Total pages in book: 36
Estimated words: 33745 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 169(@200wpm)___ 135(@250wpm)___ 112(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 33745 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 169(@200wpm)___ 135(@250wpm)___ 112(@300wpm)
Jade Newton was not a bounty hunter, or a convict, or a person of any interest at all. There was not a lot of information about her. She lived in a small apartment in a good neighborhood. She worked full-time at a cosmetics store, and she was a good worker. Paid her taxes. Never once been taken in by the police. She didn’t have a license, and was never able to pass the driver’s test in school. She hadn’t done so as an adult either. From the information he had on her, she either walked, took the bus, or a cab. That was it.
There was no boyfriend or husband. No one waiting for her at home, not even a pet.
To all intents and purposes, he had saved one of the most boring people on the planet, and yet Braxton couldn’t stop looking at her.
She didn’t press for his name, even though she clearly wanted to know it. Every now and then, she tried to look at him, but there wasn’t revulsion on her face, just curiosity.
Who was this woman?
He knew the only reason she had been attacked was because she’d been in the wrong place at the wrong time. Even her attacker had been insulting to her. From the brief pieces of information he had on her, he knew she was aware of how plain she was. The failed dates. The dating apps. There had been some cruel comments on old pictures of her.
Braxton didn’t mind the way she looked. Yes, she wasn’t conventionally pretty, but there was something special about her, and he couldn’t stop himself from staring at her.
Finishing his noodles, he watched her, curious and waiting. He was going to have to take her home.
She drank the last of the liquid from her pot and placed the plastic fork inside. “Thank you.”
He noticed she didn’t say it was delicious. Braxton didn’t eat for enjoyment, he ate because he had to.
“I’m going to take you home,” Braxton said, getting to his feet.
“O-okay.” She got to her feet and he saw she was a little unsteady. He gritted his teeth.
There was no way she could stay here. When he dropped her off at her apartment, he would have no choice but to stay with her, just to make sure she was okay.
He walked her toward the car and helped her inside. He went to the steel door, unlocked it, got behind the wheel, pulled out, and then bolted the door once again. He drove away from his place and headed toward her apartment.
Her hands pushed the hem of her dress down toward her knees. Braxton couldn’t help but notice the smoothness of her thigh.
“Will I have to go to the cops?” Jade asked.
“No.”
“What happened to the man that attacked me? I don’t want him to do that to anyone else.” She gasped, then shuddered. “What if … he had done that to someone else?”
“I don’t know if he has, but he’s not going to do it anymore.” The man was long dead. He had gotten the pleasure of seeing the light ebb away. It had given him a good thrill to see him dying.
Death was good.
It was easy.
And he made sure a lot of men found the end they deserved.
Pressing his foot to the gas, the streets were not as busy, as it was close to early morning. There was still time to get her home, to get some sleep.
She hadn’t shown any signs of a concussion, she was just a little unsteady on her feet. Braxton was surprised, twenty minutes later, to find a parking space outside of her apartment.
“How did you know where I live?” Jade asked.
“I have my ways.” He climbed out of the car and moved toward her, helping her step out.
He didn’t touch her, he was there in case she needed a helping hand, but she didn’t take it. Whatever had caused her to be dizzy back at the warehouse was gone.
Stepping into the apartment building, they took the elevator to the fourth floor, and then they stepped out and he saw her room was the third door on the right. There were not a lot of apartments, about four per floor. Not bad.
Jade rummaged in her bag, trying to find her key, but kept stumbling over stuff, so he took over. He found the key, slid it into the lock, and opened the door.
“Thank you. I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”
He wasn’t about to point out the obvious. She had a traumatic night, and that can make anyone uncoordinated.
Jade stepped into her apartment and invited him in. Braxton knew he should step away and leave her alone, but he didn’t. Walking into her apartment, he closed the door, and then he saw the additional security. Now, he was impressed.
Flicking the bolts and locks into place, he turned back toward her.