Surrendering(21)

Now, lying in bed alone, she recounted their earlier conversation and how she’d actually wanted to respond.

Any more dreams? Of Sarah, no. Of him? Every. Blessed. Night.

How was your day? Sexually frustrating. Yours?

What would you like to eat this evening? Ahhh…your cock?

If his intent was to drive her mad with desire and want, he’d hit that one way out of the park. She’d taken more goddamned baths in the last four days than she had in the last twelve months. Unable to slip into sleep until she assuaged the burning fire between her thighs, she grabbed Big Blue and went to work. She was nearing the peak when a noise startled her. Flipping the switch off on her battery-operated boyfriend, she lay deathly still, straining to hear where the noise originated. All was quiet, but something felt off.

Dev insisted she was still in danger, but nothing unusual had happened over the past few days, so she’d relaxed a bit. She felt safe, especially with him hanging around so much. Convinced she’d imagined the sound, she was just about to turn back on her BOB and finish what she’d started, when she heard the loose floorboard in the kitchen creak.

Her pulse raced.

Someone was in her house and she was quite sure it wasn’t Dev because he would never scare her like that. If he wanted in her bed, he’d simply demand it, not sneak around.

Dev had given her his cell number, saying he’d never be too far away and could be here instantly if she needed him. Unfortunately for her, she’d left her phone charging on the kitchen counter so now she was completely defenseless. She was just reaching for her gun in the nightstand drawer when Dev called her name from down the hall.

Oh thank God.

He came storming in her room, throwing open the door so hard it bounced several times off the wall.

“What—”

“We need to leave immediately. Pack a bag for several days. Quickly.” He was efficient, sharp. All business.

“Dev, what’s going—?”

“Kate. We have no time,” he said as he pulled open her closet door and grabbed the small rolling suitcase that sat in the corner. “There were several men lurking outside. Now pack your stuff. No more excuses. You’re coming with me.”

“O-Okay,” she replied with a shaky voice.

Kate quickly packed, adding only the essentials. Anything she’d missed they could surely get for her somewhere. Stopping quickly in the kitchen, she grabbed her phone, her computer and finally her purse before they swiftly left through the front door.

Shit. She’d have to call her boss and make up some story about why she wouldn’t be into work for the next few days, but she’d worry about that tomorrow, when she was somewhere safe.

They piled into the back of black Range Rover, which she’d seen sitting outside every night and was surprised to see Ren in the back seat. The tension was so thick she could practically see it swirling in the air and each man radiated barely unchecked fury.

The driver put the car roughly in reverse and they hightailed it out of there; her house growing smaller and smaller in the rear view mirror. It was a good fifteen minutes before any of them spoke.

“What happened?” she asked, unable to keep the question in any longer.

“Exactly what I told you,” Dev snipped.

Why the hell was he mad at her? It wasn’t her fault some psycho came hunting her. Except…that it was. She should have listened to him days ago and they wouldn’t be in this mess right now.

“Did anyone get hurt?” She wasn’t sure why she asked, because someone was clearly there to do her harm, but she simply had to know.

Even in the darkness of the car’s interior, Dev’s stare was so wholly intense, so consuming, it sucked all of the oxygen out and she could barely breathe. He waited so long to respond she didn’t think he would.

“No one that matters.”

There was so much unspoken meaning behind those words, he might as well as just said what she really heard. Not you. No one matters but you.

When Dev reached for her hand, she nearly wept. She was trying to be strong, but in truth was barely holding it together. They drove the rest of the way in silence and after another thirty minutes or so they were turning onto a road that she hadn’t even seen. The driver slowed at a security gate, which was heavily guarded, before the wrought iron doors swung opened. They proceeded up a long, winding, densely wooded driveway before a large estate came into view.

Holy. Shit.

She could only gape at the expansive mansion and grounds in front of her. It looked like it should be on the cover of House and Home magazine. The place was massive.

“This is the safe house?” She turned to Dev with a confused look on her face.