Total pages in book: 141
Estimated words: 128313 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 642(@200wpm)___ 513(@250wpm)___ 428(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 128313 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 642(@200wpm)___ 513(@250wpm)___ 428(@300wpm)
Some fucker was truly coming for me.
“I need to go,” I said.
“We’ll come,” Atticus said.
“No!” I said. “Go to Paris. Don’t give any indication to anyone outside of this team that something’s wrong.” I was breathing quickly, my head racing with a million thoughts.
“Jasper,” Hallie said, tears filling her big turquoise eyes. It fucking destroyed me. Taking her arm, I checked the coast was clear and pulled her into a private tack room. I shut the door and crushed my mouth to hers. When I pulled back, I said, “Stay here. Carry on to Paris. I’m going to double security.” I cupped her face, smoothing my thumbs down her cheeks. “I’m going to make sure you’re safe, that you’re protected. I promise—”
“Jasper—”
“I’ll fix things, I promise, Angel—”
“Jasper—”
“You don’t need to worry, you—”
“Jasper!” Hallie’s raised voice cut me off. I stared down at the girl who had completely taken hold of my damaged soul and knew I didn’t deserve her.
Hallie held my hand and kissed my fingers. “I’m not worried about me,” she said, her accent thickening. “I’m asking about you. Are you okay, baby?”
I stared at Hallie, the woman I was pretty fucking sure I loved, and said, “No, but I have to go anyway.”
“What did Forrest say?”
“He didn’t elaborate,” I said. “Which makes me think it’s really bad.” Nothing had hit the news yet, so I was glad for small mercies.
Hallie kissed me again. I wanted to go to a hotel room with her, lock the door, and bury myself in her all night and forget about what I might face back home. But . . . “I have to go, Angel.”
“Call me,” she said. “When you can. Or if you need me. Any time of the day or night.”
A glimmer of warmth broke through the tension coiling inside of me. “I’ll always need you.” I kissed her again, then said, “Kick arse in Paris. Don’t let this spoil your focus. You’re doing too well. And I’ll get back to you as soon as I can.”
“Okay,” she said, and I burst from the tack room and headed for the car that was waiting for me at the entrance of the stables.
“Jasper.” Atticus caught up with me. “Keep me informed, yeah?”
“I will,” I said, then gripping my youngest cousin’s arm, said, “Keep them safe. Please.” My throat thickened, and I said, “I can’t fucking believe it’s happening again.”
Atticus wore his concern on his face for me to see. “You know I’ll take care of things here.” I nodded and hugged Atticus, then rushed to the car, waving at Leon, who was trying to comfort Sage and Hallie. I texted back and forth with my pilot—the only good thing about this situation was that it was less than an hour’s flight to get back home. If I’d been somewhere like Shanghai, I’d have been crawling out of my skin.
When all the arrangements had been made, I stared out the window of the car, and the images of my father’s “accident” came firing into my mind with the force of a million bullets. Of Genny falling, Dahlia crushing her in front of a packed crowd. Now this.
What or who the fuck were we facing?
One thing was for certain: Over the past few months, I’d fooled myself, believing that I could have any kind of normal life while this threat hovered over our heads. It was a fantasy, a mistake I wouldn’t—couldn’t—make again.
I had to find out who wanted me destroyed, once and for all. I couldn’t put anyone else at risk. I couldn’t put Hallie at risk. I hadn’t told her, but I fucking loved that woman with everything I had left within me. She owned my soul. I had to find a way to keep her safe.
I’d do whatever it took.
I ran toward the house, seeing black smoke billowing in the air as I did. Forrest opened the door; Felix was standing behind him. “What happened?” I said, not even saying hello. Was our stud on fucking fire?
Forrest’s expression was livid. Even the quiet and introverted Felix looked murderous. “They attacked our family barn,” Forrest said.
I blanched. “The horses . . . Henry . . .”
“They’re shook up,” Forrest said. “But . . . they’re okay.” I smelled smoke again and looked toward the stables.
“Jesus . . .” I said, rubbing my forehead and saw that our private arena was in shambles. The roof had caved in and the exterior of the stables beside it were blackened by the flames.
“The police have just left,” Felix said. “The fire chief is still here if you want to talk with him?”
“Yes, immediately,” I said, wondering how the hell this could happen to a state-of-the-art barn.
“What have they said?” I questioned as Felix and Forrest led me in the direction of the fire chief. “Arson?”