Page 37 of Blaze

As all five women stand and hurry from the room, I stiffen.The last one shuts the door.

Something about his demeanor has me nervous.

Chapter14

Victoria

“What’s wrong?”I ask.

He comes to me, drags the low table even closer, takes a seat, and licks his lips.Before speaking, he touches my cheek.“There was a tracking device under the chassis of your car.”

I gasp.We talked about this possibility, but I never thought it would actually be a thing.Why?

“I debated telling you,” he continues, “but I don’t want secrets between us.Ever.Seems like a horrible way to start a relationship.”

Agreeing with that, I nod.I can’t make sense of why there would be a tracker on my car.I lean back on the couch again.“I should go,” I whisper.

He frowns.“What do you mean?”

“Leave the estate.If someone’s…”

He shakes his head.“Not gonna happen, baby.I don’t give a fuck why someone is tracking you.You’re safe here, and neither I nor anyone else living here will be intimidated.I’ve already let the guards know to keep an eye out for anyone suspicious, but they never allow anyone through the gate who isn’t on their list.”

Blaze stands, carefully lifts my injured leg off the sofa, and eases under it before arranging it over his thighs.He twists to face me, rests his elbow on the back of the couch, and tucks a stray curl behind my ear.“I told you, this place sucks you in and doesn’t let you go,” he says, almost too softly to hear.

I chuckle and look around.“I get that.This mansion is alive.It has so much history.I want to know all the details.Is that weird?”

“No, Victoria.It’s not weird.”

I stare at the ceiling.“I guess my stepmom is keeping closer tabs on me than I thought.I knew she tracked my phone.That’s why I left it behind, but my car?That feels more invasive.Why would she do that?”

“I don’t know, baby, but I’m going to find out.”

My breath hitches.“You can’t do that.She’s not worth it.Who cares?I’ll sell the car.I could use the money anyway.”

“We can trade the car in if it makes you uncomfortable, but you don’t need the money.”He strokes his fingers against my neck, as if he needs to be touching as much of me as possible.

It’s soothing.I like it when he touches me.That’s why I touch him so much.He likes it, too.We’re definitely a touchy-feely couple.

I sigh.“Eventually I’ll run out of money.”

He sets a finger under my chin, forcing me to face him.“No, you won’t.”

I know what he means, but it’s scary.

“Also, I hired a PI to dig around into your stepmom.”

I wince.No sense arguing with Blaze.It’s already done.He did it because he truly believes I’m here to stay, and he wants to protect me.I’m not sure there’s anything to protect me from.I don’t like finding out my car had a tracker on it, but is it really that big of a deal?

So my stepmother is warped.Do I care?We can ditch the car, just in case, and be done with her.

“Let me ask you something.”

I nod.

“I brought a laptop upstairs with the rest of your belongings.Have you turned it on since you left home?”

My body stiffens.Could it also be tracked?“Yeah.I had to check my email to line up my interview.”