Series: Penny Dee
Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 97669 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 488(@200wpm)___ 391(@250wpm)___ 326(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 97669 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 488(@200wpm)___ 391(@250wpm)___ 326(@300wpm)
She’s outright glaring at me when I return home, and when I look at Valen, he has a black eye with scratch marks down the side of his face. Though he makes no complaint, I can’t help but feel pride.
“I can’t just stop living,” she says, flustered.
“He’s here,” I tell her matter-of-factly, and that only seems to ignite the flame in her gaze.
“I made a decision not to run from this.”
“We’re not running, but nor am I risking using you as bait. From now on, you remain here. The morgue closes.”
She scoffs. “You can’t just lock me up in here.”
“Then what would you have me do?” I growl, trying my hardest to keep my tone even. Her burning fury seems to lessen slightly when she hears the waver in my voice. She gives Valen a look, and I silently dismiss him, leaving us alone in my living room. I’ve already had my men working to ensure my family’s security as well. Now it’s just a matter of flushing the rat out.
She walks over to me with that little crazy look in her eye that ordinarily gets me off. We both hold our ground as she goes toe-to-toe with me. “I’m not your pet.”
“No,” I growl, wanting to force her into submission, just so for once she can easily comply. I’m doing all of this for her. But I suspect she also wants to challenge him head-on, and that’s precisely what I worry about. “You are not my pet,” I say, intentionally pushing down the burning anger and hunt that is fueling my veins. “You are my woman.”
Something crosses her expression, and I can tell she tries to cling to that fury, both of us so accustomed to using it to protect. But not between us. Not now, when her safety is paramount. I raise my hand to her cheek.
I think she might pull away, but she doesn’t. This week has brought us closer in ways I didn’t expect. Sometimes it’s carefree, others carnal, and like now, emotionally charged with tension around something we both know but have not addressed.
“You are my woman, Leo, and I love you. I will do everything in my power to protect you, even if you disagree.”
Her jaw clenches, but she seems to fight internally until she releases a small, defeated sigh, and she comfortably rests her head into my hand. “I love you too, Silas.” It’s a fact. No impactful moment, because it was already known to both of us. “But I can’t let him take control of my life again. I feel like I’m backing down to him if I step away from my life. My livelihood.”
My gaze softens as I take in my woman with a fierce warrior heart, grateful for who she is but wishing she didn’t have to endure what she did to become who she is. “We’re not backing down. He’s moving quickly, and so will we. I promise to bring you his body.”
Her gaze darkens, and I don’t even dare ask what she has in mind for when she receives such a gift. That’s between her and the devil to know. But I promise I’ll give it to her. As she pulls me in for a kiss, I know she wants more than promises right now. Her body’s demand is something I will always obey.
42
LEONORE
My phone rings from somewhere in the tangled sheets.
I pat the sheets, looking for it. When I find it, I look at the name on the screen.
Nessa.
I fight the urge to answer, but Nessa isn’t much of a caller which makes me think something is wrong. A bad feeling sinks into my stomach, and although I told her I was walking away, I can’t help but worry.
I swipe to answer, and the first thing I hear is crying.
But it’s not Nessa’s crying.
It’s Larissa.
“Auntie Leo?”
Her voice is small and broken, and the sound cuts through the lazy haze of the afternoon and obliterates everything else.
“Larissa? Honey, what’s wrong?”
Beside me, Silas goes rigid at my tone.
“Mommy is gone.”
“Gone? What do you mean, baby?”
“I came home from school, and she’s not here,” Larissa says in a confused, little voice. “Mrs. Curnow dropped me off, and when I came up the stairs, the front door was open, and Mommy’s not anywhere.”
I sit up in bed and pull the sheet against my bare skin. Mrs. Curnow is her sitter and picks her up from school and drops her off at home.
I turn to Silas. He’s propped up on one elbow beside me, his dark eyes alert and sharp.
“Larissa, listen to me.” I press the phone harder against my ear. “I need you to be really brave for me, okay?”
She sniffles, then says with a small voice, “Okay.”
“That’s my brave girl. Now tell me exactly what happened. Start from the beginning.”
She takes a breath. “Mrs. Curnow dropped me at the door downstairs like she always does. But when I came up the stairs, our front door was already open. And the apartment is all messy. The coffee table is knocked over, and Mommy spilled her coffee, and she didn’t clean it up. But she’s gone.”