Assumption
(Underground Kings #1)
Cover
Artist: Melissa Gil
Photographer:
Scott Hoover
RELEASE DATE:
September 5th, 2014
Blurb
as·sump·tion:
a
thing that is accepted as true or as certain to happen, without proof
They
say when you assume that you make an ass out of you and me. Kenton
Mayson learned this lesson firsthand when he made assumptions about
Autumn Freeman and the kind of woman she is based on what little
information he had. What he finds out is she’s not only beautiful,
but also smart, funny, a fighter, and exactly the kind of woman he
wants to share his life with. Autumn made assumptions of her own
about Kenton, and now he needs to prove her wrong in order to protect
her and their future.
Prologue
& Chapter 1
Prologue
I
see you judging me. I know what you’re thinking. She has to be a
slut; she works at a strip club and takes off her clothes for money.
Yes! I work at a strip club, and you may think I’m a whore for
showing off my body, but this is a talent that has been forced down
my throat since I was a young child. Look pretty and smile. I put on
a show for those who choose to watch. However long I’m on stage,
I’m not even me. It’s what I imagine an out of body experience
would be like—a performance, nothing more, nothing less. The people
watching make assumptions about who they think I am, or cook up a
story in their heads of whom they want me to be. I’m just another
beautiful face.
Beautiful. I hate that
fucking word. Who gives a crap if someone is attractive on the
outside if they are dying inside? My whole life has been about what I
look like. I swear, the only reason my mother kept me was to have a
real-life, living, breathing doll she could dress up and control,
which is the exact reason why as soon as I became eighteen, I got as
far away from her special brand of crazy as I could. That’s also
why I don’t date. The first thing guys do is look at me and see a
pretty face, a nice body, and an empty space where my brain’s
supposed to be. They have no interest in getting to know the person I
am on the inside. They don’t care I volunteer my spare time, and
they couldn’t care less I’m going to school to be an RN. They
don’t ask about my hopes, my dreams, or about where I see my life
in twenty years. They don’t care about me at all.
They
just want someone pretty to follow them around and tell them how
handsome they are, how special they are, while agreeing with
everything they say. Fuck that! I did that for too many years. That’s
why I live inside books. At least there I can choose where I want to
be—from the highlands of Scotland, to a king’s bed in a faraway
land—and even if it’s pretend, sometimes that’s a lot better
than reality.
Chapter
1
I look out
the plane window, my finger going to the glass, feeling the cold on
my fingertips as I look out at the land moving quickly below me. It’s
funny how from up here, everything looks so small. I never traveled
in a plane before today; just the idea of being trapped inside a tin
can while flying at six hundred miles an hour never appealed to me. I
take a breath and look at the TV monitor that’s in the seat in
front of me. The small, animated plane on the screen shows we’re
over halfway to Tennessee.
“Are you
traveling for business or pleasure?”
I turn my
head and look at the guy sitting next to me. He’s slightly
overweight and balding, but he also has wrinkles around his eyes,
giving him the appearance of someone who smiles often. I debate with
myself on whether or not to answer before replying, “Business.”
His eyes
drop to my mouth, then to my chest as I fight the urge to punch him
in the throat. I hate when men go from nice to creepy. I shake my
head, turning away from him. I don’t know why I even try. I feel a
hand on my bare leg and my head swings around quickly. “Touch me
again and I will rip off your balls and feed them to you,” I tell
him in a soft tone, trying not to bring attention to us. He quickly
removes his hand before swallowing hard.
“I…I’m
sorry.”
I shake my
head before turning my body away from his. I feel tears sting my
nose, but I fight them back. No way am I going to cry now—not when
just six hours ago, my whole world exploded and I didn’t shed one
single tear. I lay my forehead to the glass, closing my eyes. I still
can’t believe how fast my life changed…
Yesterday
I got up
that morning and went to the hospital like I always do. I work at one
of the busiest ERs in Vegas. I’ve been working there since I
finished school, and was required to get my clinical hours for my RN
certification. As soon as I walked into the building, I was loaded
down with work. Weekends are always crazy in Sin City, but yesterday
seemed worse than normal—two drug overdoses, three stomach pumps,
and one gun shot victim. Later, I was leaving the hospital exhausted,
only to head to my real job—well, the one that pays me the money I
need to live.
“Hey,
Angel.”
