Total pages in book: 58
Estimated words: 54968 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 275(@200wpm)___ 220(@250wpm)___ 183(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 54968 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 275(@200wpm)___ 220(@250wpm)___ 183(@300wpm)
She spun around as she realized what he’d said. “Kingsley bought furniture for adult playrooms?”
“Yes.” Kestrel chuckled. “He seems to be intuitive and a bit of a matchmaker.” His eyes widened. “Hey, since he’s your father's friend, I assume you’ve met him…?”
She shook her head. “No. I’ve never met him. I don’t even know where he lives. He and my father go way back. He’s never come to my family’s home. My father has just spoken of him over the years and called him to help protect me.”
Kestrel snapped his fingers. “Damn. I was hoping you’d met him.”
“You mean you’ve never met him either?” She set her satchel, purse, and Coco on the desk.
“Nope. None of us have. He’s elusive.”
“How do you know him then? How did you get hired to work for him?”
“All of us owed him a marker. He got each of us out of a bind at some point in our lives. Sent a team to help us and left a gold coin as a marker, which he recently collected on by calling all of us together here at Danger Bluff.”
“Wow. What kind of bind were you in?”
Kestrel hesitated. “It’s complicated but I helped a friend protect the woman he loved from traffickers. If it hadn’t been for Baldwin Kingsley, I wouldn’t have survived.”
“Is that why you want to save me? Because you hate traffickers?”
“Yes, and no. Traffickers are the scum of the earth. I would do my best to help anyone threatened by them. You, however, are even more important.”
“Because you think I’m your Little?”
“Because I know you’re my Little girl.”
He headed for the daybed. It had a white comforter on it, and he pulled it back. “How about a nap? Later, when you’re more rested, I’ll take you to the basement to introduce you to everyone else. We’ll have dinner together as a family.”
She stared at the inviting bed. She considered arguing with him or insisting he tell her more about himself or how he came to be here, but she was so tired that it was difficult to turn down the offer of sleep.
“Let me grab your suitcases. I bet you’d like to change first.” He rushed past her and returned seconds later with her baggage. “I’ll just open them on the floor for now. We’ll unpack your things later.”
“I can just live out of them for now,” she suggested. It was what she’d been doing so far, anyway. She hadn’t unpacked anything in the week since she’d arrived.
He frowned. “This isn’t temporary, Little Swan,” he said gently.
She bit into her lip again, so badly wanting to believe him. His offer was inviting. Not just protection. He was offering her so much more. His sincerity was evident on his face.
Kestrel unzipped both large suitcases on one side of the room. “Do you have comfortable shorts and T-shirts you could wear for a nap instead of jeans and that long-sleeved shirt?”
She shuffled closer before squatting down and rummaging around until she could grab a matching camisole and sleep shorts set. They were lavender. Thinking again, she dropped them and started looking for something else.
Kestrel was most likely going to see her in whatever she chose. The lavender sleepwear was too revealing.
Kestrel set a hand on her arm and picked up her first option. “This is fine. It looks comfortable.” He rose, holding it. “Would you like to go change in the bathroom, Little Swan?”
She couldn’t catch her breath. Her heart was suddenly racing as if she’d been jogging. “Uh…”
He lifted a brow. “This offer is for a limited time, Zara. Soon, I will start taking care of you myself. That will include changing you and dressing you in the mornings. But I don’t think you’re ready for that today. How about if you put these PJs on before I change my mind?”
She snagged them from his hand and rushed to the bathroom. As soon as she was inside and the door shut behind her, she looked in the mirror.
She hardly recognized the woman staring back at her. She jerked off her ballcap and set it on the vanity. It had been a long time since she’d truly looked at herself. Mostly, she’d avoided mirrors lately. They reminded her that she couldn’t hide from anyone. Not really.
Today, for the first time in forever, she felt more relaxed in her skin. She stared at her reflection and ran her fingers through her messy hair. It needed to be brushed.
Glancing at the door, she decided she should hurry before Kestrel changed his mind and entered the bathroom. She tugged her ugly shirt over her head while she kicked off her tennis shoes. Next came her jeans. She considered leaving her bra on, but it would be visible through the camisole anyway. Plus, it would be uncomfortable while she napped.