Total pages in book: 92
Estimated words: 86240 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 431(@200wpm)___ 345(@250wpm)___ 287(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 86240 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 431(@200wpm)___ 345(@250wpm)___ 287(@300wpm)
15
MATT
Unable to trust myself, I’d bolted out of the room before I did something like kiss her. Everything that had happened between us before was necessary. Now, I had to protect her and nothing more.
The excuse to make food wasn’t just an excuse. We needed to eat. Who knew what was in store for us the next few days.
There was a sharp knock at the door. At the same time, my phone buzzed. A check of the screen showed a preview of a text from Griff. I moved to the door and opened it without pause.
“Hey,” I said as we clasped hands and he came in for the half hug. Kelsey followed in behind him.
“Brought you something,” Griff said, holding up a bag in each hand. He set one on the counter and the other he held out to me. “For yer girl. I doubt she wants to stay in that dress forever.”
I peeked inside before nodding. “I’ll be right back,” I said before making my way back to the room Tayla was in.
The door to the bathroom was cracked open, and the shower was running. I fought the pull to go in there and share the shower. Her unspoken invitation before had been tempting. I looked away and left the bag on the bed before exiting the room, saving us both.
Griff and Kelsey were quietly conferring when I walked in.
“What’s going on?” I asked.
“We know where Ruin is or where he was,” Griff answered.
I held out my hands. “Care to fill me in?”
“I tagged the car he arrived in. We tracked it to an industrial park south of town,” Griff said.
“We need to go now,” I said.
“He’s likely not there at this point,” Griff said. “I need to check again.”
“Doesn’t matter. It’s a lead,” I said.
“We can’t go in guns blazing. We need to think about this and what about—” Griff looked over my shoulder as Tayla walked in.
“Didn’t know we had company,” Tayla said, looking like a snack. The woman stole my attention whenever we shared space.
Griff turned on the charm with a grin that most women found enc. “Hi. I’m Griffin.” He held out his hand. But Tayla, stood firm in baggy sweatpants and a hoodie, and was still the most desirable woman I’d ever seen.
Her eyes bounced from him to me and then to Kelsey. She folded her arms. “You said you know where he is.”
She looked more determined than ever. I stepped forward. “We will get him.”
“Not without me,” she said.
Everyone jumped in at once. I held up a hand, silencing the room. “We just got you back—”
Tayla squared her shoulders as she pivoted and lanced a narrow-eyed gaze in my direction. “If you didn’t already know, I’m a trained FBI agent. I can handle myself.”
Griff’s brows shot up as he sent an amused grin my way. I ignored him while also not stating the obvious, that she’d been caught twice by Ruin. I was a hundred-percent sure she didn’t want to be reminded of that.
Before I could respond, Griff held up a finger, gaining our attention. He pointed at Tayla. “Weren’t you wearing that last night?” he asked.
I gave her a quick once-over because it was obvious she’d changed into the new clothes he’d brought for her. Then I spotted the lacy collar around her neck.
“If you don’t have the key, Kelsey can get bolt cutters from the van,” Griff added.
Tayla’s hand quickly shot up to protect her neck as color leached from her face. “You can’t.”
Griff, quick with jokes, said with amusement, “Is it sentimental?”
I had a very different idea because she likely hadn’t taken it off, including when she showered. “Is it booby-trapped?” I asked. That was something Ruin would likely do based on everything Connor had told me about him.
Tayla nodded, not letting go of her neck. “He said if I removed it, it would shock me ten times worse than a Taser gun on full charge.”
Griff cursed as I did. Kelsey, however, said, “Do we have any rubber or thick plastic?”
My mind raced through the possibilities. Griff said, “Wait.” Then he darted toward the hallway leading to the bedrooms. He’d obviously checked out the apartment before sending us here because he came back with a green resistance band used for exercise or strength training as if he’d known it was there.
Already on the same page with Griff, I walked over to Tayla. “May I?” I asked, pointing at her neck.
There was still fear in her eyes, but it wasn’t directed at me as she moved her hand away. I brushed a finger lightly across her neck and under the lacy collar. I leaned in and spotted the silver disks that lined the inside, noting there was a little room.
“Okay. That might work.” I let go. Was it hard to do so? Yes. But right now wasn’t the time to examine the pull I felt toward her. Instead, I went over to where Griff had the band stretched out. “Were there others?” I asked him.