Total pages in book: 144
Estimated words: 138522 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 693(@200wpm)___ 554(@250wpm)___ 462(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 138522 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 693(@200wpm)___ 554(@250wpm)___ 462(@300wpm)
“I’ll answer that question when I get back,” Reid replies, giving me a grim look, before disappearing into the hallway.
“Are you worried?” Abbie asks. “Jean Claude is dangerous, right?”
“Dead men don’t do favors,” I say. “Jean Claude wants a favor from Reid. That’s obvious.”
“Jean Claude doesn’t like that Reid knows his secrets.”
“He can handle himself, baby. I promise.”
“Taking lunch orders,” Connie announces, rushing into the office and said lunch orders turn into girl chat between her and Abbie while I end up on a call with a client. By the time our food arrives, Abbie’s tried to reach her mother with no success several times. “She’s acting strange since all this started,” Abbie worries when we finally sit down to eat.
“In what way?”
“She never skips my calls.”
“Skips your calls? Baby, I think it’s more that she has her hands full.”
“With what? The animals are on the island. She’s here. Do you know what time she gets here for her meeting with her attorney?”
“I don’t, but most likely at the same time we’re meeting with Reese.”
“I haven’t even talked to her about her new attorney. It makes no sense. She worries about me, Gabe, and yet she’s not even talking to me?”
“Relax, Abbie, baby,” I say, finishing off my sandwich and tossing the wrapper in the bag. “She’s fine. I’m sure of it.”
It’s in that moment that her cell vibrates on the table. “It’s her,” she announces grabbing her phone and to my surprise, answering it on speaker. “Mom, I’m here with Gabe.”
“Hi, you two. Listen, I’m on my way back to the island. Gabbie has had some bleeding complications since birthing her pups and we have two other sick animals. I can’t stay here. I know they want me to meet the police and another attorney, but I have to put the animals first.”
“Oh God,” Abbie says. “How bad is the bleeding?”
“I’m not sure,” her mother says. “These situations are hard to read from a distance. Brandon has a vet going over there, but I’d just feel better if I saw Gabbie myself.” She laughs. “Gabbie. Gabe. Abbie. It’s kind of cute. Maybe you two should adopt her after I save her.”
“So Dexter can kill her?” I joke. “I don’t think so.” Though a family of dogs and Abbie sits far better than I could have ever imagined. “Take care of Gabbie,” I add. “We can arrange a video chat with your new attorney.”
“Really? That’s wonderful. Abigail, honey, I was on my way to check on you when this all went to hell. Where are you? Can you come?”
“She needs to stay,” I say. “There’s too much heat on you both for you to leave town simultaneously.”
“By heat, you mean the redhead seen leaving the scene of the crime,” her mother says. “I heard. I swear that man staged his own death and set us up. He’s that evil. How are you handling this, Abigail?”
“I’m fine.” Abbie’s eyes meet mine. “Thanks to Gabe and his family.”
“Indeed,” she says. “You found yourself a real hero there. I just don’t want you getting hurt in this, Gabe.” There are voices in the background. “We’re at the airport. I’ll call you when I get back to the Hamptons and know more about Gabbie.”
“Wait,” Abbie says quickly. “The shelter—”
“We’ll talk later, but I have a lead on a new location.” She doesn’t wait for a reply. “I’ll tell you more later.” She hangs up.
I lean over and kiss Abbie. “See? She’s fine. All is well. Eat your lunch, unless you’d rather get naked and let me fuck you in my office.” Connie buzzes in. “The president of First Nation United Bank is on the line and he’s freaking out, throwing a fit worthy of a two-year-old that didn’t get his cookie. And that is not an exaggeration.”
I sigh. “So much for fucking in my office.” I kiss Abbie, licking into her mouth. “But we will and soon. That’s a promise and you didn’t have to wait until tonight for it.”
She laughs, her face lighting up, tension easing from her petite shoulders. That’s what I want. Her relaxing. Her happy. Her naked in my office. Her legs wrapped around my shoulders. My mouth between her legs. Goals. I have many where Abbie is concerned.
abbie
The afternoon is not as slow as one might think, ticking by with agony and fear. It’s busy, so busy there’s no time for fear. I’m taught about the company’s rules and policies on EEOC, workers compensation, and of course, sexual harassment. I almost laugh as the head of HR talks about inappropriate touching considering Gabe had wished me good luck this afternoon by promising to lick me in very inappropriate places as soon as humanly possible, “You’re mine,” he’d declared, “and I’ll make you say it tonight, in bed, right before you come on my tongue.”