Total pages in book: 47
Estimated words: 44211 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 221(@200wpm)___ 177(@250wpm)___ 147(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 44211 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 221(@200wpm)___ 177(@250wpm)___ 147(@300wpm)
A moment later, another man entered the room, and Everett met his amused gaze. This man walked to the desk and rested against it before crossing his ankles. He was also tall, but unlike the bald giant who’d just walked from the room, this man had long, thick black hair that fell around his shoulders in silky-looking waves. His eyes were unnerving. They had to be brown, but the color was so dark, they seemed black, and he was regarding Everett with obvious mirth.
He must have noticed Everett staring at Dax’s body. Heat crept up the back of his neck. He cleared his throat, wincing at the scrape of dry tissue.
“Welcome to Protective Solutions. I’m Xavier. Are you feeling better? Dax was quite concerned when he carried you in here, and my employee isn’t easily rattled.”
Everett frowned. “I thought he said he worked at the restaurant.”
“He’s a protection specialist—a bodyguard. He was there on a job, which turned out to be a good thing for you. He scared off your attacker.”
Everett could certainly see why. It had to be frightening seeing that giant of a man coming toward you. Though all he felt from Dax was a flood of comforting warmth. Well, that and…lust. He had a feeling if he weren’t so disoriented, that lust would be a hell of a lot stronger. Dax was just his type. Big and broad with a little bit of a belly, perfect for… things he shouldn’t be thinking about.
“What were you doing at the restaurant?” Xavier asked.
“I was supposed to be on a blind date, but I was stood up. I was actually about to leave when I was attacked. I wish I could remember exactly what happened, but everything is fuzzy, and the nightmare is confusing me. But why did I pass out?” He reached up to feel around his scalp. “Did I hit my head?”
“Possibly. Or the shock of the attack made you faint.”
He scowled. “Well, that makes me feel all sorts of manly.”
Xavier chuckled. “Sudden stress can have a strong effect.”
Dax ducked back into the room and handed a cold bottle of water to Everett. He uncapped it and guzzled half of it down, the cool water soothing his throat. He moaned in relief. When he turned back to thank Dax, the man had a startled expression on his face. “Sorry,” he said, realizing how that moan must have sounded. “I was really thirsty. My name is Everett, by the way.”
Dax just gave him a bashful smile that did all the things to Everett’s insides. Big and shy? Be still his heart. The man really was massive. Everett had seen people that tall before but none of them had possessed such a big, broad body, rock hard and bulging with muscles, and never so close. And that hint of a belly? Holy shit, Dax was hotter than the sun.
And why was he so focused on that? He had just been attacked and taken to an unfamiliar location. It stumped him. But the attraction was irresistible, stronger than anything he’d experienced before.
Maybe he had been hit on the head.
Everett set the water bottle down and explored his scalp with both hands, but he still didn’t find any tender areas. He looked back to Dax, determined to keep his gaze on his face. Not that that made anything better. Everett really liked his mix of features, too. “Thank you for helping me and making sure I was okay. It was seriously nice of you.”
“I would have taken you to your home, but I didn’t want to snoop in your wallet to find out where you lived. I know it was surreal waking up here, but it’s the safest place in this city. Full of well-meaning bodyguards who will all watch out for you.”
There was quite a bit of noise out there for night time, and he could see people walking around through the glass in one wall. “Is this place open twenty-four hours or something?”
Dax nodded. “The night crew is much smaller, but we’re always available.” He paused and narrowed his eyes, studying Everett closely. “What do you see when you look around here?”
He widened his eyes. “What do you mean?”
A flash of disappointment went over Dax’s face before he schooled his features. “Nothing. Could you wait here while I talk to Xavier for a few moments?”
Everett nodded and watched as they left the room. He looked down at his arm, still completely bewildered. He was sure something had bitten him. That dream had felt so real. As he’d told them, he must have brought that creature into his dream because he’d so recently seen his grandfather’s figurine. But he’d felt the pain. Running his fingers over unbroken skin, he couldn’t help but wonder why he’d been attacked in the first place. It was no secret that he’d inherited great wealth. Was it possible this hadn’t been a random attack?