“Hey,
Sid.” I gave him a half-smile as I walked into The Lions Den, the
gentlemen’s club I worked at. Do I like to strip? No. Does it pay
my bills? Yes. The second I get on stage, I’m no longer me; my
brain shuts off and my body takes over, the same way it used to when
I was growing up and my mom forced me into pageants. I’m accustomed
to being on display and used for my appearance. I wish life was
different, but it is what it is. Some people complain about being
overweight or having acne; for me, I hate being beautiful. I know it
sounds stupid; I mean, why would anyone complain about being
attractive, right? Here’s why: men see me as an object, and women
see me as competition. No one is ever willing to give me a chance;
they all judge me by what’s on the outside, never taking a second
to find out even the smallest detail about who I am. I know I’m a
walking cliché; I hate being beautiful, yet I work in a business
where I put myself front and center to be viewed and judged.
The
difference? For the first time in my life, when I get on stage, it’s
my choice; no one is forcing me to do it. I get up there to earn the
money so I can change my life in a way that will make it where I
never have to be objectified again.
“Tired?”
Sid questioned, following me. I had worked for Sid for the last three
years. He was a friend of sorts; he’s also my boss.
“Yeah, I
can’t wait until my clinical hours are over and I can start working
at the hospital full-time, instead of having two jobs.”
“I don’t
like that I won’t see your face all the time, but I know you need
to move on,” he conceded.
“Some
other girl will come in and you will forget all about me.”
“Never,
Angel.” His eyes move over my face and he shakes his head. “You’re
working VIP tonight.” He followed me down the hall towards the
dressing rooms.
“Sure,”
I agreed, already exhausted. I needed a shower and a bed, but knew I
was going to be there for at least eight hours, so I might as well
suck it up.
“The
guys coming in are important, so you need to make sure they’re
happy the whole time they’re here.”
“I have
done this before,” I reminded him, stopping outside the dressing
room door to frown at him.
“Normally,
I wouldn’t say anything—you know that—but I gotta go get on a
plane, so I won’t be here to check on them.”
“I’ll
make sure they’re taken care of,” I assured him.
“Thanks,
Angel.” He kissed my forehead like he often did before walking
away. I watched him go for a second before pulling myself together.
“Oh!
Look who’s here,” Tessa said as soon as I entered the dressing
room. I ignored her and tossed my bag into my locker before pulling
my scrubs off. Tessa is a bitch; she is just like the girls I used to
compete against in pageants. To her, life is a competition, and she
is determine to come out the winner, even if she has to throw
everyone else under the bus on her way to the top. “Mick said I
could work VIP tonight,” she said to one of the other girls in the
room. I ignored her, knowing better than to tell her it wasn’t
happening. I was sure Mick did tell her that…after she took him in
the backroom and gave him something to convince him. “Pixie said
the guys coming in are some big-time land developers, so you know the
tips are going to be outrageous. Thank God, because I need to have my
tits redone, and that shit is not cheap.” I rolled my eyes and
headed for the shower room. I had met a couple nice girls during my
time here, but most were just like Tessa—a whole lot of hair, tits,
ass, and not much else.
I stood in
front of the mirror and put on a coat of red lipstick before standing
back, looking myself over. The VIP dress code is different than the
rest of the club. The required outfit consists of a sheer, black
overlay bra, black silk panties, a black garter belt with sheer hose,
and black heels. My long, naturally red hair was pulled back on one
side by a large flower; the rest was loose and wavy, flowing down my
back and one shoulder. My creamy white skin, red lips, and smoky eyes
made me look almost like a sexy vamp.
“You
ready, Angel?” Sid asked, pounding on the door.
“Showtime,”
I whispered before opening the door.
“You
look beautiful; I’m going to take you in there and introduce you
before heading out.”
“Sure.”
I followed him down the hall to the club. The Lion’s Den is
well-known in the area for its exclusivity. The walls are painted a
dark brown, and the booths are designed into the walls, making the
space feel intimate. The stage is in the center of the room, with a
single spotlight shining down on it. Every booth has a girl assigned
to it, and VIP has two girls. We aren’t allowed to interact with
the customers without being asked directly to do so.
The club
is less of a strip club, and more of a place for men to hangout and
drink while having beautiful women tend to them. If they choose to,
they can watch the girl in the center of the room put on a show. I
had been on stage several times in the three years I’ve worked
here. I never told Sid I didn’t like it up there, but he normally
put me in VIP, or assigned me to a booth for the night.
