Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 78745 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 394(@200wpm)___ 315(@250wpm)___ 262(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78745 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 394(@200wpm)___ 315(@250wpm)___ 262(@300wpm)
“Of course,” I answer. “I’ll keep Dean informed, and we’ll update you as soon as we have more news.”
She smiles, and there’s relief in her eyes. “I feel better knowing you’re on the case.”
Briar and I exchange a look, a sense of shared accomplishment passing between us. We came, we dined, and we tackled the dreaded parental inquisition. As we step through the door, onto the front steps, I inhale deeply, the cool evening air wrapping around us.
Briar slips her arm through mine again, and we descend the steps together. My heart hammers in my chest, but for all the right reasons now. I can’t help thinking that maybe we’re one step closer to resolving all of this.
Chapter 13
Briar
I can’t stop staring at Orion. When my mother and father were asking him about how he plans to keep me safe, all I could think about is how this alpha hero is never wavering in his protection of me. It’s like I’m the most important thing in his orbit. I personally don’t get it, but I feel like Orion would take a bullet for me if the situation were ever to arise.
Oh god, I hope that situation never arises.
Yet, here I am, the most important thing to Orion, and I have to keep reminding myself that I’m only a job to him. Right? This is what he’s trained to do. Assess every danger. Keep me safe.
“You got any personal items of Jason’s?” Orion asks me as we drive back to his place, interrupting my inner monologue.
“I have a few things back at my place. Old pictures, stuff like that.”
He nods. “We’re going to swing by there and get it. I want to know everything there is to know about this motherfucker.”
The way he speaks makes my body shake with need. We’re talking about nothing normal, and I should hate the subject, but the way his voice is low and all growly, turns me on. What would it be like to have this beast of a man pounding deep inside me?
I bet he likes control. I bet he’d be a little rough. With a gentleness too. I hate thinking about the fact that he’s probably slept with hundreds of women before me. Maybe even more.
“What’s going through your head over there?” he asks me as he navigates the streets to my place.
I cross my arms over my chest. “Dinner was nice, right?”
He glances at me briefly before returning his focus back on the road in front of him. “No.”
“No?” I cut in.
“Let me finish,” he smiles lightly, “I said, no, what were you thinking about?”
My cheeks flush. I can’t tell him I was thinking about the way he’d fuck me if given the chance.
“Oh, nothing.”
He pulls into the parking lot of my apartment building and parks the SUV. He turns toward me, resting his hand on my knee. “It wasn’t nothing. Were you thinking about Jason?”
I laugh. “That was by far the furthest thing from my mind.”
His eyes search mine, like he’s searching for answers. He finally drops it, and removes his hand from my knee. “Let’s get in and get out. I don’t want to be here any longer than we need to.”
I nod. “Right,” I say, remembering why we’re here.
Jason and I weren’t together for very long, a few months, so it’s not like I have tons of keepsakes of our time together. However, I have a few things that might be helpful.
I unlock the door to my apartment, the familiar click echoing through the dark, empty hallway. It hasn’t even been that long since I’ve been here, but it feels like years since I last walked over this threshold. My stomach twists with a mixture of unease and nostalgia.
I glance up at Orion, who’s standing behind me, quietly surveying the surroundings. He flicks on a nearby lamp, and a soft, amber glow illuminates the small living room. Everything looks exactly as I left it. Like time has stood still while I was away.
“It’s weird being here. I’m sort of on edge,” I say softly, my gaze traveling around the space. I can’t shake the feeling that any moment, Jason might appear from behind a corner, or show up at the front door demanding answers. It’s irrational, but that’s my reality right now—constant fear.
“You’re safe. I’m here and won’t let anything happen to you,” Orion replies, his voice low and reassuring. He closes the door behind us and flicks the deadbolt shut. I watch him pocket the key, his movements smooth and controlled. “We’ll grab what we need and get out.”
I nod, remembering why we’re here. Dean and Orion both suggested I gather any old photos, notes, or gifts from Jason, in case we need evidence or a timeline. Part of me doesn’t want to hold onto anything that reminds me of him, but another part knows this could help build a stronger case.