Total pages in book: 54
Estimated words: 50373 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 252(@200wpm)___ 201(@250wpm)___ 168(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 50373 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 252(@200wpm)___ 201(@250wpm)___ 168(@300wpm)
He helped me to stand, then followed, leading me to the bed and urging me into it. When I’d crawled between the sheets, he pulled the covers over me and sat on the edge. With gentle fingers, he brushed my hair off my forehead and out of my eyes.
“You’re beautiful, Violet. The most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. I understand why Harrington would want to keep you, but he can’t have you. Not anymore.”
“I don’t want to go back to him. Not ever.”
“You won’t.” He kissed me once more, this time lingering only a moment with a soft kiss. “You good by yourself, or do you want me to stay?” He waved at the couch. “It’s pretty comfortable. I can get a pillow and a blanket.”
I took a deep breath and smiled. “Why not sleep next to me? Get a quilt and sleep on top of the covers.”
The wonder on Riot’s face was heartbreaking. “You’d let me sleep with you?” Sweet God, this man was breaking my heart!
“Yes. I think I’d like that. If I have a nightmare, you can wake me before I disturb Caleb.” Then I felt the familiar burn of tears behind my eyes, and I gave Riot a watery smile. “Maybe, with you next to me, protecting me, I won’t have any nightmares.”
Riot swallowed, nodding several times. I smiled and scooted over in the bed. He snagged a blanket from the back of the couch and lay on top of the covers next to me. The blanket covered him from the waist down. He was dressed in gym shorts and a T-shirt because he’d been asleep before he’d come to rescue me from my nightmare. That curiously comforting scent of gasoline and beebalms surrounded me.
I had time to register how warm Riot was at my back. Then his arm dropped over my waist. Somehow, his other arm ended up under my head, pillowing my head.
I sighed…
And surrendered to sleep.
Chapter Eleven
Riot
Someone was in the room. I knew it the second I woke, even with my eyes closed. It took me a moment to remember where I was. Then Violet curled sweetly against me, and I remembered I wasn’t in prison. I was in the Kiss of Death compound with my brothers, so whoever was in the room with me and Violet right now wasn’t a threat. I breathed a small sigh of relief before opening my eyes.
Standing over me, giving me a death stare, was Caleb. Instinctively, I tightened my arms around Violet fractionally. She sighed and snuggled deeper into my embrace, burying her face in my chest before she settled once more.
Caleb didn’t speak, but he stared at me for a long time. I could see a mixture of anger, surprise, and relief on the young man’s face. He nodded at me once, then took a step away from the bed.
“Caleb,” I murmured. “I swear I won’t hurt your mother. Not in any way.”
“You’ll be faithful to her?”
“Always.”
“You’ll stand between her and danger? Especially my dad?”
“I’ll protect both of you. No matter who or what the danger is.”
“I’m never letting anyone hurt my mom again, Riot. I will always be watching you.”
I lifted my chin in acknowledgment. “I consider myself warned, then.”
Caleb’s gaze shifted from me to his mother. Violet chose that moment to sigh, a soft smile tugging her lips for a brief moment. Like she was in the middle of a happy dream. “You keep that look on her face, and you and I won’t have any problems.”
“Caleb, nothing would make me happier than being able to keep that look on your mother’s face for the rest of her life. She deserves better than me, but she’s letting me claim her. I have no intention of making her ever want to leave me.”
“But if she does want to leave you,” Caleb pressed, “would you let her go?”
“No.” I didn’t hesitate with my answer.
“You’d keep her against her will?” Now his gaze was narrowed on me. If looks could kill, Caleb and I wouldn’t be having this conversation.
“I didn’t say that.” Violet mumbled something and lifted her face so that she nestled between my neck and shoulder before she settled once again. “If she ever wants to leave, I’ll find out what I fucked up and fix it. Understand me, Caleb, I would do anything to keep you and your mom in my life.”
“Me?” he asked incredulously. “You actually want me? Not just my mom?”
“I do. You’re going to be a great man, Caleb. You’re going to be a man other men want to follow because you admit when you’re wrong. You’re willing to do anything you have to for the people you care about. I don’t know many men brave enough to go outside their comfort zone the way you did with me. You made hard decisions based on information you trusted, and you did what was best for your mom. I want to watch you grow into that man, and be your friend. That way you know I’ll always have your back.”