Page 27 of Temptation
His voice soothed her.
Preston. Preston was the one who held her, not the monster from her nightmares.
“I knew you’d have nightmares. How could you not, after what happened?” He cradled her in his arms. Held her as if she were as light as could be. And he hurried back toward the open doorway. “It’s okay. You’re safe. I’ve got you.”
Had he said all of those words before? She thought that he had. Sloane looped one arm around his neck. She should tell him that he could put her down. Maybe she should apologize for screaming.
She didn’t let him go. Didn’t apologize. She held him tighter.
His feet raced down the stairs. They reached the first level of his sprawling home, and, truly, it was massive. Open, airy, with huge ceilings. Windows everywhere.
He took her to a big, heavy, leather armchair. Sat down in it with her, keeping her in his lap. In his embrace. He was warm and strong and so solid, and it seemed natural to put her head against his shoulder.
“I warned you.” Preston’s voice rumbled beneath her. “Warned you that as soon as you closed your eyes, you might be back there.”
He wore black jogging pants. Nothing else.
“I’ve been there,” he told her. “And it’s one of the reasons I bought this house.” He reached over. Grabbed a remote. Hit a few buttons.
The soft lights that had been on downstairs turned off.
She couldn’t help but tense.
And then…
Then the blinds on the windows folded up. They folded until she could see outside, all around her, in every direction, and she saw stars. So many stars.
“Mountains. Stars. Trees. For miles and miles. We’re not closed in. It’s wide open here.” His voice rumbled beneath her once more. “We can see anything we want from here. You’re not trapped. You’re on top of the world, angel.”
It hadn’t been the coffin that haunted her. It had been her own past. But she didn’t talk about her past. Even as she dug up other people’s pain, she kept her own carefully hidden. Was that fair? No, not at all. But life wasn’t fair. Sometimes, it was shitty. Sometimes, it was terrifying.
“The sun will rise soon enough,” Preston promised her. “And it will be gorgeous. Like the whole sky is on fire.” A pause. “You can sleep here, in my arms, or you can stay awake, and we’ll watch the sun rise together.”
He was being kind to her.
She choked down the lump in her throat. She was holding tightly to secrets, and he was being kind to her. Hardly seemed like an even arrangement. “Preston…”
“I am going to kill him.” A vow. “I will not let you spend the rest of your life wondering if that sonofabitch is out there, hunting.”
But he hadn’t been hunting her. She hadn’t been the target.
Preston had been carefully selected because?—
“You’re safe with me,” Preston told her. One hand began to stroke her back. “You have nothing to fear from me. I will never hurt you.”
No, but he had plenty to fear from her.
Her gaze remained on the stars.
I am going to kill him. Preston’s words. His promise.
She knew a monster waited.
Sloane was still cradled in Preston’s arms when the sun rose.
Chapter Seven
Bridget Russell yanked off her ID badge and slammed her locker shut. Her twelve-hour shift was over, and it had been one crazy night. Like, seriously…
