An Underground Kings Novel
Assumption
By Aurora Rose Reynolds
Synopsis
as·sump·tion:
a thing that
is accepted as true or as certain to happen, without proof
They say
when you assume that you make an ass out of you and me. Kenton Mayson learned
this lesson firsthand when he made assumptions about Autumn Freeman and the
kind of woman she is based on what little information he had. What he finds out
is she’s not only beautiful, but also smart, funny, a fighter, and exactly the
kind of woman he wants to share his life with. Autumn made assumptions of her
own about Kenton, and now he needs to prove her wrong in order to protect her
and their future.
Review 5 Stars!
Aurora
Rose Reynolds writes some of the sexiest alpha heroes I have ever come across.
I fell in love with the men of the Until Series and was so excited when she
announced that she was writing a companion series!
I
first met Kenton in Until November and while I was busy swooning over Asher, he
did not escape my notice. Kenton is a bounty hunter. A mysterious, tough, sexy
guy whose passionate hands and dirty mouth will melt your panties right off! Underneath
the tough exterior beats a passionate and loving heart. He’ll throw you on the
bed and rock your world, and then be sweet and slow. Yes…I’m fanning myself.
Autumn
is a girl I’d like to get to know better if I met her on the street. She is
independent and can definitely take care of business. She has a sassy mouth
that either gets her in trouble, or endears her to those around her. A stripper
by night, to pay the bills, and a nurse by day, she is determined to climb her
way into the life she wants.
After
witnessing a killing spree in the club where she works, Autumn is sent to stay
with Kenton until the culprit is caught and she is no longer in danger. Well,
life threatening danger… Kenton and Autumn practically combust from the sparks
between them when they meet.
I’ve
never had a problem with “love at first sight,” however some people don’t find
is as believable. This story is for you. While the attraction burns between the
two of them, they take time to work through the misunderstandings and the feelings
they have for each other. When Kenton finally accepts what he feels for Autumn,
he has his work cut out for him convincing Autumn to do the same.
One
of my favorite things about Aurora’s men, is that when they fall in love, they
put their all into it. Failure is not an option. This is simply the way it’s
going to be! It’s damn sexy! Is it hot in here…?
Aurora
creates love that is strong and resilient. I love the fact that the major conflict
in the story surrounds them, but does not break them apart. Autumn and Kenton
may struggle with what’s between them, but they are still loyal and keep faith
in each other.
I’m
always impressed with her ability to write such action into a story! It’s not
just a small conflict, its heart-pumping thrills and intrigue. She knows how to
write scenes that belong in an action movie, and scenes that will burn up the
sheets.
After
the Until Series, Aurora had a lot to live up to in the next book (not that I
was worried…but still…) and she certainly didn’t disappoint. When I got to the
last page, I put the book down. Five minutes later, I gave in, picked it back
up and read it again!
Assumption
An Underground Kings Novel
Kenton
ByAurora Rose Reynolds
Excerpt:
Prologue
I see you judging me. I know
what you’re thinking. She has to be a slut; she works at a strip club and takes
off her clothes for money. Yes! I work at a strip club, and you may think I’m a
whore for showing off my body, but this is a talent that has been forced down
my throat since I was a young child. Look pretty and smile. I put on a show for
those who choose to watch. However long I’m on stage, I’m not even me. It’s
what I imagine an out of body experience would be like—a performance, nothing
more, nothing less. The people watching make assumptions about who they think I
am, or cook up a story in their heads of whom they want me to be. I’m just
another beautiful face.
Beautiful. I hate that fucking word. Who gives a crap if someone is
attractive on the outside if they are dying inside? My whole life has been
about what I look like. I swear, the only reason my mother kept me was to have
a real-life, living, breathing doll she could dress up and control, which is the
exact reason why as soon as I became eighteen, I got as far away from her special
brand of crazy as I could. That’s also why I don’t date. The first thing guys
do is look at me and see a pretty face, a nice body, and an empty space where
my brain’s supposed to be. They have no interest in getting to know the person
I am on the inside. They don’t care I volunteer my spare time, and they couldn’t
care less I’m going to school to be an RN. They don’t ask about my hopes, my dreams,
or about where I see my life in twenty years. They don’t care about me at all.
They just want someone pretty to follow them around and tell them how handsome
they are, how special they are, while agreeing with everything they say. Fuck
that! I did that for too many years. That’s why I live inside books. At least
there I can choose where I want to be—from the highlands of Scotland, to a king’s
bed in a faraway land—and even if it’s pretend, sometimes that’s a lot better
than reality.
