Total pages in book: 73
Estimated words: 68247 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 341(@200wpm)___ 273(@250wpm)___ 227(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 68247 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 341(@200wpm)___ 273(@250wpm)___ 227(@300wpm)
And that was that.
A little while later, she dressed in last night’s clothes and texted Rick to pick her up in front of Grey’s building. She had a list of things piling up in her head, and she knew she could keep herself busy with work. She didn’t have to dwell on the fact that she’d bailed on Grey and would have to deal with him later.
Rick left her to her thoughts on the ride home, for which she was grateful. He pulled into a spot in front of her building and met her outside her side of the car.
Like most of the men who worked for her brothers, Rick was former military. He was tall, with big muscles, cropped dark hair, and a commanding demeanor. But because Avery knew him, she was never intimidated.
“Thanks, Rick,” she said, looking up at him, unable to see his eyes thanks to his aviators. “I can walk myself up.”
“Sorry, but I’m taking you to your door. Boss’s orders.”
Avery bit back a retort about what his boss could do with those orders and smiled at the man who was just doing his job. “Then let’s go.”
They made their way to her apartment, no paparazzi or strange person in sight. “See? Nobody’s here, outside or in,” she said as they walked down the hall to her door.
“You never know where they’ll pop up, so it’s better to be safe than sorry,” Rick said. “Do you have your keys?”
She dug into her purse as she walked, realizing as she always did when she looked for something in the abyss that she really ought to carry a smaller bag. Unfortunately she liked knowing she had all sorts of items on hand: wallet, lip gloss, nail file, tissues, mirror, iPad mini, phone, water bottle, among other things. Just in case.
“Son of a bitch,” Rick said in a harsh tone that had Avery looking up from her search.
Before she could focus on what was wrong, he braced his hands on her shoulders and pushed her against the wall protectively. “Wait here.”
Her heart rate picked up speed. “What’s wrong?” she asked Rick, but he was already on his cell, barking orders that included, “Problem. Call 911 and get over here now.”
She stepped around him, determined to see what had him so thrown. She got a glimpse of her front door, where the words whore, slut, and one other she couldn’t bring herself to even think about were scrawled in bright red. And the pièce de résistance: a note taped to the door with words printed on it—Grey is mine. Break up or die.
She gasped, a combination of horror and outrage filling her.
“Stay back,” Rick said and yanked her behind him.
“Too late,” she muttered, her stomach churning at the thought that someone had gotten so close to her apartment. And if she’d been inside, they’d have gotten that close to her.
* * *
Grey woke up and immediately knew he was alone. The warm body that had been beside him all night was gone, and his gut told him he wouldn’t find her anywhere in his apartment. He ran his hand over his eyes and groaned.
He’d wanted to spend a leisurely morning eating breakfast in bed, showing her the apartment next door and his plans for a soundproof studio and a place to write and work. Instead, he had Avery’s scent and the lingering smell of sex surrounding him, and he was sporting wood, but the woman he wanted in his arms was nowhere to be found.
He didn’t doubt for one minute that she’d panicked and run. He was disappointed but not discouraged. He even understood. Nothing about last night had been simple or easy. Everything between them had been serious and emotional.
He’d originally thought he was fighting insecurities instilled in her by a selfish, neglectful parent and the damage he himself had done by leaving and not staying in touch. Now he knew there were real psychological issues at work, anxiety she couldn’t always control. All he could do was provide a steady presence and trust she’d work through things inside her head. If there was one person he was okay trusting in, it was Avery. Now she had to do the same.
He dressed and headed over to see her, surprised to find her door open and her brother’s raised voice from inside.
“You damn well are moving in with me, Ian and Riley, or Scott and Meg for the time being.”
“Agreed,” another male voice said. “And you can break up with that asshole who’s bringing all sorts of trouble to your door.”
The door, Grey noticed now, that had crude insults scrawled on the front. His stomach churned at the sight.
“You both need to back off now,” Avery yelled at them, and Grey figured the second voice was another brother getting protective.
He was equally pissed at how they spoke to Avery, made decisions for her, and wanted to cut him out of her life. He pushed the door open and stormed inside.