Total pages in book: 187
Estimated words: 174623 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 873(@200wpm)___ 698(@250wpm)___ 582(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 174623 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 873(@200wpm)___ 698(@250wpm)___ 582(@300wpm)
"Em, Misty, Beth, and a couple of others from the club will be in and out all day to help," he assures me. "If you want to have a look around, that's possible."
"Okay," I say, looking up from the paper and out the windshield, trying not to feel overwhelmed.
"If shi—If something goes down and we don't get to you first, I want you to come right back here," he says. "You can grab a ride in any of these SUVs. It doesn't have to be this one."
Laughter bubbles up, and I have to shake my head.
"All the SUVs look the same. I won't know which one is yours the second I walk away from it. I don't even know how you can tell them apart."
"I just know where I parked," he explains, as if it's that simple.
"Exactly," I say with a humor-filled scoff. "Right between this black SUV and that black SUV."
A rare grin fills his face when he follows the point of my finger between the other two vehicles.
"I can see how it's confusing," he says, his smile fading and his face becoming serious again. "But if anything happens, come back here. Stand either in front of or behind the vehicle, not in between. Someone will get you out of here."
"Okay," I tell him, the instructions making me a little nervous to get out of the vehicle.
"Ready?" he asks, and the tone of his voice makes me think he's giving me another chance to back out.
"I'm ready," I tell him before I can talk myself out of it.
"You will be in the line of sight of someone from Cerberus at all times," he says as if he can sense my hesitation but doesn't want to talk me out of something I feel like I should do.
I wait for him to get out and come around to my side, and when he offers me his hand this time, I take it, not missing the little squeeze he gives it before letting it go once my feet are on the ground.
I fold the map and tuck it into the back pocket of my jeans with my cell phone.
"I'm going to leave my purse in here," I tell him as I turn back to the vehicle and tuck it under the front seat out of sight.
"Sounds good," he says, waiting patiently for me to finish.
"Always in line of sight," he reminds me as we walk toward the park. "Your booth is right there."
I follow the point of his finger, nodding before walking toward Victoria, who is already setting the booth up.
I look over my shoulder, confirming that he's still close by once before plastering a smile on my face.
Victoria looks up just as I turn my attention back to her. Her eyes are cast over my shoulder at Nyx, and I can tell by the look on her face that she thinks there's more going on between the two of us.
"I know that look," she says as I approach.
"It's not what you think," I murmur.
"And what do I think?" she challenges with a wide grin.
"What do you need help with?" I ask, trying to deflect her attention.
"You could do far worse than a Cerberus guy," she says, not giving up.
I blink at her, not saying a word, but my lips want to turn up in a smile.
She's not wrong. They seem like just the type of guy every woman should be blessed with, but Nyx isn't mine, and I'm not at a point in my life where I could even consider the possibilities.
"The ultimate protectors," she continues. "Big on safety, and some would say possessive."
Those aren't the worst traits for a partner to have if they're because someone truly cares and they aren't used as a means of power and control.
"Some women like it, but I could never put myself in a situation like that," she says. "Just not my style."
I continue my silence, not feeding into her need to have a little gossip session.
But protectiveness lined with respect, appreciation, and thoughtfulness doesn't sound like a terrible thing, especially after the relationship I had with Graham.
"And he can't seem to take his eyes off you," she continues, her eyes once again over my shoulder.
She chuckles as if she got answers to questions without me having to even speak as I look at him.
He's speaking with another Cerberus member, but his eyes are locked on me.
I don't feel like I'm being possessed by him while he's watching me. I feel like he's keeping his word. He's multitasking, keeping his word to watch me while also speaking to someone else.
I can't let myself imagine that it's anything other than the job he was given, and it's been him with me because that's what I requested of Kincaid when he let me know about what Graham has been doing.