Total pages in book: 69
Estimated words: 63763 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 319(@200wpm)___ 255(@250wpm)___ 213(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 63763 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 319(@200wpm)___ 255(@250wpm)___ 213(@300wpm)
We left the clubhouse a few minutes later, my hand returning to the base of her spine before the front door finished closing.
The drive from the compound to my house followed a narrow private road deeper into the Black Crowns acreage, winding through oak groves and rocky slopes where cameras disappeared into trees and sensors sat beneath ground that looked untouched. Bex watched the landscape through the passenger window while I kept one hand on the wheel and the other near her thigh, resisting the urge to close it over the soft denim every time the road curved.
She remained quiet until we passed the final controlled gate, then turned toward me when her new phone chimed to confirm that her access code had been accepted. “You already put me in your fancy system.”
“Wouldn’t have brought you out here without doing it.”
Her smile turned soft as she looked at the phone again. “Protected family?”
“That’s what you are.”
She rested her hand over mine. The simple contact sent a hot pulse through my cock and tightened something deeper beneath my ribs as I turned my palm and threaded our fingers together. Bex watched our joined hands for a moment before facing the road again with pleasure warming her cheeks.
My house appeared beyond the next rise, built low against the hillside in dark stone, cedar, and glass designed to turn reflective when the exterior security system engaged. The property sat outside the main compound, but inside land the Black Crowns controlled, far enough away to give me privacy and close enough that armed brothers could reach the front door in minutes. No public road crossed the ridge, no neighboring house overlooked the grounds, and anyone approaching through the canyon passed enough hidden cameras to build a complete record before reaching the gate.
Bex leaned toward the windshield as I parked beneath the covered drive. “This is where you live?”
“Yeah.”
“It’s beautiful.” Surprise softened her voice as she took in the broad porch, the oak shading one end of the house, and the glass reflecting the morning sun. “I expected something more…”
“Thought I’d live in a bunker, didn’t you?”
Her blush deepened. “It’s not like I was expecting a doomsday prepper. But maybe a little more like military barracks.”
“Nope.” I pushed open my door, suppressing a grin. “The doomsday shit is only in the basement.”
Her laugh followed me out of the SUV. I opened her door, kept one hand around her waist until both feet touched the ground, then went to the rear hatch while she turned slowly to study the property. The two suitcases and sealed box I’d packed from her old house sat behind the bags she had chosen, and Bex’s gaze rested on them before shifting to me with curiosity she’d apparently been saving since she first spotted them.
“You packed more of my stuff?”
“You forgot some things,” I grunted as I lifted both suitcases and hooked one duffel over my shoulder, leaving only the tote for her.
“I packed a lot of my clothes and all of my toiletries.”
“Exactly.”
Her mouth opened, then closed as she considered the argument and realized it wasn’t going to improve with effort. She silently followed me through the front door, pausing long enough for the security system to recognize her face and new phone before the locks engaged behind us.
I crossed the foyer and climbed up the stairs, carrying the bags down the upper hall and into my bedroom. The room was functional with a large bed, dark furniture, secure windows, attached bath, and nothing personal beyond the dog tags I removed before sleeping.
I set the bags beside the closet and turned to find her looking back toward the hall. “This isn’t the guest room.”
“I know.”
“Then why are my bags in here?”
“Because you’re staying with me.” I stepped close enough to watch her breath hitch, then wrapped one hand around her nape and let my thumb settle below her ear. “You sleep in my bed, Bex.”
“Oh.”
I tightened my hand around her nape and watched desire darken her eyes, already calculating how long before my control slipped. “The guest room is for people who leave, and you’re not going anywhere.”
8
BEX
For a man who didn’t talk a lot, Cipher had a way with words. And he knew exactly how his bold claim impacted me, judging by the twitch of his lips.
“I guess you’re right for now at least.” I forced myself not to lean into his touch. “I can’t go anywhere until we figure out who’s behind this whole mess, and it seems like they’re very good at hiding their tracks.”
His hand tightened on my nape before he dropped his arm. “I’m better.”
I stood in the middle of his bedroom and stared at the empty doorway as he strode away. Letting out a slow breath, I moved toward the closet to start unpacking so I wouldn’t obsess about the big bed we'd apparently be sharing tonight.