Page 5 of Midnight Rose

"My home. Our home."

He reaches for me, and I don't fight him because I'm so stunned by what I thought I just heard. Then he pulls me onto his lap, wrapping his arms around me, trying to calm me.I must have misheard him in my panicked state.

"What?" I ask because I'm sure I heard him wrong. There is no way he said 'our home.'

"I'm so sorry. I thought college would be good for you, but I won't make that mistake again,” he whispers into my hair, and his hand rubs my back.When he pulls me into him, with his arms around me and his warmth surrounding me, I feel safe.

For the first time since my dorm, I feel like I can relax again and begin to think and plan. There is no way it's this simple. There is no way I get away from my father this easily.

"What?" I ask again, not able to form any other words.

He just shakes his head and doesn’t speak. As much as I want an explanation, I know I won't get one right now.

"Will you help me?" I ask, needing to know I won't be going back to my father, that I won't be locked away again.

"Of course, but it will cost you."

"It always does," I sigh.

Even as a kid, when I asked him to play Barbies with me, he would say it was going to cost me. Normally it was a dare, but right before my brother was killed, it cost me a kiss.

My first kiss wasn't really a kiss, just a peck on the cheek. If nothing had changed, would those dares have progressed to something more? God, I hope so because that's where my dirty thoughts would go at night.

"What will it cost me this time?"

"Three dates."

I sit there in shock. He will help me, but I have to give him three dates.

It can't be that easy.

With how attracted to him I am just sitting in his car, I doubt a date will just be a date.

Chapter 6

Orlando

Even though she can say no, something about the way she is looking at me tells me she won't. I can see the wheels turning in her head, so I give her time.Since she's here now with me, I have all the time in the world.

Then she levels me with her 'I mean business look.'

"Only if I can plan them."

"There's my girl." I kiss her temple."I pay. You think big. London, Paris, Greece." I name a few places off her bucket list.

When we were growing up, we’d talk about visiting these places together, and now that I have her back, I plan to do just that. She will not only learn I will spoil her, but she’ll learn to accept it and expect it.

Her eyes go big just thinking about the places she has wanted to visit. So, I drop another bomb on her.

"Plan for next weekend, and until then, you will stay with me, and I will keep you safe."

"But my classes... "

I fight the urge to tell her outright college is off the table. It's not safe, and I was stupid to think I could make it safe for her. Even with all the measures I took, it was all for nothing.

"I have already arranged for you to do them online until we find out who is after you and why."

Though I can tell she wants to fight me on this, she’s distracted. Because thankfully, we’re pulling up to our home. The gate opens, and she takes it all in.