Total pages in book: 154
Estimated words: 145091 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 725(@200wpm)___ 580(@250wpm)___ 484(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 145091 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 725(@200wpm)___ 580(@250wpm)___ 484(@300wpm)
“Do you mean did I shove everything I own in a single bag?” She moved into his arms, tilting her head up. “Yes.”
He kissed her forehead and held her close. “That’s not going to last long. Mom was talking about taking you shopping when I called her earlier. She already adores you. I think she’s about to be way more nosy.”
His mom. He ached for her, but she was throwing herself into trying to make things better.
“I adore her, too.” She wrapped her arms around him. “We still have to deal with Julia.”
“I know, but not today.”
Today was for loving her, for going home.
Tomorrow… Well, tomorrow was for loving her, too. And fighting for their future.
* * * *
Later that day
Dallas, TX
MaeBe Vaughn opened the door to her apartment and sighed in relief.
It was so good to be in her own place. It was late so she hadn’t seen any of her neighbors in the lobby, but she would find her footing again.
She’d been gone for what felt like forever, first moving from friend’s house to friend’s house and ending with two weeks of lockdown at Sanctum. It was one of her favorite places in the world, but she was staying away for a while.
She stopped for a moment, letting the peace of her own home roll over her. This had been her sanctuary, her pride, proof that she was living a bigger life than her stepmother thought possible.
You need to get married, Mae. It’s the only way to honor your womanhood.
You can be anything you want to be, my darling girl. Don’t let anyone hold you back.
The second had been her mother’s advice. Sometimes she wondered what had happened to her father to have gone from the loving woman her mother had been to the judgmental, cold bitch her stepmom was.
“You okay?” A deep voice reminded her that while she might be home, she wasn’t alone. She never got to be alone anymore.
West Rycroft was with her. Always, these days. The bodyguard had become her constant shadow and sometimes playmate.
Oh, not in a sexual way. West was fun. West was younger than her other bodyguards, and he was enjoying living in a city for the first time in his life. They’d been to movies and concerts and had game nights. He was looser than the first guards her boss had put on her, and she kind of thought that had been Ian’s point.
As she got more capable of taking care of herself, the rules relaxed. As she proved to Ian and Erin that she took her training seriously, they gave her more and more freedom.
Freedom was a sweet word.
How sad was it that being able to be in her own condo felt like the peak of joy she might be able to achieve?
Once she’d thought there might be more. Once she’d thought Kyle Hawthorne was the secret to her happiness.
Turns out he was one more cliff she’d walked off of willingly. She’d hit the ground hard after Kyle. So hard she’d thought she might never get up again.
“You hungry?” West moved into her kitchen, opening the fridge door. The light illuminated his handsome face. “Looks like Hutch did not lie. He fully stocked this sucker. And there’s only a little candy. Actual food. I didn’t think he was capable.”
MaeBe sighed and put her bag on the counter. “I’m sure that was Noelle. I’m not hungry. I’m going to take a shower and go to bed. We’ve got an early meeting in the morning.”
“Yeah, Big Tag said he had some news.” West pulled out what looked like turkey or chicken. “I’m going to make myself a sandwich and then I’ll sleep out here.”
“There’s a perfectly good daybed in the office,” she pointed out.
“Yeah, that daybed is too short.” West reached for the mustard. “I think I’ll take my chances with the couch. Besides, you know you’ll end up in there. I can sleep anywhere, but that office is your safe space.”
She didn’t sleep anymore. Not well. Sometimes Big Tag managed to push her hard enough with physical training that she fell into a dreamless stupor, but mostly when she drifted off she saw Julia Ennis looking down at her with pity. Right before she broke her arm.
While she’d been thinking Kyle Hawthorne was the love of her life, his violent, obsessive fiancée saw her as a mouse to toss around and play with. She was the toy two predators fought over to see which one could do more damage.
“I do have some work to do. You could take my bedroom. I’ll be good in the office.” One of them should be comfortable.
“Nope.” West’s head shook. “Not going to happen. I was joking about the comfort thing. I’ve studied the floor plan for this place. The couch is optimal. We’re high up. There’s no way someone’s scaling the side of the building and getting in through a window. The only way in is that door, and I’m sleeping in front of it.”