Total pages in book: 155
Estimated words: 154379 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 772(@200wpm)___ 618(@250wpm)___ 515(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 154379 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 772(@200wpm)___ 618(@250wpm)___ 515(@300wpm)
“No need to get upset?” I spluttered, stepping toward him in a surge of disbelief.
In horror and gratitude and the riot of emotion this man elicited.
“You know I can’t accept this.”
“Sure you can.” It was a grunt of simplicity. “Told you I want to take care of you.”
“I can’t let you do that,” I wheezed.
Theo stepped forward.
A tower.
A shield.
A distinct, invincible threat.
“Not sure I know how to stop.” He reached out and brushed his fingertips down the side of my cheek.
I nearly dropped to my knees.
Weak.
Weak.
Weak.
“You have to.” I nearly begged it.
“Just let me do this for you, Piper. Please.” Charcoal eyes flared as he asked it.
Ash that sparked to life.
The man a blackened sun.
Pure gravity.
Panic bubbled up, and tears burned at the backs of my eyes.
“I can’t afford to become reliant on you,” I choked, unable to stop the words from dropping free. “Not when it already takes everything I have to survive on my own.”
I fisted my hand over my heart like it might protect it.
Protect it from this man who was whittling his way through every barrier.
Expression morphing in a cross of understanding and grief, Theo wrapped a tattooed hand around the wrist I had clutched to my chest.
Fire singed at the connection.
“You don’t, Piper,” he grated. He leaned closer, his mouth an inch from mine. “You don’t have to survive alone. Not anymore. Not if you let me free you from whatever has you trapped.”
Fear tumbled through my spirit.
“I don’t know how to do that.” It was a hoarse whisper.
“You can, Piper. You just have to trust that I can handle anything and everything you’ve got. No matter how dark or ugly or horrifying it is, it’s no contest to the lengths I will go for you.”
My lips barely parted on a breath.
Completely wrapped in a bubble with no mind to the people that bustled along the sidewalk around us. No mind to the fall of the snow that thickened with each moment that passed.
As if he and I were the only thing that existed.
As if I were safe in his promise.
He let go of my wrist and went back to tracing the pad of his thumb along my jaw, his voice a soft command, “How about we get out of here before we freeze to death on the sidewalk?”
Flustered, I could barely nod. “Yeah.”
“Good.” He reached into his jacket pocket and produced a fob. He extended it for me to take.
Warily, I flipped my hand up and he dropped it into my palm.
On a shaky breath, I curled my hand around it.
Leaning in, Theo whispered in my ear, “Just so we’re clear what you mean to me.”
Clear? Things had never been so unclear in all my life.
He suddenly took a step back, and I swayed forward as he began to walk backward, hands back in his jacket pockets.
“See you at your place,” he grunted, making it clear he was showing for that, too.
“I’ll be there in a while.” The words wobbled. “I need to stop by the store.”
The man sent me an arrogant, sexy grin. “Ah, needed that car after all, didn’t you?”
I narrowed my eyes at him. “Gloating doesn’t look good on you, Theo Mallin.”
His grin only widened. “But you sure do.”
Air hefted from my lungs, and with a low chuckle, he turned away, not giving me time for a rebuttal.
The only thing I could do was watch him stride to his truck that was parked in the spot two ahead of the Volvo, his obscenely beautiful body stalking like a dagger through the peace of the falling snow.
When he disappeared around the side of it, I blew out the strain and forced myself to move around the small SUV.
It was nearly new, a pearlescent white and really freaking nice.
I slipped into the driver’s seat that was a gray, plush leather.
When I noticed the backseat had a bunch of bags sitting on it, I shifted to look at what was inside them.
My heart leapt right back in my throat when I peeked into one.
Christmas decorations.
Plus, there was a deluxe, brand-new car seat strapped into the seat behind me.
Turning back around, I slumped in the seat.
This man really was trying to do me in.
TWENTY-NINE
THEO
I waited until Piper finally put the SUV into gear and eased out onto the road before I did the same, pulling my truck right behind the white SUV that Silas had sold me.
Nah.
It wasn’t a rental, but I was pretty sure Piper would have actually lost her shit had I told her my intention.
Thing was, I didn’t like the idea of her driving her old car again. Didn’t like the idea of her behind the wheel or Nelly in the passenger seat or Finn strapped in the back.
Not after that accident.
Sure, Silas was good.
But good just wasn’t fucking good enough when it came to them.