My eye twitches.
Taking the steps two at a time, I slap a nonchalant smirk on my face and try to play it cool. “Sup, man.” I nod,firmly patting his shoulder as I walk past. His body stiffens under my touch, probably confused about my mood this morning.
Side-stepping Kelsey at the counter, I grab a water from the fridge and damn near sprint to get my running shoes on and out the door before she can spark up a conversation. My hand braces the doorknob when my phone rings in my pocket. I pull it out to find Jessie’s name lighting up the screen.
“What’s up?” I answer.
“What’s the soonest you can get here?” She asks right off the bat.
“Is something wrong?”
“Well, when I got to the office this morning, I found our hostage had woken up.”
“Okay,” I ask slowly.
“He’s quite the struggler. I guess he thought he could saw his hands and feet off with the chains.” She explains. I’d be irritated with his actions if it were me who had to clean it, but this is all Jessie.
“How’d that work out for ya big guy?” Her voice is muffled as she speaks, taunting Noelle in the background.
“I’m on my morning run, but I will be there as soon as I can. See what you can get out of him before I get there.”
“Okay.”
The morning sun beats down on my exposed back, and sweat drips from the hair hanging over my forehead as I run. I run until the only thing I can think about is howheavy my breaths come and how hard my heart pounds against my chest.
Early this morning, I sent my added security home since the Vipers didn’t make any attempts on my property. Later this evening, I’ll need to call in a meeting with Jess and Hayden to discuss when and how we are going to introduce Kelsey to the society.
A blacked-out Escalade slows, almost to a stop as they pass me by. My eyes squint, trying to get a look inside, but the windows are too tinted. My feet stomp the sidewalk as I come to a stop, staring at the suspicious vehicle while they creep past. I can feel the heat of somebody else’s stare from the tinted glass. I’ve never seen this Escalade around here before, and the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. Not even a second later, tires screech, and they speed off down the road.
Kelsey
“You’re sure you’ll be alright alone?” Hayden asks for the fourth time. He’s pressed to my back, holding me at the waist, and his nose nuzzles into my neck. My back arches instinctively, pressing my ass into his hardening cock.
“Yes, I promise I will be fine. Besides, I need a quiet shower.” I pretend to sniff my pits and wrinkle my nose. “I stink.”
“I think you smell delicious,” He says, nipping the sensitive skin below my ear, and I yelp in surprise, making his grip tighter on my hips.
“Keep making that noise, and I’ll never make it out that door.” His voice is playful, but I know he’s serious.
I laugh, turning in his hold, to face him. “Where are you going, anyway?”
I was called into the office. It shouldn’t take more than an hour, and I’ll be back to finish what you’ve started,” he winks, and I breathe a laugh, breaking our gaze.
“I’d like that,” I whisper, standing on my tippy toes to press a soft kiss to his warm, full lips. “You had better get going, before you end up in even more trouble than last night!” I taunt, raising my brows, and he laughs as he releases me and backs away toward the door.
“I’ll be back soon, lock the doors behind me!”
“Okay.” He winks before shutting the door behind him,and I sigh, missing him already, but I’m thankful for a little me time.
After fixing myself a cup of sweet tea, I headed upstairs to Jessie’s room. Ryder’s bathroom could have sufficed, but Jessie’s double waterfall showerhead is superior. One sprays down from above, and the other sprays from the wall, so you’re never left cold. This is luxury living, and I’d be lying if I said I couldn’t get used to this lifestyle.
SOS by Rhianna blasts from my phone, reverberating off the tile walls, amplifying the sound. Pumping shampoo into my hand, I begin to work it through my long, wet tangles, losing track of time and savoring the warmth before I have to get out.
A noise travels from downstairs, like a chair scraping along the floor. I pause, straining to listen—nothing. Chalking it up to my imagination and paranoia of being here alone after last night, I continue on with my shower.
Droplets cling to the walls and mirror as I steam myself like a lobster. As my hands run over my prickly legs, I begin to regret not packing a razor. But let’s be real here, I never planned on being away from home this long. I planned on going back after a few drinks and some pool. When I asked Hayden about going home, he informed me that Ryder hadclaimedme and forbade anyone else from touching me, so he would be escorting me home tonight. Something about the wordclaimhad me seeing pure red. Joke’s on him, because I’m a grown ass woman and will do whatever I damn well please.
Clicking pause on the music, I grab the towel hangingbeside the shower to dry myself off, then wring out my sopping wet hair. Wood scraping across the floor downstairs has me freezing like a deer in headlights. Even my heart is too frozen to beat in my chest.
