Total pages in book: 24
Estimated words: 22175 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 111(@200wpm)___ 89(@250wpm)___ 74(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 22175 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 111(@200wpm)___ 89(@250wpm)___ 74(@300wpm)
As I pull up to the lake house, the sun is setting. I drove all through the day while Whitley slept, and I couldn’t help but wonder when the last time she was able to rest peacefully. Being on the run from her father and worried about how she was going to make it in the future had to have her on edge all hours of the day. The longer she was in the car, the more I could see her start to unwind, and by the time she fell asleep, she looked like she’d finally found peace.
“Where are we?” she mumbles as I pull her into my arms and carry her up the stairs.
Before I got her out, I unlocked the house and carried our bags inside. “We’re safe,” I tell her, holding her close and praying that it’s true.
My dad was a private detective and started the firm my brothers and I now run. He had his share of run-ins with some really unsavory people, so when he got this cabin on the lake, he made sure that no one could ever find it. As far as anyone knows, it’s got no ties to the Reins family, so we can stay here as long as we want.
I thought for a half a second about taking her to my place, but if her father has pockets as deep as I suspect he does, then he could just as easily find the both of us back at my place. The lake house is out of the way, and I texted my parents on the way here that I was coming up for some quiet time. The last time it was used was when Lawson kidnapped his wife and they stayed for a few days. Maybe that wasn’t such a bad idea, after all.
The thought hits me out of nowhere, and I shake it off. I can’t start thinking like that. I need to focus on what the next move is going to be. I can’t keep Whitley here forever, so I need to work on an exit plan.
“I’m hungry,” she mumbles sleepily and then wraps her arms around my neck. I’m not sure if she realizes what she’s done, but I’m not about to stop her.
“I know. I could hear your stomach for the past twenty miles.” I kiss the top of her head without thinking it through, but it just felt right. “I grabbed some groceries at the last stop, so we should be good for a few days.”
“We stopped?” That seems to wake her up as she looks around and blinks a few times.
“Yeah, a few times.” I chuckle. “The last place let me do a grocery order over the phone. I asked you what your favorite ice cream flavor is.” I shake my head as I carry her through to the kitchen. “You really don’t remember any of that?”
“No.” She yawns and then laughs. “But I remember dreaming about butter pecan.”
“You must have been really tired.” I’m irrationally annoyed at how far she’s worn herself down. She shouldn’t be worried to the point of exhaustion. It’s not healthy. “Better now?”
“Mm-hmm.” She nods as I place her on the couch and grab a blanket. “Thank you.”
She’s only wearing biker shorts and a tank top, so I tuck the blanket around her to warm her up. “Sit here, and I’ll bring you something to eat.”
“What is this place?” she asks when I step into the kitchen.
“It’s a safe house of sorts.” Her brows furrow, and I explain about my parents and how this was their retreat when things would sometimes get heated with cases at work. She asks more questions about my family, and I tell her about my brothers while I make pasta. “Now we use it when we need to get away.”
I bring the bowl of pasta and Parmesan over to the couch and sit down beside her. When she reaches for the bowl, she brings it close and inhales. The sounds she makes goes straight to my cock, and I have to shift my legs to hide how hard I am.
“Oh my god,” she moans when she takes the first bite, and I force myself to look away from her mouth. “This is so good, thank you.”
“Anything you need, all you have to do is ask,” I say, turning my eyes back to her. I’m still not fully under control, but I can’t keep my eyes off Whitley.
“What happens now?” she asks as she continues to eat.
“I’m going to reach out to some of my friends. I’ve got a few favors I can call in, but the main thing is deciding what you really want.”
“What do you mean?” She sets down the empty bowl and hugs her legs close to her chest.
“I mean, at some point you’ve got to decide how we proceed with this. I can get you a new identity that protects you from everyone and everything, but it’s pointless if eventually you want to have contact with your father.”