Total pages in book: 117
Estimated words: 110802 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 554(@200wpm)___ 443(@250wpm)___ 369(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 110802 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 554(@200wpm)___ 443(@250wpm)___ 369(@300wpm)
“Why would he dare?” Harper truly didn’t get it. “He was punished for saying crap about me once before. Wasn’t that enough?”
“Evidently not,” replied Tanner. “Making sure you hurt is apparently more important to him than his own pain. News of this will get round fast. You need to tell Knox before someone else does.”
Eventually they reached the large combat circle, beneath which Knox’s office was located. She followed Tanner up the flight of stairs behind the dome and over to a door marked “Office”; as always, it seemed to pulse with Knox’s power.
Stood there like a sentry, Levi inclined his head. “He’s waiting for you, Harper.”
“Thanks.” She twisted the metal knob and pushed the door open. Inside the office, Knox was standing behind his desk, having what seemed to be a somewhat unpleasant conversation with someone on the phone. His dark eyes met hers, and the strain around his features fell away.
Closing the door behind her, she crossed to his desk.
“Just get it done,” Knox ordered before ending the call. “Sorry, baby. There was a problem at one of the hotels. Apparently a fellow demon thought it was acceptable to fairly destroy a deluxe suite simply because he’s a celebrity.” He walked to her, drew her close, and kissed her soft and long. “You taste like coffee and caramel.”
“That’s because I had a caramel latte before I came here.”
He cocked his head. “Something’s wrong. What is it?”
She placed her hands on his upper arms. “Don’t freak out or anything. I’m fine; I’m not upset, just annoyed.”
Every muscle in his body tightened. “What happened?”
“Roan confronted me.” Anger reverberated against her mind, but nothing in his expression gave away that anger.
“What exactly did he say to you?” Knox asked as her body softened against his; he knew she was trying to soothe him. “Shouldn’t I be the one doing the comforting?”
She smiled, curling her arms around his waist. “I don’t need comfort. I’m really not upset.”
“Not upset,” he agreed. “But this saddens you.”
“It would be nice if things could be different,” she admitted. “But it is what it is.”
Knox tucked her hair behind her ear. “Tell me what he said to you.” With a sigh, she did. And anger roared through him. His demon shot to the surface and stroked her hair, vowing, “It will be dealt with.”
The lethal edge to its disembodied tone made Harper shiver. She nodded.
Knox reached for the surface, suppressing his demon, and cupped her neck. Brushing his thumb up and down the column of her throat, he said, “I’m sorry Roan said those things to you. You didn’t deserve it. And he knows better than that.” Keenan, find Roan. Apprehend him. He and I need to have another talk. You know where to take him.
Sure thing, Keenan replied. Can I ask why?
He confronted Harper and said some very unacceptable things.
A growl. I’ll get the little bastard.
Harper smoothed her hands up his back. “Who you talking to?” As their psyches were bonded, she could feel echoes of any telepathic conversations he had; she just couldn’t make out the words.
“Keenan,” he replied.
It was easy enough to guess. “You sent him after Roan.”
“He should have heeded my warning. I thought he had. Apparently not.” And Knox would ensure the little bastard paid for it.
“His head is a mess right now.”
“Not my problem. And it’s certainly not yours. He shouldn’t have tried to make it yours.” But of course Harper would take pity on him.
“He didn’t hurt me. Not physically or even emotionally.”
“Because you don’t care enough about him for anything he does to hurt you.” In fact, Knox would be surprised if she cared for Roan at all. But she did care that things had to be this way. “He didn’t know that, though. He set out to hurt you.”
“I don’t think he wanted to hurt me. I think he just wanted to vent.”
“That’s not the point. I warned him. My demon warned him. Apparently my last punishment didn’t get through to him, so we’ll have to try something else.”
She resisted asking just what that punishment would be. “Can we go home now?”
He kissed her. “Whatever you want, baby.”
CHAPTER TEN
Driving through the fenced in property, Harper found herself frowning at the sight of Jonas’s home. Oh, it was impressive with the expansive lawn, statues, and fountain. The mansion itself was certainly grand, and she did like the large windows and thick white columns. But it was too… showy. Too snobbish. It had no personality and there was nothing welcoming about it.
The Bentley came to a stop near the front entrance, where a valet waited. Harper almost smiled at the extreme reluctance with which Levi handed over the keys. He and Tanner then stayed close behind Harper and Knox as they ascended the small set of slate steps.
The well-dressed demon at the door smiled. “Mr Thorne, Miss Wallis.” He gave the briefest of nods to both Tanner and Levi. “If you would please follow me.”