Total pages in book: 134
Estimated words: 126485 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 632(@200wpm)___ 506(@250wpm)___ 422(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 126485 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 632(@200wpm)___ 506(@250wpm)___ 422(@300wpm)
Lorcan’s expression tightened even more at something his brother said.
“No. Aislinn is here with me. I’ll have to take her home, so send someone over.”
Lorcan hung up then he got down beside my attacker and searched his pockets. He found a cellphone, a small gun, another knife, and some cash. He checked the man’s neck, arms and calves. Maybe for some tattoo that would give away who’d set him up on me.
I wasn’t sure who wanted to hurt, maybe even kill, me, but that wasn’t even my most pressing question right now. Why did Lorcan save me and why did he know I needed saving?
I shivered from the cold. Lorcan looked up to me then he got to his feet and came over to me. He removed his black down jacket and draped it over my shoulders. Beneath it, he wore a white wool sweater. I’d never seen him wear anything like it in our time in New York. Maybe he got it in the mansion over Christmas. He looked even more burly, but also more approachable with the cozy sheep’s wool sweater. “Won’t you be cold?”
“I’m fine,” he grumbled. “Put my jacket on properly. You’re trembling.”
I pushed my arms into the sleeves and closed the jacket. It smelled of Lorcan’s perfume. Of course, it was way too big for me.
“Let me see the back of your head. I want to make sure you’re not losing too much blood.” I turned my back on him. A flashlight came on as Lorcan used his phone to check my wound. I only felt a dumb throbbing, not really any pain. Lorcan parted my hair and that’s when I winced.
“It’s a small cut. Two strips should do. But stitches might be better because of your hair.”
I turned back around because I needed to see Lorcan’s face and he turned off the flashlight of his phone.
“Why are you here?” I whispered.
Lorcan’s jaw flexed then a condescending smile formed. “To save your pretty ass. Would you prefer that I didn’t?”
I shook my head. I was still too shaken for anger. Steps rang out, and Lorcan positioned himself in front of me, his hand going to a gun in his back pocket.
“Lorcan?” A man called.
Lorcan relaxed. “We’re here. All clear.”
Two men entered the alley. They nodded a greeting at Lorcan then at me before they picked up the unconscious man.
“Balor is going to send you the details of where we’re taking him so you can join us whenever you’re ready,” the older man, who’d called Lorcan’s name before, said.
“Good.”
Without another word, the men left, dragging the unconscious man by his arms, leaving me alone with Lorcan. Nobody would bat an eye at them. People would just assume they were dragging a drunken friend home, a common occurrence.
“We’ll have to walk back,” Lorcan said. With his hand on my lower back, he led me out of the alley. I followed his lead, not sure where he’d take me. My confusion only grew when we got closer to home.
“Lorcan, I can’t go home like this.”
“I’m not taking you home.” He didn’t elaborate, and when we turned into Merchant’s Arch, my confusion reached its peak. He didn’t take me to my door though, instead he approached a building across from mine and unlocked the door there. He held it open for me and I stepped into the narrow entry. It was dark and smelled of piss.
“Second floor.”
I took the first step and a wave of dizziness overcame me. Lorcan touched my back, steadying me. I gripped the banister and slowly ascended the stairs. If I hadn’t felt unsteady, I would have bombarded Lorcan with questions, but I needed to focus on dragging myself up. Lorcan unlocked the door on the second floor and motioned me to go in. It was a tiny one room apartment. There were a sleeping couch, kitchenette, folding chairs and table in it. I walked over to the narrow window, which had a clear view of the Merchant’s Arch and my front door, as well as our apartment’s kitchen window.
Lorcan rummaged behind me. Wouldn’t he explain? He appeared behind me, a warm presence I’d missed despite my determination not to.
“I’ll clean the wound now and fix it with strips. You can still go to a doctor and get stitches if the strips fall off.”
He swiped my hair to the side and then something cold touched the back of my head. I hissed from the burning sensation.
“How long have you been staying in this place?”
“A couple of days,” Lorcan said. His voice didn’t give anything away. His fingers applied pressure to my wound, then he said: “Done.”
I turned immediately, needing to see his face, even though it was as closed off as his voice had been.
“Don’t you think it’s strange that you’re living in an apartment across from me and happen to be around when I get attacked? What’s going on? This is my life. I deserve to know if I’m in danger.”