Total pages in book: 117
Estimated words: 116760 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 584(@200wpm)___ 467(@250wpm)___ 389(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 116760 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 584(@200wpm)___ 467(@250wpm)___ 389(@300wpm)
They both could have been injured tonight.
And it was your fault . . . Corbin had it under control until you tried to intervene.
You fucking idiot.
You should let me do the thinking for you, Belle. Because when you try to make your own decisions, everything just ends in disaster.
Urgh! He needed to get out of her head! She didn’t need to hear his voice right now.
Bebe struggled to breathe as she thought of everything that could have gone wrong tonight. What if the knife had been closer to his chest? His neck?
“Bebe? Hey, are you all right?” Corbin asked, moving back into the living room.
No. She wasn’t all right.
If he spoke again, she didn’t hear it. Everything else faded away as she got lost in her head, imagining the worst.
“Bebe? Look at me.” Someone placed a finger under her chin and she screamed, shying away.
“Fuck, baby. It’s me. It’s Corbin.”
“What is it? What’s wrong?” Hayes snapped.
“I think she’s having a panic attack.”
No, she wasn’t.
Was she?
She didn’t know; she couldn’t think with this heavy weight on her chest.
“Bebe, look at me. I need you to concentrate on me. Bluebelle. Now.”
The sharpness of his tone shocked her into looking at him.
“That’s it. Everything is all right. You’re fine. Nothing is going to hurt you.”
Why did he think she was worried about herself? All she cared about was him.
She stared at the bandage on his arm. What if the attacker had slashed his face? What if he’d stabbed Corbin and gotten an artery? He could have bled to death in front of her.
No. That was unacceptable.
What if the stalker had watched them come here? Did he know where she lived? He’d attacked her a block from her home . . . clearly, that couldn’t be a coincidence? He’d been lying in wait for them.
God. How long had he been following her and she’d had no idea?
“I want you to breathe with me,” Corbin ordered as he moved her to the sofa. He crouched in front of her, taking her small hands in his and cradling them. “Breathe in. Hold. One, two. Then out. Bebe, I want you to do as I tell you. Follow me. In. Hold. One, two. Out. One. Two.”
She followed his orders. He was getting really bossy. She wasn’t sure she had approved this.
No? Your body does.
Her breathing eventually slowed.
“That’s it. Good girl. You’re all right. I have you. I’m right here and I’m not going anywhere.”
But sadly, that wasn’t true.
“Yes, you are.”
He frowned before a look of understanding filled his face. “If you’re talking about the fact that we’re supposed to be going home in less than two weeks you don’t have to worry. Hayes is talking to Kent about what happened. He’ll call your father and get our time extended.”
She shook her head. “No.”
“What? You don’t think he’ll extend it? Doesn’t matter, I’ll stay with you no matter what.”
“No, you misunderstand me. I don’t want you here. You’re fired. I want you to leave.”
He blinked at her and she held her breath. Was he going to get mad?
“I’ll call my father and tell him now. The two of you can pack up tonight and leave in the morning. I’m sure my father will cover the plane tickets. I’m so sorry you got hurt while protecting me.”
She tried to stand, but he wouldn’t move. And her legs felt kind of weak, truthfully. Her mind was still fuzzy from the panic attack, nausea bubbling in her stomach.
What she needed was to lie down. To get away so she could just let go.
Again.
It kind of felt like she was constantly losing it.
“Excuse me, I need to go to bed.”
“She’s trying to fire us?” Hayes asked as they ignored her.
“Uh-huh.”
“Well, how’s that going to go for her?” Hayes asked.
Huh? Why was he asking Corbin that? And why were they pretending that she wasn’t here?
“Not well,” Corbin replied.
Suddenly, he stood and then held his hand out to her. She took it, figuring it was an olive branch. Although she still didn’t understand his words.
He crouched, and before she could even take a shocked breath, she was over his shoulder.
What the hell?
“Corbin! Put me down!”
“No! And stop wriggling around.”
“Put. Me. Down.” She tried to throw herself off his shoulder, but he tightened his hold on her.
Smack!
Her ass cheek suddenly stung. Did he just . . . did he just slap her ass?
Oh, hell no.
“You cannot spank me!” she snapped.
“I can when you disobey me. When you fire me. When you lose your mind, and tell me to get out. That is not happening. Stay still.” He let out a small grunt of pain and she suddenly remembered that he was injured.
So she lay still as he carried her up the narrow stairs.
She didn’t want to hurt him further or have him drop her on the stairs.