Chapter
1
I look out the plane window, my finger going to
the glass, feeling the cold on my fingertips as I look out at the land moving
quickly below me. It’s funny how from up here, everything looks so small. I
never traveled in a plane before today; just the idea of being trapped inside a
tin can while flying at six hundred miles an hour never appealed to me. I take
a breath and look at the TV monitor that’s in the seat in front of me. The
small, animated plane on the screen shows we’re over halfway to Tennessee.
“Are you traveling for business or pleasure?”
I turn my head and look at the guy sitting next
to me. He’s slightly overweight and balding, but he also has wrinkles around
his eyes, giving him the appearance of someone who smiles often. I debate with
myself on whether or not to answer before replying, “Business.”
His eyes drop to my mouth, then to my chest as I
fight the urge to punch him in the throat. I hate when men go from nice to
creepy. I shake my head, turning away from him. I don’t know why I even try. I
feel a hand on my bare leg and my head swings around quickly. “Touch me again
and I will rip off your balls and feed them to you,” I tell him in a soft tone,
trying not to bring attention to us. He quickly removes his hand before
swallowing hard.
“I…I’m sorry.”
I shake my head before turning my body away from
his. I feel tears sting my nose, but I fight them back. No way am I going to
cry now—not when just six hours ago, my whole world exploded and I didn’t shed
one single tear. I lay my forehead to the glass, closing my eyes. I still can’t
believe how fast my life changed…
Yesterday
I got up that morning and went to the hospital
like I always do. I work at one of the busiest ERs in Vegas. I’ve been working
there since I finished school, and was required to get my clinical hours for my
RN certification. As soon as I walked into the building, I was loaded down with
work. Weekends are always crazy in Sin City, but yesterday seemed worse than
normal—two drug overdoses, three stomach pumps, and one gun shot victim. Later,
I was leaving the hospital exhausted, only to head to my real job—well, the one
that pays me the money I need to live.
“Hey, Angel.”
“Hey, Sid.” I gave him a half-smile as I walked
into The Lions Den, the gentlemen’s club I worked at. Do I like to strip? No.
Does it pay my bills? Yes. The second I get on stage, I’m no longer me; my
brain shuts off and my body takes over, the same way it used to when I was
growing up and my mom forced me into pageants. I’m accustomed to being on
display and used for my appearance. I wish life was different, but it is what
it is. Some people complain about being overweight or having acne; for me, I
hate being beautiful. I know it sounds stupid; I mean, why would anyone
complain about being attractive, right? Here’s why: men see me as an object,
and women see me as competition. No one is ever willing to give me a chance;
they all judge me by what’s on the outside, never taking a second to find out
even the smallest detail about who I am. I know I’m a walking cliché; I hate
being beautiful, yet I work in a business where I put myself front and center
to be viewed and judged.
The difference? For the first time in my life,
when I get on stage, it’s my choice; no one is forcing me to do it. I get up
there to earn the money so I can change my life in a way that will make it
where I never have to be objectified again.
“Tired?” Sid questioned, following me. I had
worked for Sid for the last three years. He was a friend of sorts; he’s also my
boss.
“Yeah, I can’t wait until my clinical hours are
over and I can start working at the hospital full-time, instead of having two
jobs.”
“I don’t like that I won’t see your face all the
time, but I know you need to move on,” he conceded.
“Some other girl will come in and you will forget
all about me.”
“Never, Angel.” His eyes move over my face and he
shakes his head. “You’re working VIP tonight.” He followed me down the hall
towards the dressing rooms.
“Sure,” I agreed, already exhausted. I needed a
shower and a bed, but knew I was going to be there for at least eight hours, so
I might as well suck it up.
“The guys coming in are important, so you need to
make sure they’re happy the whole time they’re here.”
“I have done this before,” I reminded him,
stopping outside the dressing room door to frown at him.
“Normally, I wouldn’t say anything—you know
that—but I gotta go get on a plane, so I won’t be here to check on them.”
“I’ll make sure they’re taken care of,” I assured
him.
“Thanks, Angel.” He kissed my forehead like he often
did before walking away. I watched him go for a second before pulling myself
together.
