“I’m not making a promise I can’t keep. I promise I will get you out of these people’s clutches, Carteay. Don’t worry about me,” I advised her.
“What do you mean, don’t worry about you, Kannon? You’re the only thing I worry about. You’re the only one I can depend on. If you want to do something for me, then stay here, be here. I need you in my life.”
“We’re not focusing on fleeting feelings right now, Carteay. There is nothing for us to discuss outside of straightening out those contracts and setting you free.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean I love you, and I worry about you more than anyone else in my life. That doesn't mean I’m crazy enough to think we can be together. You’re always going to choose yourself. I’m cool with that, but I’m not getting sucked back in. I’ll protect you with my life, but that’s all I got.”
“Kannon, come on.”
“I need your contract and everything legal that you’ve had to sign so I can get my people on it. I’m going to get you out of that fucking contract. In the meantime, you’re staying here with me,” I said, finally opening the door.
“OK. Now can you untie me?”
“Doctor said three days, Ms. Hoyt.”
When I got my hands out of those damn ropes, I was going to use them to snap Kannon’s neck. He thought it was hilarious to keep me tied to his bed while I was staying at his house. That low-down bastard even carried me to the bathroom when I had to pee to keep me from walking on my sprained ankle.
If I heard the phrasedoctor’s ordersone more time, I was going to chop him and that stupid doctor in the throat. At the same time, I was grateful to be able to stay off my feet. My ankle was killing me. Even if I forgot about the sprain, it was evident every time I tried to move. Kannon’s crazy ass made sure it stayed propped up on the pillow. It was hard to get comfortable with an injury. The ropes weren’t helping.
I was going to kill Kannon!
For some reason, he couldn’t understand how crazy leaving me tied up was. He had the nerve to come in and ask me what I wanted to eat for dinner. When I said I wanted fried lobster, mac and cheese, and a house salad from Eat Up with Key’s catering menu, he stood there and called his brother and offered to pay him to make it for me. Two hours later, my fat, greedy ass was using one hand to stuff my face with four cheese macaroni and cheese laced with succulent fried lobster.
It was a wonder that Keywan’s wife wasn’t four hundred pounds at this point. I heard Kannon say she was pregnant a while back. There was no telling what her pregnancy cravings had him whipping up. I was already thinking about my next request.
As mad as I wanted to be with Kannon, he was waiting on me hand and foot to make sure I didn’t have to walk on my ankle. It was late as hell as my personal security guard positioned himself in front of the bathroom door while I showered. I changed clothes with one leg suspended on the shower bench he put in his walk-in shower for me to use. The man was treating me like I was completely helpless. The other thing I considered when I decided not to murder him in his sleep was how terrified he looked when he explained how he was trying to save my life. I’d never seen him scared of anything. If I didn’t know how serious this shit with the label was before one of them drugged me, I did now.
“I’m done,” I called as I plopped down on the bench.
The door opened, and I rolled my eyes as Kannon wheeled that freaking wheelchair back into the bathroom. I didn’t even have the strength to ask him where in the world he’d gotten a wheelchair. There was no telling how he would act if he knew what I knew.
“Really, Kannon? I told you I don’t need that darn chair.”
“Either I carry you or wheel you. I’m fine with either option, lil’ bit.”
“It’s a wonder you let me bathe myself. I half expected you to hold my foot up to make sure I didn’t put any weight on it.”
“I considered it, but the bench was good enough, right?” he asked.
I had to laugh. “Of course.”
When we made it to the bed, Kannon’s hands were on me before I could make a move. I let him scoop me up and put me back on the bed.
“You need anything before I go?” he quizzed.
“Go where?”
“To bed.”
I narrowed my eyes. “You aren’t sleeping in here tonight?”
“Nah, I don’t think we should do that.”
I threw my head back. “Kannon, this is your room.”
“You want a drink?”
