Total pages in book: 158
Estimated words: 144908 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 725(@200wpm)___ 580(@250wpm)___ 483(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 144908 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 725(@200wpm)___ 580(@250wpm)___ 483(@300wpm)
“Neither is seeing several men killed and going back into a dining room and facing your friends as if nothing happened. Coming home, fucking like rabbits and not even talking about all those dead bodies. That’s not normal either for you, Ambrielle. That was never your world.” He kept his tone even, quiet. He didn’t want to have the conversation, but she was his to do his best for. His best meant healing her, even if that meant ultimately having to give her up.
She rubbed her cheek on his chest. “I take time to process things. All I cared about was keeping you safe. Once I found out Amanda had led those men to the restaurant with the express purpose of killing you . . .”
“And kidnapping you,” he interrupted.
“I sort of overlooked that part. I can’t lose you, Master. That’s the traumatized part of me talking. I know that. Not the one that’s numb to what you and the rest of Torpedo Ink did so efficiently for survival. That part I understand, probably because my parents raised me to realize you do whatever it takes when you’re threatened. I knew those men were there to kill you. I expected you to fight back, and you did. I was impressed with how fast and competent you all were, but knowing you were trained from the time you were so young, I’m not surprised.”
“Let’s go back to the traumatized part talking. What do you mean?”
“I was almost hysterical when I was looking for you. Very single-minded. I would have fought Destroyer. I would have done anything to get to you. Right now, you’re my entire world. I feel as if I don’t have anyone else. You’re my center. My anchor. I’m lost without you. I know that isn’t healthy for either one of us. I’m trying to find a balance so I’m not so dependent on you, but I can’t seem to do that yet. You’ve been extremely kind to me, letting me lean so heavily on you when I know that’s not normal for you either.”
She was right. It wasn’t. He hadn’t thought too much about that and why he didn’t mind his princess clinging to him when if it was any other woman, he would have shrugged them off without a thought.
“Maybe we both need a fucking counselor, princess.” He poured humor into his voice.
“We do, Master. I’ll go with you and make sure you don’t say anything that lands you in prison. And you go with me and make sure I don’t say anything that puts me there either.”
“Why in the world would you think you would be going to prison, Ambrielle?”
She brushed a kiss onto his chest. “Because I’m not letting you kill Walker Thompson for me. You aren’t doing that. You can find him. I need you to find him because I don’t have those resources and you do, but you’re done with killing. Nothing is going to send you back to prison. I’ll kill Thompson because he deserves to die. Not you, Kir. You’re mine to protect, and I’m going to do it.”
Holy shit. His heart exploded in his chest. That was the last thing he expected. What did a man do with that? She wasn’t killing Thompson, but he wasn’t arguing with his woman. His cock was suddenly as hungry for her as his heart.
THIRTEEN
Ambrielle paused to look at the wooden sign carved in the shape of a hat hung outside a charming shop declaring its name was the Floating Hat. The tea, bath and lotion boutique was situated between a clever little wine shop and a very popular gift shop. From the outside, the combination tea and lotion shop looked on the small side, with bay windows jutting out on either side of a heavy, ornately carved wooden door. But peering through the windows, Ambrielle could tell the sense of smallness was only an illusion.
One display held an assortment of teas and stacked caddies of delicious-looking scones and cakes along with other baked goods. Another display was of lotions and bath products, all organic and beautifully packaged.
Ambrie slipped her hand into the crook of Master’s elbow. “Isn’t it sort of odd to have a tea shop where you actually serve tea and scones, but you sell bath products as well?”
She found the store intriguing. The more she stood looking into the windows, the more she felt a pull to go into the shop. In fact, a sense of peace descended on her when she stayed close to the windows, where before, just the thought of being separated from Master, even for a couple of hours, had her feeling secretly agitated. She tried hard to hide her nervousness from him. It was silly to be so clingy, but she couldn’t get over the feeling that she needed to be with him all the time or he’d be taken from her. She knew she couldn’t bear to lose him. She wouldn’t survive intact.