Total pages in book: 159
Estimated words: 155775 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 779(@200wpm)___ 623(@250wpm)___ 519(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 155775 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 779(@200wpm)___ 623(@250wpm)___ 519(@300wpm)
How had she gotten here?
The last thing she could remember was being in the hotel room.
But her sisters hadn’t been there . . . where were they?
Nausea bubbled in her stomach. Why couldn’t she remember getting back into Cash’s truck? Had she passed out? Why?
“It’s all right, Addie,” Cash said to her. “We’ll find out who wrote that message. I’ll keep you safe.”
Who wrote what message? Had her sisters left her a message?
The hotel room had been trashed, but nothing was taken. That wouldn’t have been Dotty or Monroe. Dotty was exceptionally tidy. And while Monroe could be messy, that had been beyond anything she would do.
Message. Message.
Oh my God. Suddenly, she remembered.
The message.
That’s why she’d gotten upset. She’d started to panic when she realized that the message might be from Vextar or that it could be from the man with the dark, soulless eyes.
Exaggerating much, Addie? Soulless eyes? That was ridiculous.
Could it have been him? Had he seen her? Was he coming for her because of what she’d seen?
Addie knew that was crazy. But there had just been something about that man . . .
Oh God.
She was going to be sick.
Grabbing hold of Cash’s arm, she tugged on it.
He glanced down at her. “What is it?”
“Sick!” She barely managed to get the word out before she started gagging. Putting her hand over her mouth, she willed it back.
Do not be sick.
Do. Not.
Cash swore and pulled his pickup over to the side of the road.
Ralen reached over her, undoing her belt before opening his door and sliding her out. He held her against his body.
It was kind of him. Even if it felt weird to be held by him. She preferred Cash’s touch.
“Give her to me,” Cash said roughly.
“Thank fuck. You know I’m a sympathy puker,” Ralen said.
And then Cash was reaching for her. She turned to him, wanting to say something . . . like ‘sorry’ or ‘help, there might be a murderer after me.’
However, before she could say any of that, her stomach erupted. And she puked.
Right on his shoes.
Wonderful.
Great.
If he’d felt even an iota of interest in her, it was now gone. Because there was no coming back from puking on a man’s nice, black boots.
“Oh God,” Ralen said before he turned away and started to heave. Which, of course, made her heave more. Because she was also a sympathy puker. Although she’d never puked then followed up with sympathy puking. This was a new low.
“Ralen, you’re making her sick again!” Cash said.
What about poor Ralen? She’d made him sick in the first place! Poor guy hadn’t asked for any of this.
“Sorry! Sorry! I’m going to go and get us some water. We passed a gas station not far back.”
Addie sobbed. Humiliation and embarrassment whirled inside her.
“Shh, let it all out, baby,” Cash murmured.
Baby? Why was he calling her that?
Shouldn’t he be calling her an idiot? Or pukey? Smelly guts?
He drew her against him, rubbing her back and speaking to her soothingly. The feeling of safety that washed through her was crazy. She’d never felt safe with anyone before.
Not like this.
Right now, she felt like she could bury herself into his embrace and nothing would ever harm her again.
Because he wouldn’t allow it.
Which was crazy, of course. Because after tonight she’d probably never see him again.
A wave of sadness hit her hard and fast.
You cannot let yourself get attached to this man. He is way out of your league. You’re a two and he’s a five hundred.
Not to mention that she didn’t live here and had no interest in a relationship with someone.
No. But she would carry the memory of his care and attention for years to come.
You need to apologize.
Weirdly, the anxiety had quieted for the time being and she felt calmer and more together than she had in years.
“Sorry,” she told him.
“What was that?” he asked.
“I said s-sorry. For v-vomiting. For being s-such a b-bother.”
“Hey, that’s the most you’ve said. Well done!” He grasped hold of her chin, tilting her head back.
Yeah, but she’d probably sounded like a stuttering frog.
“A-anxious. Voice goes. Dumb.”
He scowled. “It is not dumb.”
Hmm, few other people would agree with him.
“Addie, I want you to look at me,” he said firmly.
A shiver ran through her as she raised her gaze to his. Those dark, intense eyes stared down at her.
Cash was a gorgeous man. She was certain he knew that. He must have a girlfriend, right?
Who wouldn’t appreciate her lusting after him like this.
“S-sorry.”
His gaze narrowed as he stared down at her. “You need to stop apologizing.”
She shrugged. Addie didn’t understand what was wrong with apologizing. Plus, she could be apologizing for a number of things.
Like the fact that you just puked all over his boots.
She glanced down at them. She should offer to clean those. And should she ask him if he had a girlfriend?