Total pages in book: 153
Estimated words: 154595 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 773(@200wpm)___ 618(@250wpm)___ 515(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 154595 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 773(@200wpm)___ 618(@250wpm)___ 515(@300wpm)
She didn’t need any more trauma.
Inside her stuffed dog had been two tracking devices. Kind of overkill to put two in. Although, maybe it was clever, in case one stopped working or went out of range.
Fucking bastard.
He couldn’t believe that bastard had kidnapped his girl. That he’d been following her all this time. Obviously, her getting into a relationship with Gray had sent him over the edge.
They didn’t know if he’d been the one to break into Suck ‘n Blow, but it was a definite possibility.
A whimper escaped her and he reached over to lightly rub her back.
“No! No!”
“Shh, you’re all right. You’re all right, baby. You’re safe. I won’t ever let anyone hurt you.”
“Daddy?” she asked in a small voice. “Daddy, need hugs.” He lifted her over so he could climb into the bed with her. She moved so she was lying on him. He wrapped his arms around her.
“I got you, baby. I got you.”
“Don’t let go.”
“Never. I’ll never let you go.”
“I love you so much, Daddy.” She patted his chest and moved her mouth over to his nipple to suck lightly. He’d dressed her in her favorite onesie so she’d feel comfortable.
“I love you too, baby. I’m so sorry I didn’t keep you safe.”
Maeve bit down on his nipple.
“Ouch! Fuck! What was that for?”
She pulled herself up so she could glare down at him. “That’s for being a silly-billy.”
“Maeve,” he said warningly.
“What? That’s what you’re being. Have you been watching me sleep all night?”
“It’s still night.”
She glanced over at the digital clock. “Barely, it’s nearly time to get up. Have you been watching me all night?”
“Maybe,” he admitted.
“Grumpy Bear,” she said softly. “You can’t do that.”
“Sure I can.”
“No, you need your sleep. If you don’t get your sleep then you’re an extra grouchy Grumpy Bear.”
“I can’t let you out of my sight.”
She patted the side of his face. “I know. I don’t want you to. But I do need you to sleep.”
“I failed you.”
She drew herself up so they were face-to-face.
“You didn’t fail me, Daddy. You couldn’t fail me if you tried. James was a complete creep. I told you the things he said. He would have kept coming for me. And I’m fine. I’m here. I’m alive. Everyone I love is safe. I’d call that a win, wouldn’t you?”
“I still should have protected you better.”
“Gray. I’m not Mama Jean. I’m safe. Everyone I care about is safe. And you are not infallible. I should have been fine, but this guy was a complete psycho. None of what happened is on you.”
“You’re going to have new nightmares.”
“And if I do, you’ll be there to hold me through them, won’t you?”
He rolled her onto her side and shifted so they were facing one another. “Of course, I will. I will always be there for you. I fucking love you, girl.”
“I love you too, Grumpy Bear.”
Gray knocked on the building manager’s door impatiently.
“Coming,” she yelled in a croaky voice.
He’d hated leaving Maeve to come do this. But it needed to be done now and by him. Markovich had promised to have eyes on her at all times. The other man was taking it as a personal affront that this had happened. He was even talking about moving.
It helped that Maeve’s stalker was dead.
They’d gotten rid of his body. He was no longer a threat to her.
His girl had nearly died yesterday.
He should have done more to protect her.
It was going to take a while for this feeling of failure to disappear.
“What do you want?” the woman asked, opening the door.
She stared at him, then behind to where Mikhail and Saint stood. She didn’t look concerned by their presence.
“Well?”
“I want keys to the room rented by this guy.” They didn’t know what name he’d been using, so he showed her a photo of James Saulson that he had saved on his phone.
“That’s Grant Robson,” she stated. “He left a while ago. Just took off without a word.”
“Have you rented out his room?” he asked.
“No, his rent was paid until two days ago, so I thought he might be coming back. Why? You want it?”
“I don’t want to rent it. I want to look in it.”
“Will cost you.”
“Fine. A weeks rent.” He held out a hundred dollars and she snatched it from his hand.
“I’ll get the key. You won’t find much, though. I cleaned the place out.”
“What? Why didn’t you say that first?” he asked when she returned with the key.
“Because you didn’t ask.”
Fuck. This bitch. He scowled at her but she just stared back at him, unimpressed.
“Where is his stuff?”
“The place was a pigsty. Either someone had broken in or he lived like that. I don’t know. But I sold what I could and binned the rest.”
“Was there a laptop? Computer? Pen drives?”
“Nope. None of that.”
She could be lying, but what could he do. Fuck, any information that had been here was now likely gone.