“Why are
you so worried about these guys?”
“They’re
thinking about opening up a Lion’s Den in one of the new casinos
they’re building.”
“That’s
huge! Congrats, honey.” I squeezed his bicep and gave him a smile.
“One
day, Angel, I’m gonna take you away from this place and show you
happiness. I wanna see that smile everyday.” My heart did a little
thud. Sid is a very attractive man, but he’s not for me. I don’t
want or need a man; they get you all discombobulated, filling your
head with a bunch of lies then expect you to follow them around. I
did that once. I thought a man was going to save me from the hell I
was living in. I gave him my virginity and my heart, and he gave me a
child I wasn’t allowed to keep and a heart so broken nothing or no
one would ever put it back together again.
I looked
through the two-way mirror at the men around the table in the VIP
room.
“All
right,” Sid says from beside me, “the man in the center at the
table is John Barbato; he is the owner of three of the largest clubs
in the city. The guy there on his left is Steven Creo; he’s some
big wig on Wall Street and has backed more than half the new clubs
and casinos opening on The Strip. The guy to the right of John has a
location they’re interested in purchasing.”
“Got it.
Who’s working with me?” I asked him.
“Tessa,
Mick said she would be the best out of the girls we’ve got on the
schedule tonight.”
“I’m
sure he did,” I mumbled, looking back into the room. “What other
bouncers are on tonight?” I hated when Mick and Craig worked
together; they were both more concerned about hooking up with the
girls than what was going on out on the floor.
“Link’s
here now.”
“Good.”
Link was a good guy and a close friend. He also took his job
seriously.
“All
right, let me introduce you quickly before I head out.”
“Sure.”
I followed him into the room; the men’s heads turned in our
direction smiling.
“Guys, I
want you to meet Angel. She’s gonna be your girl for the night. You
need anything, you ask her, and she will make sure you’re taken
care of,” Sid tells them, gesturing to me.
“Nice to
meet you,” one of the men said, smiling while the others nodded.
“Nice to
meet you.” I smiled back.
“Angel
will be right back; give me a minute guys.”
“Sure,”
the one that spoke before said. As Sid and I stepped away, I heard
from behind me, “Do you think the curtains match the drapes?” and
they all laughed. I hated that saying, and I swore once I was free of
this lifestyle, I would kick the next man in the nuts who said it.
“Okay, I
gotta head out. I won’t be back for two weeks,” Sid said once we
were standing in the hall.
“Have a
safe trip.”
His eyes
searched my face. His mouth opened and closed like he was going to
say something, but instead, he shook his head, kissed my cheek, and
walked off down the hall muttering something under his breath.
Tessa came
around the corner a couple seconds later with a smug smile on her
face. I hate to admit it, but she is beautiful. Her skin has a
natural glow that makes her look healthy and youthful. Her hair is
black and thick, reaching the top of her ass. Her eyes curve out at
the corners, showing off her Asian-American heritage. “You ready?”
she asked, looking at me from head to toe. I avoided rolling my eyes
at her before stepping into the room behind her.
After we
took the first orders, we stood back while the men talked. I learned
a long time ago to zone myself out. We were there as eye candy and
nothing else. There was a knock on the door, and I knew the drinks
had arrived. Tessa answered it, opening the door wide, and the man
who brought the tray in was someone I had never seen before. He
looked to be mid-thirties, had long, shaggy black hair, and brown
eyes. When he set the tray down on the table in the corner, he turned
and did something odd that had me watching him more closely. His hand
went to his back as he looked over at the men who were still busy
talking. When his eyes came to me, he smiled before walking out of
the room. I looked at Tessa to see if she had noticed anything
strange, but she was busy handing out the drinks and flirting with
the men at the table.
We stood
to the side again once the men had their drinks; every once in a
while, they would ask me a question about the club, and I told them
what I knew. About thirty minutes after they had their first drinks,
I called and had more ordered. This time, when the guy came in, he
did the same thing—hand at his back, looking at the table. I had no
idea who he was, but planned to find out as soon as the men left. One
of the men received a phone call and stepped out of the room, and
when he returned, he had another man with him. They all sat down, and
this time when they called me over, they wanted a bottle of Chives
Regal Royal Salute Scotch. One glass of the stuff cost close to six
hundred dollars, making it over ten thousand dollars for a bottle. I
placed the order and waited for it to be delivered. When the knock
sounded on the door, I opened it up, and the same man from earlier
came in and set the tray down. I watched to see if he would do the
same thing he had done the previous times.
