Total pages in book: 34
Estimated words: 31778 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 159(@200wpm)___ 127(@250wpm)___ 106(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 31778 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 159(@200wpm)___ 127(@250wpm)___ 106(@300wpm)
I watched her drive away, then tromped back to the front door, my mood already shit by the time I stepped inside. Onyx was waiting, and we hopped into my truck and drove out to Hellbound Studio.
I had no reason for wanting to keep her locked in my room—beyond my desire to tie her to the bed naked so I could fuck her until we both passed out from the ecstasy—but something was nagging at me. A dark feeling in my gut that I shouldn’t have let Annika out of my sight.
Since she had made plans with her friend, I’d had Onyx rebook a couple of my clients, but it probably hadn’t been the best idea. Luckily, I was excellent at my job and didn’t need to be at full concentration to do my best. But with my mind somewhere else, and that gnawing feeling eating away at me, it felt like a whole day had gone by when my phone buzzed in my pocket.
Taking it out, I saw Annika’s picture on the screen, and I quickly answered it. “Hey, dolcezza,” I greeted, my mood already lifted. “How was your coffee?”
“Um…so, don’t freak out, okay?”
“Annika?” I growled. “What the fuck happened?”
My gut clenched, insisting that I’d been right and shouldn’t have let her go.
“I’m fine. Really. I swear. It was just a small accident.”
“Onyx!” I bellowed as I spun around and marched into the office where he was doing paperwork. “Call Cross at Inferno and tell him to bring a tow truck to—where are you, Annika?”
She sighed and gave me the nearest intersection, which I relayed back to Onyx.
“I’ll meet him there,” I finished as I jogged out to my truck.
Once I was seated and the vehicle started, I connected the phone to the Bluetooth and pulled out of the parking lot. “Tell me everything, Annika.”
While I drove to her, she relayed everything that had happened.
Other than the fact that the driver had taken off right after hitting her, it sounded like it had truly been a random accident. But I wasn’t completely convinced.
A tow truck with the Inferno Cycles and Customs brand emblazoned on the side pulled up just as I arrived. I parked far enough away to give him plenty of room to maneuver Annika’s Jeep, then climbed out of my truck and jogged over to the corner where she was talking with several police officers.
As soon as she saw me, she ran straight into my arms. “I’m okay,” she said, her voice muffled against my chest. “Really, Matteo. I’m not hurt, and the car doesn’t have a lot of damage.”
I couldn’t speak yet. I just stood there and held her, trying to calm my racing heart.
“Matteo?” she finally asked after a period of silence.
“What did the police say?” I grunted, shifting her to my side so I could talk to them when they approached.
“Ink,” one of the cops greeted me.
“Daniel,” I replied. Daniel was a friend, if you could call it that, to the Hounds. He’d helped us out from time to time with information. His partner, Harry, was an old guy and a stickler. He was very old school, though, which meant he was a pain in the ass.
But I still greeted him cordially. No reason to make an enemy. “Harry.”
“This your girl?” he asked, his expression gentle when he looked at Annika.
“Mine,” I confirmed with a sharp nod.
“Got here quick,” he grunted. “Good man.”
I raised an eyebrow at Daniel, and he mouthed, “Reminds him of his granddaughter.”
“I tried to tell him I’m okay,” Annika insisted with a sigh.
Harry frowned at her. “Doesn’t matter. When a man’s woman is in trouble, he should be there for her. From the way he’s protecting you, I’d say you got yourself a decent fella, miss.”
Daniel suppressed a grin, but I wasn’t about to risk any ground I’d gained with Harry by coming off at all disrespectful.
“Thank you for watching her until I could get here,” I said with genuine gratitude.
“Of course. Now, I’d like to go over it one more time, miss. In case you think of anything else that could help us track down the reckless bastard who ran you off the road.”
By the time we finished speaking with the police, Cross had collected Annika’s Jeep, and we were left alone next to my truck.
“I don’t like it,” I muttered.
“I wouldn’t like it if you were in an accident either, Matteo. But life—”
“No. I mean, this doesn’t feel right,” I told her as I walked her around to the passenger side. “I’m not convinced it was an accident.”
Annika eyed me with confusion as I helped her up into her seat. “What else would it be? It’s not like someone would have hit my Jeep on purpose.”
“Gonna put Wizard on it anyway,” I mumbled before slamming her door shut and stalking around to the other side of the truck. Once I’d climbed inside, I turned over the engine and pulled away from the curb. “Until we know for sure, you’re not leaving my side.”