Total pages in book: 25
Estimated words: 22751 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 114(@200wpm)___ 91(@250wpm)___ 76(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 22751 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 114(@200wpm)___ 91(@250wpm)___ 76(@300wpm)
"There is no need to pout,” he chuckles. “There isn't anyone but you, Kate. I knew it the first time you stepped into the room with me. It took everything in me not to chase after you when you left. The only thing that stopped me was knowing you were safe."
"You felt that too?" I was drawn to him from the start when I should have been worried over his connection to my father. In the end I wasn’t, because I didn't run that day or the next. In fact, I'd hoped to see him again.
"I did." He nods. "I started hanging around more and hoping for the chance to run into you again. When I saw the article your father released about you being missing, I got worried you might run. That's why I was in one of the exam rooms. I was pretending to work and trying to sort out what I should do while staying close to you."
“So what do we do now?” I ask. “Do I hide away here forever? That's not realistic, and we both know it.”
"Don't get me wrong; keeping you tied to my bed and tucked away safely has its appeal, but I wouldn't do that to you."
"I'm not saying I'm opposed to this idea."
A deep chuckle rumbles from him, and it makes me relax. The tension between us and what I'd almost done has melted away.
"Don't tempt me, baby girl." He tucks a piece of hair behind my ear. "But we both want a life together. A real one."
"I want that more than anything," I confess.
"Then you have to trust that I'll make that happen. Can you do that for me?" He grips my chin between his thumb and forefinger, moving in closer. "Will you hand over all your trust to me?"
"Yes, Daddy."
A smile spreads across his lips. "That's my girl."
CHAPTER
FOURTEEN
WYNN
“Hey, Doc, long time no see,” Cedric says when I walk into the gym. He’s behind the front desk, and I usually stop and talk to him for a bit before I head in to work out.
“I’ve had someone to keep me busy,” I tell him and then feel Kate’s hand give mine a little squeeze.
“I can see that.” Cedric smiles politely at Kate. “Nice to meet you, Mrs. Doc.”
“It’s not—” Kate starts to correct him, but I don’t give her a chance to.
“We’re running a little late. Gotta talk to Maverick in his office,” I say and keep walking toward the back.
“We’ll catch up later,” Cedric says and gives me a sly wink before I’m out of sight.
“Are you sure this is safe?” Kate is having to walk fast to keep up with my steps, but I’ve been on edge since we left the house.
“I won’t let anything happen to you,” I tell her, and she smiles up at me.
“I know that. I trust you.”
I pull her to my side as we walk into the office, and as soon as Kate steps in, she squeaks with surprise.
“Juliet, you came,” Kate says to the other woman as they embrace in a quick hug.
“Where else would I be?” Juliet tells Kate. She smiles at me over Kate’s shoulder before her husband Maverick shakes my hand.
“Thanks for meeting me,” I tell him, and he nods.
“Why don’t we go over the plan,” Juliet says to all of us as we take a seat around a small table. “I appreciate you letting me know what was going on. I’ve been worried about Kate since you agreed to keep her safe.”
The other night when I couldn’t sleep, I’d sent a message to Juliet and let her know what I was thinking of doing. How I planned to end this.
“Are you sure doing this publicly is a good idea?” Maverick asks me the question, but he’s looking at Juliet and Kate as well.
“He won’t stop coming after her,” I tell him and cover Kate’s hand with mine. “Her father has made a public show of reporting her missing and claiming that she’s mentally unstable. In order for Kate to be free of him, we need to be just as public.”
“Are you sure you’re up for this?” Juliet has a true look of concern as she watches Kate carefully.
“Wynn is right,” Kate says. “And besides, I’ve done nothing wrong. He was the one who hurt me, and I’ve got pictures and documentation to prove it.”
“Can’t he just say it’s your word against his?” Maverick asks the same question Kate asked me when I first told her about my plan.
“He can,” I say. “But like I told Kate, the shame of what happened to her is in the secrecy of it. If we bring it to the light, then it doesn’t hold power over her anymore. The public will know what Boris Walton has done to her, and the shame will become his. That, along with my evidence, will show his history of violence.”