Sure
enough, his head turned towards the table and his hand lifted behind
his back, but this time, he lifted his jacket, pulling out something
black. It took a second for me to realize what it was, and by that
time, it was too late. He let off four rounds in rapid succession,
then turned and fired a round, hitting Tessa. I screamed as he turned
the gun on me, and before I could think, I ducked down and ran as
fast as I could out of the room. I felt a bullet whiz past me as I
turned the corner, and another as I entered the main part of the
club. I spotted Mick; right away his eyes got wide and I yelled at
the top of my lungs, “HE HAS A GUN!”
Everyone
started screaming and running in every direction. I ran into a solid
wall, and when I looked up to see it was Link, he wrapped an arm
around my waist, turned, and pushed me behind the bar. I stumbled in
my heels, falling to my knees and hitting the ground hard. I crawled
under the counter and curled myself into a ball, shaking out of fear
for my life. I listened as people screamed, but didn’t hear anymore
gunshots. I don’t know how long I stayed like that, but it felt
like forever until I heard police sirens.
“Autumn,”
Link called my real name, snapping me out of my terrified huddle. I
peeked out from behind my hands as he crouched down in front of me.
“Did you
get him?” He shook his head, putting out his hand for me to take. I
shook my head no—I was safe; I didn’t want to move from that
spot.
“Come
on, Angel, he’s gone.” I shook my head again. “Nothing is going
to happen to you. I promise you’re safe.” I swallowed against the
lump in my throat, squeezing my eyes closed.
“Tessa?”
I asked him. His eyes closed and his head dropped forward. “No,”
I whispered, shaking my head. “No.”
“Sorry,
Angel,” he said quietly.
“Why?”
“Not
sure, but the cops are here. I need you to come out of there so you
can talk to them,” he told me gently, holding out his hand again. I
nodded, reluctantly taking it. Even though I didn’t like Tessa,
she didn’t deserve what happened to her. None of the people in the
room deserved what happened to them.
“I
should have tried to help her.”
“Nothing
you could have done,” Link said, and my eyes went from to the floor
to his. He shook his head, wrapped his beefy arm around my shoulders,
and walked me over to a barstool. I sat there until the cops came up
a few minutes later and told me they needed to talk to me at the
station.
“Can she
get some clothes on?” Link—who had given me the shirt off his
back and hadn’t left my side—asked one of the detectives.
“Sure,”
the guy mumbled.
I slid off
the barstool and dazedly walked to the dressing room. When I walked
in, all the girls were there, huddled together and crying. I didn’t
know what to say to them; most of them had been friends with Tessa. I
felt horrible they had lost their friend, but was unsure if they
would want me to express my condolences. I walked to my locker and
started to pull off my stockings when one of the girls came up to me,
wrapping her arms around me. Shocked, I hugged her back, and more of
the girls gathered around me. We all stood there silently for a few
minutes; most of the girls were crying while a couple mumbled about
how everything would be okay. I wasn’t sure anything would ever be
okay again; I just watched five people die and was lucky to still be
alive.
“I have
to go with the police,” I told the girls when it didn’t seem like
they were going to let me go. After a second, they all started
breaking away from me one-by-one, giving me reassuring hugs.
“Call me
if you want to talk,” one of the girls, Elsa, said, handing me a
business card with her personal information on it. I looked at it for
a long second before nodding. I had never really been friends with
any of them. Maybe that needed to change. I went to my locker,
pulling off my clothes before slipping on a pair of jean shorts, a
black tank top, a large, oversized grey sweater, and a pair of black
flip-flops. I grabbed my bag, shoved everything into it from my
locker, and left the room without a backwards glance.
Link was
waiting for me outside the dressing room door, his back against the
wall, his head tilted back, looking at the ceiling. I had known Link
since I started working at The Lion’s Den. He was a nice guy,
blonde hair cut low to his head, tan skin, blue eyes, and a southern
drawl that made women fall to their knees. He used to flirt with me
when I first started, but when I didn’t return any of the banter,
he laid off and became a friend. He’s one of the only people who
knows about my past and the things I’ve gone through. “You didn’t
have to wait for me,” I told him, pulling my bag across my body.
