Total pages in book: 58
Estimated words: 53361 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 267(@200wpm)___ 213(@250wpm)___ 178(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 53361 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 267(@200wpm)___ 213(@250wpm)___ 178(@300wpm)
A tear escaped before I could stop it, trailing down my cheek until it collided with his thumb. His expression shifted subtly, concern deepening into something fiercer, more protective. I wanted to have him hold me tight, to hold me together. Because, I knew I was on the verge of shattering.
“Who made you cry?” he asked softly, but I heard the edge beneath it, the barely contained rage not directed at me but at whoever had caused my distress.
Another tear followed the first, and I didn’t bother wiping it away. Why pretend anymore? I was falling apart, and we both knew it. “I need to think for a while,” I finally whispered, the closest to honesty I could manage. “I have to figure this problem out on my own.”
His hand dropped from my face, but he didn’t step back. “Some problems are too big for that. In case you hadn’t noticed, I’ve got some pretty fuckin’ big shoulders. I can manage the load for you.”
I let out a broken laugh that sounded dangerously close to another sob. “You have no idea.”
“Try me.” Two simple words, an offer of partnership that pierced straight through my defenses.
I shook my head, blinking back fresh tears. “I can’t. Not yet.” Maybe not ever, a voice whispered in my mind. How could I confess to being the very threat he was trying to protect me from?
He studied me for a long moment, his expression unreadable. Then he nodded once, accepting my answer without pushing further. The respect in that simple gesture, honoring my boundaries even while offering help, made my heart ache with a longing so intense it frightened me. “When you’re ready,” he said quietly, “I’ll be here.”
I nodded, not trusting my voice.
I climbed into my car, the familiar creak of the door a small comfort in a world that had become increasingly uncertain. Marcus stepped back, giving me space, but his gaze never left mine.
“Be safe,” he said as I started the engine.
“Be careful, Rancor.” I used his road name, hoping he’d take the subtle hint. I couldn’t tell him what was going on, but I could at least plant the seed he needed to watch himself.
His brows furrowed and he said nothing for the longest time. Then he nodded his head slowly. “Yeah, baby. I will.”
I nodded again, put the car in gear, and pulled away. My knuckles turned white against the steering wheel as I fought to keep the vehicle steady on the road. What would Reeves do when he realized only one device sat inside the compound and that he probably couldn’t hear a Goddamned thing on it? Would he make good on his threats? And what would Marcus do when he discovered what I’d done? The thought of seeing betrayal replace that careful tenderness in his eyes was almost worse than anything Reeves could do to me.
I had two impossible choices. As I drove away from the compound, rain began to fall, gentle drops that quickly became a downpour, matching the storm raging inside me. I drove away from perhaps the only person who could help me, toward a future I couldn’t predict and choices I didn’t want to make. And I had absolutely no idea what to do next.
Chapter Eight
Cora
Making myself leave the relative safety of my car to enter the café on Music Row felt like climbing the steps to the gallows. Through the rain-streaked windshield I stared at the entrance. Warm light spilled from its windows onto the wet pavement outside, promising comfort I knew I didn’t deserve and wouldn’t receive as long as this thing was hanging over me. I just didn’t know what to do.
I spotted Marcus through the glass, his broad shoulders, shaved head, and thick, dark beard unmistakable even in the dim interior. He’d taken a corner table, his back to the wall. Likely so he could have eyes on the door. My stomach twisted as I killed the engine. Somehow, facing him here felt worse than when I’d left the compound yesterday with that damn listening device already broadcasting everything to Reeves. Assuming any noise from the fridge didn’t mask conversations.
I sat for a moment, trying to talk myself into continuing on. Marcus had requested to meet here. He’d sent a text with the name of the restaurant, politely asking to meet. Normally I’d have jumped at the chance, but my conscience rode me hard. What I’d done kept me awake, staring at my ceiling all night while guilt gnawed at my insides. I knew what I’d done was wrong.
When I finally pushed open the door of my vehicle, the rain hit me in cold, heavy drops. I didn’t bother with an umbrella, letting the rain soak into my hair and dampen my shoulders. Maybe I wanted the discomfort as some small penance for what I’d done.