“Just leave it with me,” He sighs, “I’ll get in. We will get the information we need.”
“We better. For everyone’s sake.”
Chapter Fifty
It’s been a week since the attack.
My bruises and cuts are healing, the aches and pains almost non-existent now. The evidence of what happened is fading but my nightmares remain.
Arms band around me, my skin slick with sweat, hair stuck to my forehead and heart still pounding inside my chest, so hard I can feel it thumping.
Malakai’s hand rests above it as he uses his other arm to bring me in closer. “Shh,” He soothes, voice roughened with sleep, “I’ve got you.”
I let my hand curl around his arm, letting the warmth of him seep into my skin and the feel of him bring me back to earth.
“You’re safe, Olivia.” He whispers, more alert now. I turn, knowing his face is right next to mine, making our noses brush.
“I’m sorry for waking you.”
“Never apologize for needing me,” he rasps.
I can’t even correct him. I do need him.
“Does it go away?” I ask.
“I don’t know,” He admits, tightening his arms.
During the day it’s easy. I’m so busy I don’t have time to think about it. I’ve taken over the event planning at the hotel full time, and between that and the general running has kept me focused. In the evenings, I’m wrapped up in Malakai or spending time with Willow or the guys, but it’s in my dreams, when I’m most vulnerable, I’m back in that hallway.
True to his word, Malakai assigned me a bodyguard who follows meeverywhere. Including to the bathroom though he waits outside. It had shocked me when he first followed me there thinking he was actually going to come inside, but he’d laughed at my horror and stationed himself against the opposite wall.
The only time he isn’t with me is when I am with Malakai. There’s been a few days when Malakai hasn’t been here and I’d thought I’d be alone, but my bodyguard turned up not five minutes after Malakai had left.
His name is Carl, an ex-veteran in his late forties who is, quite honestly, terrifying to look at. He’s nice enough though, a little quiet but I hadn’t expected much conversation from him.
It almost felt silly to have him, to have to explain to people who he was, especially since nothing at all has happened since that night at the event. There hasn’t even been a sniff of danger.
I’d said all this to Malakai, but he’d refused to let himgo. How long will I need a bodyguard?
What even is the threat?
Malakai has his secrets locked up tight, I know they have something to do with the long evenings he spends up in the meeting room. He tells me to stay away, and I do, but I see the men coming in, so many of them, all suited, most older with a few younger ones around Malakai’s age dotted within.
Were they all part of the organization Malakai owns? The one where he controls hired killers and makes a profit from people dying? How deep do his crimes go? Just howevilis the man currently holding me to shelter me from my nightmares?
He killed two men for me.
Have there been more I don’t know about? My thoughts wander to Bradley, my ex, and his sudden death after I told Malakai about him. Surely, it’s coincidence, right? It was a tragic accident; he fell off a damn cliff for goodness sake. Malakai didn’t have anything to do with it, right!?
Why isn’t that terrifying me like my almost abduction is?
“I can hear you thinking, Olivia.” He grumbles.
“Oh, stop it, no you can’t.”
“Wanna bet?” He shifts onto his back, pulling me with him so I’m now laying across his firm, warm chest. His heart beats steadily beneath my ear, his fingers running up and down my naked spine. It’s something he does a lot, touches me this way with light moves, like a feather on my skin.
“Don’t be ridiculous, Malakai,” I chide softly.