“I’m
not letting you go through this alone.” He pulled me into his side.
I could feel tears sting my eyes, and I fought them back. I wasn’t
going to cry until this was all over, when I could do it alone,
hiding under my covers with my face stuffed into a pillow…like I
always did.
“Thank
you.”
He gave me
a squeeze, and I felt his lips at the top of my head.
*~*~*
“I don’t
understand why I have to leave the state,” I told Link, putting
another pair of shoes in my bag. I had no idea how long I would be
gone, and Link made it sound like I wouldn’t be able to come back
to Vegas for a long while.
“Angel,
I hate to remind you, but you’re the only witness, and from what
the cops said, the guy is a killer paid by the mob to do hits on
people.”
I sighed,
looking around my house. I hated I was leaving, but knew it was for
the best. I was at the police station for over eight hours going over
what happened then sitting with a sketch artist. Somehow, the guy who
had shot Tessa and those men had avoided every camera in the club.
The cops informed me I needed to be extra cautious. I was the only
witness, and they were concerned he would come after me. When Link
found out what they said, he made a call to one of his friends from
back home in Tennessee and asked if he would be willing to let me
stay with him until the police caught the guy. The man, Kenton,
agreed, telling Link I would be safe. I hated I was leaving my home,
but if my only options were either death or moving, the choice was
begrudgingly clear.
“I hope
they get the guy fast,” I mumbled.
“Me too,
but until then, you will be far away from here where your safe.”
“Are you
sure it’s a good idea to have me stay with this guy? I mean, how
well do you really know him?”
“We were
best friends growing up. He’s a good guy; you’ll be safe with
him.”
I bit the
inside of my cheek and nodded before going into the closet to get
another suitcase. Might as well pack enough stuff to last me. Once I
was all packed and ready to go, we got into Link’s SUV and headed
for the airport. I was nervous the whole way, feeling like something
crazy was about to happen…
Today
“Ladies
and Gentlemen, we’re about twenty minutes out from our arrival
destination. The weather in Nashville is mostly clear and sunny; the
temperature is eighty-five degrees. The pilot has now turned on the
fasten seatbelt sign. Flight crew, please prepare for landing,” I
hear through my sleep-ridden state and lift my head from the wall
where I had rested it. I wipe my mouth with the sleeve of my sweater
before looking around to see everyone is putting their belongings
away. I make sure my seatbelt is secure before sitting back. My leg
starts bouncing up and down quickly, and I rub the tattoo behind my
ear, trying to think about something other than the plane landing.
Once we
are on the ground, I wait until everyone is off the plane to make my
way out into the terminal. I go to baggage claim and look around, but
I have no clue what this guy looks like. All I know is that his name
is Kenton, and he is supposed to be picking me up.
I don’t
see anyone who looks like they’re searching for someone, so I go to
the conveyer belt and spot one of my bags as soon as I get there. I
pull it off, stumbling back slightly from the weight, as every guy
here just watches me without offering to help. I look around again,
wondering if I’m supposed to call someone to tell them I landed. I
pull my phone out, click it off airplane mode, and send a text to
Link letting him know I had arrived. He sends me a message back
letting me know Kenton had called and told him he couldn’t make it
to pick me up, and I should just catch a cab to his house; the door
would be unlocked.
I shake my
head, cursing under my breath, and almost miss one of my other bags
going around the belt. Luckily, I catch it at the last second. I
carry it over to my other bag, and turn around just in time to see my
last bag about to go through the tunnel. I run as fast as I can in my
flip flops, and land half-on the conveyor belt, my bottom-half being
dragged along the floor as I grab the handle of my bag, pulling it
back so hard it flies over my head, causing me to land on my back
with my hands over my head.
“You
must be Autumn,” I hear rumbled from above me. I tilt my head back
and look up at the man standing over me. He’s upside-down, but even
from my awkward position, he is good looking. His chuckle makes me
grit my teeth though, and I stand up, putting my bag on its wheels
before turning back to face him.
“You
are?”
He raises
a brow to me, shaking his head, looking me over from head to toe. My
body heats immediately under his gaze. I take my sweater off,
wrapping it around my waist and clearing my throat. “You are?” I
ask him again, getting annoyed that he’s obviously finding this so
funny if the smirk on his face is anything to go by.
“Kenton.”