“Oh! Look who’s here,” Tessa said as soon as I
entered the dressing room. I ignored her and tossed my bag into my locker
before pulling my scrubs off. Tessa is a bitch; she is just like the girls I
used to compete against in pageants. To her, life is a competition, and she is
determine to come out the winner, even if she has to throw everyone else under
the bus on her way to the top. “Mick said I could work VIP tonight,” she said
to one of the other girls in the room. I ignored her, knowing better than to
tell her it wasn’t happening. I was sure Mick did tell her that…after she took
him in the backroom and gave him something to convince him. “Pixie said the
guys coming in are some big-time land developers, so you know the tips are
going to be outrageous. Thank God, because I need to have my tits redone, and
that shit is not cheap.” I rolled my eyes and headed for the shower room. I had
met a couple nice girls during my time here, but most were just like Tessa—a
whole lot of hair, tits, ass, and not much else.
I stood in front of the mirror and put on a coat
of red lipstick before standing back, looking myself over. The VIP dress code
is different than the rest of the club. The required outfit consists of a
sheer, black overlay bra, black silk panties, a black garter belt with sheer
hose, and black heels. My long, naturally red hair was pulled back on one side
by a large flower; the rest was loose and wavy, flowing down my back and one
shoulder. My creamy white skin, red lips, and smoky eyes made me look almost
like a sexy vamp.
“You ready, Angel?” Sid asked, pounding on the
door.
“Showtime,” I whispered before opening the door.
“You look beautiful; I’m going to take you in
there and introduce you before heading out.”
“Sure.” I followed him down the hall to the club.
The Lion’s Den is well-known in the area for its exclusivity. The walls are
painted a dark brown, and the booths are designed into the walls, making the space
feel intimate. The stage is in the center of the room, with a single spotlight
shining down on it. Every booth has a girl assigned to it, and VIP has two
girls. We aren’t allowed to interact with the customers without being asked
directly to do so.
The club is less of a strip club, and more of a
place for men to hangout and drink while having beautiful women tend to them.
If they choose to, they can watch the girl in the center of the room put on a
show. I had been on stage several times in the three years I’ve worked here. I
never told Sid I didn’t like it up there, but he normally put me in VIP, or
assigned me to a booth for the night.
“Why are you so worried about these guys?”
“They’re thinking about opening up a Lion’s Den
in one of the new casinos they’re building.”
“That’s huge! Congrats, honey.” I squeezed his
bicep and gave him a smile.
“One day, Angel, I’m gonna take you away from
this place and show you happiness. I wanna see that smile everyday.” My heart
did a little thud. Sid is a very attractive man, but he’s not for me. I don’t
want or need a man; they get you all discombobulated, filling your head with a
bunch of lies then expect you to follow them around. I did that once. I thought
a man was going to save me from the hell I was living in. I gave him my
virginity and my heart, and he gave me a child I wasn’t allowed to keep and a
heart so broken nothing or no one would ever put it back together again.
I looked through the two-way mirror at the men
around the table in the VIP room.
“All right,” Sid says from beside me, “the man in
the center at the table is John Barbato; he is the owner of three of the
largest clubs in the city. The guy there on his left is Steven Creo; he’s some
big wig on Wall Street and has backed more than half the new clubs and casinos
opening on The Strip. The guy to the right of John has a location they’re
interested in purchasing.”
“Got it. Who’s working with me?” I asked him.
“Tessa, Mick said she would be the best out of
the girls we’ve got on the schedule tonight.”
“I’m sure he did,” I mumbled, looking back into
the room. “What other bouncers are on tonight?” I hated when Mick and Craig
worked together; they were both more concerned about hooking up with the girls
than what was going on out on the floor.
“Link’s here now.”
“Good.” Link was a good guy and a close friend.
He also took his job seriously.
“All right, let me introduce you quickly before I
head out.”
“Sure.” I followed him into the room; the men’s
heads turned in our direction smiling.
“Guys, I want you to meet Angel. She’s gonna be
your girl for the night. You need anything, you ask her, and she will make sure
you’re taken care of,” Sid tells them, gesturing to me.
“Nice to meet you,” one of the men said, smiling
while the others nodded.
“Nice to meet you.” I smiled back.
“Angel will be right back; give me a minute
guys.”
“Sure,” the one that spoke before said. As Sid
and I stepped away, I heard from behind me, “Do you think the curtains match
the drapes?” and they all laughed. I hated that saying, and I swore once I was
free of this lifestyle, I would kick the next man in the nuts who said it.
