Total pages in book: 144
Estimated words: 133531 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 668(@200wpm)___ 534(@250wpm)___ 445(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 133531 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 668(@200wpm)___ 534(@250wpm)___ 445(@300wpm)
That seemed reasonable enough, but it wasn’t the entire truth. Rory studied him. He sat across from her, looking totally relaxed. She supposed he was, but at the same time, she thought he might be a snake, coiled and ready to strike if she gave a wrong answer. Javier might look casual sitting in the chair, but he gave off the most dangerous vibes she’d ever been around. Frankly, he terrified her. It occurred to her that he was capable of killing the cop. Or Dustin and Ret. She much preferred the honesty of Detective Westlake showing her his utter distaste of her, or Tinsdale delivering his veiled threat.
“You aren’t telling me how Gideon is doing,” she said, persisting. She needed the information, and then she was going to politely excuse herself, go to her room, pack and drive away fast.
The cops hadn’t yet told her not to leave town, but she was afraid that was coming. She would have to get out before that happened. Tinsdale and Harvey had their own agenda that she didn’t want any part of, and she was horribly afraid she would harm Gideon. If she stayed any longer, she would get so attached to him she wouldn’t be able to leave. She feared it might already be too late. She felt she was that connected to him. That obsessive over him.
“We’re getting there. The doc could use information. We need to know what happened tonight.”
Her heart clenched hard in her chest. Her lungs seized. For a moment, there was no getting air. There was no thinking. There it was. The worst. She had done something to him. “How bad is it?” The whisper came out strangled, the words trying to make their way through the huge lump in her throat.
“Tell me what happened tonight.” Javier was firm.
She choked back the need to yell at him to just tell her what she needed so desperately to know. He wasn’t going to give her the information. “My boss, Brad Fitzpatrick, called me. One of the bartenders said they could only work a half shift tonight. He was looking for someone to come in late. I said I would do it for him. I needed to sleep before going to work, so I went to my rooftop patio. It’s very peaceful there.”
She stopped abruptly. What could she say that didn’t sound crazy? And she didn’t know him. She didn’t want to tell him her personal business.
“Keep going.”
Rory shook her head. “Then I fell asleep and had a nightmare. I get them often.”
Instantly, Javier looked alert, as if having a nightmare weren’t an everyday occurrence many people had. “A nightmare?”
She shrugged, trying to look casual. “Yes. Don’t you ever have nightmares? I thought most people did.”
He ignored her comment. “Was Gideon in your nightmare?”
“No, not at all.”
His dark eyebrows drew together for a moment. “What was your nightmare about?”
“Childhood things. Scary childhood things. Nothing to do with Gideon at all.” But he was obviously hurt, and a doctor was trying to help him. “In the dream, the girl stood on the ledge of this horrible house. I heard Gideon’s voice telling me to wake up. Then owls were flying all around me, and I did wake up. I was standing on the ledge of my rooftop, and the owls drove me back onto the floor of the patio. Gideon wasn’t with me, and he wasn’t in the dream. I did hear his voice though. At least I think I did. I think it was real.”
Javier had pulled out his phone and was texting with lightning speed.
Rory pressed her finger to the place over her left eye that always felt strange, that hurt like hell, that felt as if her skin were ripping apart. “He did wake me up, didn’t he?” She didn’t care that she sounded defeated. She would have to leave.
“Yeah, babe, he woke you up.” He glanced down at his phone. “He’s going to be fine. He just tore open a couple of places the doc had been watching. That’s on him, not you.” He sighed. “And maybe more on me.”
“Why would it be on you?”
“He took several bullets meant for me. He’s saved my life on more than one occasion. Gideon’s a good man, Rory. And off-the-charts protective. You didn’t do this to him. He makes his own choices, just like we all do. He sent me here tonight. He knew you were in trouble, and he’s going to ask me who that man was and what he wanted.”
She was afraid he would ask, and she didn’t know what to tell him. She definitely didn’t want to involve Gideon in that mess.
“The last thing he needs is to worry about anything to do with that man or his associates.”
Javier’s entire demeanor changed. “If you are Gideon’s woman, he will worry about every aspect of your life. Every aspect. That’s who he is. If you can’t accept that, you can’t accept him. I understand you wanting to protect him, Rory—”