He smiles. “Those bags yours?” He nods towards my other two bags.
“Yes.”
I blow some hair out of my face, looking into his blue eyes and
wondering why the hell I feel so hot all of a sudden. He looks away,
going over to my bags while I take the time to look him over.
He’s
tall—much taller than my five-five. His hair touches the edge of
the black t-shirt he has on. He needed a cut a while ago, but judging
by the dark scruff along his jaw, I can tell he doesn’t care much
about grooming. His shoulders are broad, tapering down to a lean
waist; his thighs are thick, incased in a pair of dark jeans that
have shredded around the bottom by his heels, and his wallet is
imprinted in the back pocket like he wears them often. I look at his
ass as he leans over. I can’t believe I’m checking a man out; I’m
not one to be the slightest bit sexually interested in anyone. My
eyes travel lower, looking at his feet, which are enclosed in a very
large pair of black boots. I wonder absently if what they say is true
about shoe size. I shake my head at my thoughts, dragging my bag with
me towards him. “I thought you couldn’t make it,” I tell him
when I reach his side. My head tilts back to look up into his eyes.
“Yeah,
change of plans,” he mutters, looking at me. I wait to see if he’s
going to say anything else. Apparently, he isn’t going to, so I
shake my head again and lower my face towards the ground. “You
tired?” His voice is dark and rich, and does something crazy to my
insides. I nod, lifting my head. “Let’s roll; you can sleep when
we reach the house.”
I don’t
say anything else. Something is wrong with me; maybe I’m getting
sick. I follow him out of the terminal into the car park. When we
reach the parking lot, he stops and pulls a set of keys from his
pocket. I hear the beep and look around, expecting him to be driving
a large truck, a Hummer, or maybe even a tank. I never expected him
to be driving a Dodge Viper, the black-on-black of the car only
making it look hotter. I look at my bags, wondering how we will get
them in the car.
“It’ll
be tight, but they’ll fit,” he mumbles, pulling my other two bags
with him. I can’t help noticing the flex of his muscles as he gets
my bags into the car, or the fact even his fingers are attractive. It
takes some maneuvering, but he does get my bags to fit. I sigh,
sitting down on the warm leather once we’re done. “I’m just
gonna drop you off at the house. I gotta head out for a bit, but you
have free rein. Just make yourself at home; there’s food in the
fridge, and fresh sheets on the bed in the guest room.”
“Thank
you for doing this,” I tell him, looking at his profile. He is
seriously good looking, and the butterflies in my stomach are making
me feel anxious about staying with him.
“Don’t
mention it. So…you and Link?” It took a second to decipher his
words between the thickness of his accent, his smell, and the nervous
energy I was feeling. Being in his presence, my brain seemed to have
shut down.
“He’s
a friend.” Shit, maybe I should have said he was my boyfriend. I
looked over at him again; he didn’t seem to be as on edge as I was.
He was probably used to women swooning over him. My gut tightened
with something, and it took a second to realize what it was. My body
froze. Jealousy, really? I must be going into shock or something—I
don’t get jealous.
“How’d
you two meet?”
“We work
at the same club,” I murmured, squirming in my seat.
“Oh
yeah,” he mumbled, his knuckles turning white from his grip on the
steering wheel. I didn’t know what that meant, but the energy in
the car changed, making me want to get away from him.
We drove
in silence for the next half-hour, the car winding its way through
one small town after another until we went up what seemed like the
side of a mountain. The area was surrounded by forest on either side
of the road. We drove for about five minutes more before turning onto
a dirt road that took us deeper into the forest. I wanted to ask if
he lived out here and about where he worked, and a million other
questions, but my mouth had gone dry, and the energy in his car
hadn’t gotten any better, so I decided to keep my mouth shut.
I was
going to be stuck with him for a while, so I figured there would be
time for all of that later. I looked ahead of us, and squinted as the
image of a large house came into view. It was a very large brick
house; the front had two porches, one on the first floor, one on the
second, and both wrapped around the front of the house. It was
beautiful and expansive. I looked over at Kenton again, gaging if I
should ask him if this was his house. His jaw was ticking, and the
vein in his neck was pulsing wildly. I had no idea what had set him
off, but figured my best bet was to sit there quietly until he calmed
down.