“Okay, I gotta head out. I won’t be back for two
weeks,” Sid said once we were standing in the hall.
“Have a safe trip.”
His eyes searched my face. His mouth opened and
closed like he was going to say something, but instead, he shook his head,
kissed my cheek, and walked off down the hall muttering something under his
breath.
Tessa came around the corner a couple seconds
later with a smug smile on her face. I hate to admit it, but she is beautiful.
Her skin has a natural glow that makes her look healthy and youthful. Her hair
is black and thick, reaching the top of her ass. Her eyes curve out at the
corners, showing off her Asian-American heritage. “You ready?” she asked,
looking at me from head to toe. I avoided rolling my eyes at her before
stepping into the room behind her.
After we took the first orders, we stood back
while the men talked. I learned a long time ago to zone myself out. We were
there as eye candy and nothing else. There was a knock on the door, and I knew
the drinks had arrived. Tessa answered it, opening the door wide, and the man
who brought the tray in was someone I had never seen before. He looked to be
mid-thirties, had long, shaggy black hair, and brown eyes. When he set the tray
down on the table in the corner, he turned and did something odd that had me
watching him more closely. His hand went to his back as he looked over at the
men who were still busy talking. When his eyes came to me, he smiled before
walking out of the room. I looked at Tessa to see if she had noticed anything
strange, but she was busy handing out the drinks and flirting with the men at
the table.
We stood to the side again once the men had their
drinks; every once in a while, they would ask me a question about the club, and
I told them what I knew. About thirty minutes after they had their first
drinks, I called and had more ordered. This time, when the guy came in, he did
the same thing—hand at his back, looking at the table. I had no idea who he
was, but planned to find out as soon as the men left. One of the men received a
phone call and stepped out of the room, and when he returned, he had another
man with him. They all sat down, and this time when they called me over, they
wanted a bottle of Chives Regal Royal Salute Scotch. One glass of the stuff
cost close to six hundred dollars, making it over ten thousand dollars for a
bottle. I placed the order and waited for it to be delivered. When the knock
sounded on the door, I opened it up, and the same man from earlier came in and
set the tray down. I watched to see if he would do the same thing he had done
the previous times.
Sure enough, his head turned towards the table
and his hand lifted behind his back, but this time, he lifted his jacket,
pulling out something black. It took a second for me to realize what it was,
and by that time, it was too late. He let off four rounds in rapid succession,
then turned and fired a round, hitting Tessa. I screamed as he turned the gun
on me, and before I could think, I ducked down and ran as fast as I could out
of the room. I felt a bullet whiz past me as I turned the corner, and another
as I entered the main part of the club. I spotted Mick; right away his eyes got
wide and I yelled at the top of my lungs, “HE HAS A GUN!”
Everyone started screaming and running in every
direction. I ran into a solid wall, and when I looked up to see it was Link, he
wrapped an arm around my waist, turned, and pushed me behind the bar. I
stumbled in my heels, falling to my knees and hitting the ground hard. I
crawled under the counter and curled myself into a ball, shaking out of fear
for my life. I listened as people screamed, but didn’t hear anymore gunshots. I
don’t know how long I stayed like that, but it felt like forever until I heard
police sirens.
“Autumn,” Link called my real name, snapping me
out of my terrified huddle. I peeked out from behind my hands as he crouched
down in front of me.
“Did you get him?” He shook his head, putting out
his hand for me to take. I shook my head no—I was safe; I didn’t want to move
from that spot.
“Come on, Angel, he’s gone.” I shook my head
again. “Nothing is going to happen to you. I promise you’re safe.” I swallowed
against the lump in my throat, squeezing my eyes closed.
“Tessa?” I asked him. His eyes closed and his
head dropped forward. “No,” I whispered, shaking my head. “No.”
“Sorry, Angel,” he said quietly.
“Why?”
“Not sure, but the cops are here. I need you to
come out of there so you can talk to them,” he told me gently, holding out his
hand again. I nodded, reluctantly taking it.
Even though I didn’t like Tessa, she didn’t deserve what happened to
her. None of the people in the room deserved what happened to them.
“I should have tried to help her.”
“Nothing you could have done,” Link said, and my
eyes went from to the floor to his. He shook his head, wrapped his beefy arm
around my shoulders, and walked me over to a barstool. I sat there until the
cops came up a few minutes later and told me they needed to talk to me at the
station.
