Total pages in book: 115
Estimated words: 109695 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 548(@200wpm)___ 439(@250wpm)___ 366(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 109695 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 548(@200wpm)___ 439(@250wpm)___ 366(@300wpm)
Still, a deep yearning filled my heart. I was falling for him. And she was right, it wasn’t just physical. This went much deeper. He could break my heart. After Brandon, I wasn’t sure I could be that vulnerable again. Was I ready to take a chance with Stone? Even if it was just one night?
It was starting to get dark, and we needed to leave. I wasn’t sure about the plan to draw Johnny out, but we needed to plant all the security cameras tonight if it had a chance of succeeding. I hoped my psychometry kicked in, so we’d know if it would work before we went through with it.
“We need to go.” I turned to Felicity. “Thanks for the talk. I’ll think about everything you said.”
“I love you, Sis.” She pulled me into a quick hug. “You know that saying from our favorite movie. A life lived in fear—”
“—is a life half-lived. I know. I love you, too.” I grabbed my jacket and stepped toward the patio.
“Before you go, I’ve got some leftovers for you.”
Glancing at Stone, I nodded her way before stepping onto the patio. I caught his eye with a wave. He nodded and brought Gracie with him so I could give her a hug. As we told everyone goodbye, Gracie gave Stone a big hug and kissed him on the cheek, raving about her cool dragon egg. Sheesh! Even a seven-year-old wasn’t immune to his charms.
We made it to the car before Felicity yelled at me from the front door. “You forgot your leftovers!”
I turned to Stone. “I’ll be right back.” I left him standing beside the car and hurried back to the porch. “Sorry.”
“Don’t worry about it. If I was leaving with him, I’d be a little scatter-brained too.”
I shook my head and took the plate of food.
“If you get a minute, please call me. I need details.”
“You’re the worst.” I playfully swatted her arm before turning to leave. With a wave, I hurried across the lawn to the street.
Before stepping onto the road, I noticed a car coming down the street. I wasn’t sure they could see me, so I stopped to wait for them to pass. The car came to a stop about fifty yards away, and their high-beam lights flashed on. I waited a couple more seconds to make sure they could see me before starting across.
The sound of rolling tires on the pavement confused me. I jerked my gaze to the car and terror seized my heart. It was picking up speed and heading straight for me.
Chapter 21
Serenity
Before I could scream, Stone tackled me, hurtling us out of the way. The momentum threw us to the ground, where Stone took the brunt of the fall. I rolled with him until we came to a stop in the gutter.
Stone shifted off of me. “You okay?”
“I think so.”
“Serenity!” Felicity shrieked from the house. “Oh my God!” She ran down the lawn towards us.
Stone jumped to his feet, but the car was long gone. Bending down, he helped me stand. I clung to him, my legs shaking. “What the hell was that?”
Stone’s hold tightened. “Someone just tried to kill you.”
Felicity reached us, her gaze traveling over my body. “Holy hell! Are you okay?”
“Yeah. I’m all right.”
“That car nearly hit you! I thought…” She covered her mouth with her hand. “If Nate hadn’t—”
“What’s going on!” Mom rushed to my side.
“What happened?” Dad yelled, coming up behind her, followed by Ryan and Will.
Felicity turned to them. “A car almost hit Serenity! I saw the whole thing! It was waiting for her to cross, but it sped up while she was in the road. It would have hit her if Nate hadn’t tackled her out of the way.”
“Did anyone see the car?” Will asked.
“The brights were on.” I shook my head. “I didn’t see a thing.”
“Should we call the police?” Mom asked. “You could have been killed!” Mom jerked me into her arms. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
“I’m fine. Just a little shook up.” She held me tight, rocking me back and forth like I was a child. I pulled back from her smothering embrace, and Dad grabbed me next, then Felicity joined him. I held them both for a few seconds before pulling away. “I’m okay. It’s fine.”
“I’m calling the police.” Will pulled out his phone.
I glanced at Stone. He stepped beside me, and I leaned into his arms. “Is that a problem?” I whispered.
“No. It’s fine.” He glanced at the others. “We should file a report with the police, but you need to be prepared that they won’t be able to do much. I didn’t even see what kind of car it was.” He motioned to my sister. “Do you have a security camera on your house?”
Her shoulders fell. “No. I’ve been wanting to get one, but—”