We parked
in front of the house, where there was no real designated parking
place. He unfolded himself out of the car without saying anything,
and I took that as my cue to follow him. By the time I made it to the
back of the car, he had both of my bags out and was back on the
driver’s side, sliding his seat forward so he could get to the bag
in the backseat. Without a word, he carried two of my bags up the
front porch and right into the house. I dragged my last bag with me,
following close behind him.
He set my
bags down at the bottom of the staircase, then turned to look at me.
“Your room is at the top of the stairs to the right. There’s a
bathroom across the hall you can use; I have my own.” He ran a hand
through his hair and looked me over again, anger apparent on his
face. “I don’t want random men in my house, so if you need to get
off, take care of yourself.” I blinked at him as he continued. “The
code for the alarm is 4593; don’t forget to set it when you’re in
the house. I don’t know when I’ll be back, but you’ll be safe
here.” Before I even had a chance to form a complete thought, he
was closing the door behind him, shouting, “Set the alarm.”
I stood
there for a few minutes, just looking at the door, then I looked
around for an alarm, but didn’t see one. Tears stung my nose again
as I recalled the look of disgust on his face when he told me to get
myself off. I said a silent, “Fuck you,” and looked at my bags
then the stairs, shaking my head—I could cry once I got settled in
the room. I carried my bags up the stairs one at a time, and by the
time I was done, I was so exhausted that I laid face first on the
bed, put my head under the pillow, and cried until I fell asleep.
There
was a pounding on the door, and I rolled, falling off the bed and
onto the floor. “You didn’t set the alarm,” I heard growled. I
stood up, pushing my hair out of my face, glaring at Kenton, who
stood in the doorway with his arms crossed over his chest.
“I
looked and didn’t see the alarm to set it.” I copied his posture,
crossing my arms over my chest.
“You
should have called and asked me where it was.”
I scoffed.
“With what magic? I don’t have your number.”
“You
could have asked Link for it.” He shook his head.
“I’m
sorry, but if you wanted me to have your number, I figured you would
have given it to me,” I retorted.
“Did you
eat?” he asked, changing the subject suddenly and throwing me
off-guard.
“Pardon?”
“Did you
eat something?”
“No, and
I’m not hungry; I’m just really tired,” I told him, rubbing my
face. All I wanted to do was go to sleep and forget about the last
forty-eight hours.
“You
need to eat something,” he chided, uncrossing his arms and placing
his hands on his hips.
“Okay,
don’t get me wrong; I’m really thankful for you looking out for
me, but I have been taking care of myself for a very long time. I
don’t want nor need a babysitter.”
“Suit
yourself.” He shrugged then looked me over again, his eyes
lingering on my chest. I glanced down and groaned. Seriously? My
boobs were in my bra, hanging over the top of my tank-top. I quickly
adjusted my shirt before narrowing my eyes on him. He smirked,
looking up into my face. “Make sure you set the alarm from now on.
The panel is inside the room off the entry, first door to the right.”
“Got
it.” My body was doing that hot thing again, and I wondered why it
kept happening when he was around.
“All
right, doll, get some rest. I’ll see you tomorrow.” He let his
eyes linger on me for a few moments more, and then shook his head,
stepping out of the room. I went to the side of the bed and turned on
the light before walking to the door and shutting it. I leaned my
head back, closing my eyes and breathing in deeply. I ran a finger
across my tattoo behind my ear before opening my eyes and looking
around. I could do this; I had lived through much worse and came out
on top. I just needed to get a plan in place.
Additional
Books by Aurora Rose Reynolds
Until
Series
Until
November (Book 1)
Until
Trevor (Book 2)
Until
Lily (Book 3)
Until
Nico (Book 4)
About
the Author:
Aurora
Rose Reynolds is a navy brat who's husband served in the United
States Navy. She has lived all over the country but now resides in
New York City with her Husband and pet fish. She's married to an
alpha male that loves her as much as the men in her books love their
women. He gives her over the top inspiration everyday. In her free
time she reads, writes and enjoys going to the movies with her
husband and cookie. She also enjoys taking mini weekend vacations to
nowhere, or spends time at home with friends and family. Last but not
least she appreciates everyday and admires it's beauty.
THANK YOU!
K.J. Bell's TUG is now available. This book is HOT! Check out the blurb and teasers and be sure to enter the giveaway too!
**Tug's character was introduced in KJ Bell's debut Irreparable series. However, TUG is not part of the series and can be read without reading the other two books beforehand.**
