Total pages in book: 73
Estimated words: 71034 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 355(@200wpm)___ 284(@250wpm)___ 237(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71034 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 355(@200wpm)___ 284(@250wpm)___ 237(@300wpm)
My stomach churned, and my throat felt tight. The room started to spin around me. I was falling apart. I couldn’t do this. I couldn’t stay here, letting Beck support me on this vacation, after what I’d done. And I sure as hell couldn’t stay in this villa with Worth. I stuffed my belongings into my messenger bag, leaving the things I’d bought with the money Beck had given me. He could have them or return them or whatever.
I hated the thought of spending any of the meager funds I’d manage to squirrel away, but I could manage the fee to change my return ticket to get on the earliest flight I could. I’d just stay at the airport until then.
I dressed as fast as I could and grabbed my bag, praying Worth wouldn’t come out of his room. I’d heard him shouting at Beck for a while, defending me, even though I didn’t understand why the fuck he would want to.
The villa was silent now. Maybe I could reach the door and get out without Worth hearing me. I’d had a lot of practice moving quietly.
I reached the front door and was disengaging the safety lock when Worth came out of his bedroom.
“Where are you going?” he asked.
“Home.”
“No.”
“I’m not staying here. I can’t. I won’t spend Beck’s money, not now, and you….” I turned to the door. My face was on fire, and my heart was racing.
“If anyone is going to leave, it’s going to be me.”
“No. You belong here; I don’t. I have no business in a place like this.”
“The hell you don’t.”
Why was he still defending what I’d done? “You thought I was an escort.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
I turned the knob and pulled open the door. I couldn’t talk about it. I couldn’t stand to look at him, to know he was judging me, critiquing me.
“Please don’t leave.”
The anguish in his voice froze me to the spot. “Why?”
“Because it’s not safe.”
“It’s a five-star resort. I think I’ll be safe asking for a taxi to the airport on my own.”
“It’s not safe for you in St. Louis.”
So Beck had told him about Tommy. Now he’d just look at me with pity. “Fuck. How much do you know?”
“Enough to know that. I can get another room. You can stay here, but don’t leave Aruba until you’ve had time to make better arrangements for yourself.”
“Why would you give me this place after what I did?”
“Because you need someone to protect you.”
I’d needed someone to fuck me a few hours ago, and he’d done an amazing job. So amazing I couldn’t even look at him. He’d opened me up in more than one way. I wasn’t going to be able to stay with him, not unless he truly meant the things he’d said to me. Had he really wanted to keep me for the entire two weeks?
It didn’t matter. I couldn’t. We couldn’t. I wouldn’t do anything to hurt Beck more than I already had. “I’ll figure something out.”
I opened the door, but Worth was suddenly behind me. He smacked his hand against the door, slamming it shut. “Turn around and look at me.”
“Just because I played your power games earlier doesn’t mean I will now.”
I heard him exhale before he stepped back. “Please look at me.”
I couldn’t ignore him anymore now than I hadn’t been able to when he’d asked me to stay. “I don’t think I can.”
“I’m so sorry. I don’t know what I was thinking. I made an assumption and….”
I spun around. He had nothing to feel guilty about. “I enjoyed every minute of it.”
His eyes widened. “You’re not angry?”
“No. I could’ve told you who I was, and I knew….” I paused, drawing in a slow breath, wishing my hands weren’t shaking.
“Do you need to sit down?”
I shook my head, but I was lying; I was about to pass out. But if I sat down, I would never leave. “I knew you wouldn’t hurt me.”
“You did?”
“Beck has told me plenty about you.”
Worth rolled his eyes. “I’m sure he has. I doubt much of it was complimentary.”
“More than you’re thinking I’m sure, and just because you’re quite the playboy doesn’t mean you’re dangerous.”
“I’m so sorry about what you’ve been through. You came here to get away, then I come in and make crazy assumptions.”
“I wasn’t offended. It was actually quite a compliment. I haven’t had many of those in a while.”
“Tell me where the son of a bitch who hurt you is, and I’ll have him eliminated, after he’s suffered for a long time.”
“Jesus, do you have a hitman on call or something?”
“I have connections. He deserves to be punished for what he’s done to you.”
“He does, but I know what it’s like trying to press charges.”
Worth huffed. “The justice system is shit when it comes to men like him. I can take care of him though.”