trying to make light of this, but I couldn’t. “How many more people are going to die because I’m close to you?”
“It doesn’t matter. That man was scum. He put his hands on you.”
“And the other one? He hired me.” I could more easily accept this man’s death as Val defending me from attack, but the man in the private room had needed to be thrown out, not killed. That was too extreme.
“Not for what he was trying to get. Your body is not for sale, and you made that clear.”
“I did, but when you want to hire me, somehow that’s not a problem.”
“That’s because—” He froze.
“Because why Valentino? What the fuck is going on with us?” When he didn’t answer, I started to walk toward my car. “I’m driving home.”
“Liam. I—”
“Make an appointment with me. Reserve the room. I’ll see you then.” I bit down on my lip and forced myself not to let tears fall. I’d cried enough tonight, I wasn’t going to cry anymore.
23
VALENTINO
Igot in my car and followed Liam. I kept enough distance between us that I doubted he would notice unless he was watching for me. Would he expect me to follow him? He should if he knew me at all. I might’ve pretended to acquiesce to him being on his own, but I wasn’t letting him out of my sight.
You’re losing it.
I didn’t give a fuck. When that piece of shit reached out for Liam, I realized what could’ve happened if I hadn’t waited there, if I hadn’t been so fucking obsessed with Liam that I couldn’t walk away even when I thought he regretted letting me touch him. I was going to have to figure out a way to make this work. Maybe I just needed to get over my hesitation. Maybe I just needed to tell my father that this was how it was and move Liam in with me. I’d marry him if that would make my father accept it more easily.
When I saw Liam turn into a storage facility, I knew something was up.
I waited a few moments before following him in. The gate was closed, but luckily my family owned the facility, so I had an access code. If I hadn’t, I still would’ve found a way in, even if it meant breaking down the gate. I wasn’t going to lose track of Liam. I needed to know why the hell he was here.
What secrets are you keeping, Liam?
Had he really killed someone? Why? I needed answers.
I saw him turn in between a row of buildings. I followed slowly and noted him parking at the end of the row. Then I drove one row over, parked, and got out of my car.
I expected Liam to go up to one of the units close to where he parked, but he didn’t. He started walking, and I followed him. I was moving quietly, but it was clear his instincts weren’t telling him he was being followed. He wasn’t glancing around either; he was looking down, fumbling for something in his bag. He wasn’t listening to what I told him about being aware of what was going on around him. I was going to have to make it clear that his safety was too important for him to ignore. If he was going to associate with me—and he goddamn well was—then he needed to be on alert constantly.