Total pages in book: 106
Estimated words: 105231 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 526(@200wpm)___ 421(@250wpm)___ 351(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 105231 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 526(@200wpm)___ 421(@250wpm)___ 351(@300wpm)
Anger welled inside him again as he imagined all of the ways she could have been harmed tonight.
No, she had no sense of safety and she most definitely needed him.
End. Of. Story.
Bonkers.
He was completely and utterly bonkers.
Not just a teensy bit insane as she’d first thought, but off his rocker.
Caren didn’t even know where to start with what he’d just said. For one, River wasn’t a date. She’d been interviewing him for the job as her assistant. He’d actually been her third interview this week. And he was the best one of the lot, which wasn’t really saying much.
“River isn’t⎯”
“I’m going to have to put my foot down about this. I’ll approve any dates from now on; you have to send them to me first and I will do background checks. I might even need to meet them first.”
Breathe.
You cannot murder him.
But put his foot down? She thought not. Caren had taken care of herself for a long time, in far more dangerous places than New York.
So, nope. He would not be meeting any of her dates first. And she wasn’t about to tell him how pathetic her love life was.
And by pathetic she meant non-existent.
“You are not meeting any of my dates first,” she told him in a strangled voice.
Screw telling him the truth about River. The guy was bonkers. He didn’t deserve any explanations. What he needed was a lobotomy!
“You don’t understand how many crazy people are in this city,” he told her earnestly.
“Oh, trust me, I’m beginning to realize that.” She was staring at one right now.
“Good. Then you understand why I think it would be best if you moved in with me. I’ll contact a moving company tomorrow. We can have you moved out quick.”
Okay, now she couldn’t breathe.
He was a steamroller.
“I’m not moving in with you, Travis.”
“It will be safer.”
“I’m not in any danger, you lunatic!” She threw her hands into the air. “I’ve lived in far more dangerous places than here and survived without your protection. I’m not moving in. There will be no vetting or meeting my dates. And I am not yours to take care of!”
Although that last part did sound rather nice.
However, she was not buying into his crazy.
No thank you.
Reaching for the door handle, she opened it and jumped out, rushing to the front door of her apartment building.
“This isn’t the last you’ll hear from me,” he called out calmly.
“You realize that’s something a lunatic would say!” she yelled back. “Don’t make me get a restraining order.”
That went against every fiber of her being if she was honest. Because all she wanted was to fall into his arms and let him take care of everything.
However, that wasn’t her life. She couldn’t let anyone else have control, except when she was at a club. That was the only time her brain could ever rest. When she let her guard down.
The rest of the time she had to take care of herself.
There was no one else she could trust with her.
Not even Travis “lunatic” Andrews.
7
He should have expected the call.
Although he was surprised it had taken her twenty-four hours.
He stared out at the setting sun. He had an amazing view of the New York skyline. Something he never grew tired of.
But, strangely, he couldn’t seem to enjoy it tonight.
Nothing seemed quite right. His apartment had felt cold and empty when he returned to it last night.
It was missing something.
Maybe a loud, chaotic ball of orange and pink?
That was nuts. He wanted her to live here so he could protect her. Not because she was the thing that was missing in his life.
Nope.
Sure, he’d decided he needed a woman in his life. But he wanted someone more stable. Someone who had their life under control. Someone obedient. And calm. Who wouldn’t add chaos to his life.
That wasn’t Caren. He was certain of that.
“Aren’t you on your honeymoon?”
“We’re leaving in two days.” They’d had to postpone it due to a big case coming up for Black-Gray suddenly. “And you know that. It’s likely written on your calendar.”
It was.
But he was admitting to nothing.
“Then why are you calling me? Shouldn’t you be getting ready?”
“I should! But first I thought I’d call and see what my crazy-ass cousin thinks he’s doing!”
“I don’t know what Clay is up to, I’m not his keeper.”
“You know full well that I’m not talking about Clay! Why did you interrupt the dinner that Caren was having last night? How did you even know she was there?”
“I didn’t,” he said, irritation filling him. “I was there having dinner.”
“You were? Why? You hate restaurants like that.”
Oh, so Caren had given her the full rundown? Tattletale.
That would be another rule. He needed to write these down for her.
First, though, he had to ensure that she followed the rules he’d already given her. That was the tricky part. Who knew it would be so hard to get a tiny pink and orange pixie to obey him?