Total pages in book: 180
Estimated words: 168121 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 841(@200wpm)___ 672(@250wpm)___ 560(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 168121 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 841(@200wpm)___ 672(@250wpm)___ 560(@300wpm)
Rather than kissing Noah’s murderer, she told herself he was just a man. A normal man made of flesh and muscle and stable mind. His hands tangled in her hair and swept down her neck. It was both revolting and heart-wrenching the way he welcomed her gentleness, hungry for affection, moving his mouth to follow hers as if she were his oxygen.
He broke the kiss, his cheek rubbing against hers, breath heavy and content. “I’ll do better,” he whispered. “I won’t hurt you anymore.”
Wow, real convincing, Roy. It’d been a whole two minutes since he’d raised his hand against her. “I believe you.” Because he’d never have the opportunity to do it again.
His hands clenched on her shoulders, his gaze boring into hers. “I won’t live another day without you. Do you understand, Charlee? If something happens to you, if I lose you again, I will not go on.”
Knew that. Counted on it. She blinked, expression blank.
“Mr. Oxford.” The Craig’s voice carried up from the bottom of the steps. “The jet is ready.”
“Thank you, Salvador.” His eyes never drifted from hers. “It’s important you believe me,” he said, softly. “I want you to want to be with me.”
What fueled his change of heart? Watching her with Jay on the cameras at the estate? Seeing her plastered all over the Internet and in magazines, always on Jay’s arm, smiling and happy?
Delusional, self-important prickadonna. He had a rather high opinion of himself to think she could ever have that with him.
He reached for the knots at her ankles and worked them loose. “My armed guards are just outside the door. I’m taking the first step in our new relationship.” He released the ties on her wrists. That done, he rose and stared down at her, a smile bending his vile mouth.
Holding out his hand to her, he must have thought he was making colossal progress letting her walk with him without restraints. In about thirty seconds, it would be one of the chief regrets in his life.
She closed up her pants, grasped his hand, and tried to ignore the escalating beat of her heart. With each step to the stairs, her breathing quickened and her palms grew slicker with sweat.
As he stepped into the stairway, she glanced at the ignition switch. No key. She grabbed the railing with her free hand and moved to follow him, slowing her pace, letting the distance stretch between them.
The hand he held slipped as her arm went taut with the extension of his pull. She yanked it back, gripped the other handrail. Bracing her upper body with the rails on either side, she hauled up her boots and kicked the middle of his back.
He propelled forward, missed the bottom step and rolled over the concrete. She spun and slammed her hand into the manual crank. The doors crashed closed as he launched for them, the seal catching his fingers.
His hand recoiled, and a red tide washed over his face. “Charlee.” A restrained growl. He slammed his palm against the door, tried to pry it open. “Salvador! The key!”
Shit, shit, shit. The electric door mechanism could be unlocked from the outside, but what about that time Rio locked out Laz when they were arguing over a video game? He’d engaged a manual override somewhere…she fumbled over the crank, up and down the handle. There. She flipped the lever and turned toward the door, hands shaking.
Two bullet holes splintered the outside surface of the glass. Frightening images infiltrated her mind of her friends in a gun fight while she slept in oblivion on the bus.
The Craig worked the key until Roy shoved him away and tried it himself. “Charlee, open the door.” His low, cool tone vibrated with an edge of agitation.
His persistence guaranteed he’d find a way in. She raced down the aisle, through the drape, and scrambled over her bunk. Nathan had given her a new phone at the start of the tour. She’d never used it, wasn’t sure if it would be charged. She dug through the pocket beside the plate of outlets and device ports. Following a white cord from the dock to the pocket, she found the phone still plugged in.
A gale of air escaped her lungs as she swiped through the contact list. Nathan. Tony. Jay. She tapped his name and held it to her ear.
The call connected, and Jay’s deep timbre barked through the phone. “Who is this?”
“It’s me.” Her heart leapt to her throat. “I don’t have much time.”
A rustle whispered over the line. “You’re on speaker. Where are you?” His breath was heavy with exertion, panic.
“On the bus inside a hangar. A private airport, maybe. An hour from where he took me.” If Roy hadn’t lied about those details.
“Are there any signs, anything indicating the location?” Nathan asked.
Gun shots fired outside the bus, the echo rattling her bones.