“Can she get some clothes on?” Link—who had given
me the shirt off his back and hadn’t left my side—asked one of the detectives.
“Sure,” the guy mumbled.
I slid off the barstool and dazedly walked to the
dressing room. When I walked in, all the girls were there, huddled together and
crying. I didn’t know what to say to them; most of them had been friends with
Tessa. I felt horrible they had lost their friend, but was unsure if they would
want me to express my condolences. I walked to my locker and started to pull
off my stockings when one of the girls came up to me, wrapping her arms around
me. Shocked, I hugged her back, and more of the girls gathered around me. We
all stood there silently for a few minutes; most of the girls were crying while
a couple mumbled about how everything would be okay. I wasn’t sure anything
would ever be okay again; I just watched five people die and was lucky to still
be alive.
“I have to go with the police,” I told the girls
when it didn’t seem like they were going to let me go. After a second, they all
started breaking away from me one-by-one, giving me reassuring hugs.
“Call me if you want to talk,” one of the girls,
Elsa, said, handing me a business card with her personal information on it. I
looked at it for a long second before nodding. I had never really been friends
with any of them. Maybe that needed to change. I went to my locker, pulling off
my clothes before slipping on a pair of jean shorts, a black tank top, a large,
oversized grey sweater, and a pair of black flip-flops. I grabbed my bag,
shoved everything into it from my locker, and left the room without a backwards
glance.
Link was waiting for me outside the dressing room
door, his back against the wall, his head tilted back, looking at the ceiling.
I had known Link since I started working at The Lion’s Den. He was a nice guy,
blonde hair cut low to his head, tan skin, blue eyes, and a southern drawl that
made women fall to their knees. He used to flirt with me when I first started,
but when I didn’t return any of the banter, he laid off and became a friend.
He’s one of the only people who knows about my past and the things I’ve gone
through. “You didn’t have to wait for me,” I told him, pulling my bag across my
body.
“I’m not letting you go through this alone.” He
pulled me into his side. I could feel tears sting my eyes, and I fought them
back. I wasn’t going to cry until this was all over, when I could do it alone,
hiding under my covers with my face stuffed into a pillow…like I always did.
“Thank you.”
He gave me a squeeze, and I felt his lips at the
top of my head.
*~*~*
“I don’t understand why I have to leave the
state,” I told Link, putting another pair of shoes in my bag. I had no idea how
long I would be gone, and Link made it sound like I wouldn’t be able to come
back to Vegas for a long while.
“Angel, I hate to remind you, but you’re the only
witness, and from what the cops said, the guy is a killer paid by the mob to do
hits on people.”
I sighed, looking around my house. I hated I was
leaving, but knew it was for the best. I was at the police station for over
eight hours going over what happened then sitting with a sketch artist.
Somehow, the guy who had shot Tessa and those men had avoided every camera in
the club. The cops informed me I needed to be extra cautious. I was the only
witness, and they were concerned he would come after me. When Link found out
what they said, he made a call to one of his friends from back home in
Tennessee and asked if he would be willing to let me stay with him until the
police caught the guy. The man, Kenton, agreed, telling Link I would be safe. I
hated I was leaving my home, but if my only options were either death or
moving, the choice was begrudgingly clear.
“I hope they get the guy fast,” I mumbled.
“Me too, but until then, you will be far away
from here where your safe.”
“Are you sure it’s a good idea to have me stay
with this guy? I mean, how well do you really know him?”
“We were best friends growing up. He’s a good
guy; you’ll be safe with him.”
I bit the inside of my cheek and nodded before
going into the closet to get another suitcase. Might as well pack enough stuff
to last me. Once I was all packed and ready to go, we got into Link’s SUV and
headed for the airport. I was nervous the whole way, feeling like something
crazy was about to happen…
Today
“Ladies and Gentlemen, we’re about twenty minutes
out from our arrival destination. The weather in Nashville is mostly clear and
sunny; the temperature is eighty-five degrees. The pilot has now turned on the
fasten seatbelt sign. Flight crew, please prepare for landing,” I hear through
my sleep-ridden state and lift my head from the wall where I had rested it. I
wipe my mouth with the sleeve of my sweater before looking around to see
everyone is putting their belongings away. I make sure my seatbelt is secure
before sitting back. My leg starts bouncing up and down quickly, and I rub the
tattoo behind my ear, trying to think about something other than the plane
landing.
Once we are on the ground, I wait until everyone
is off the plane to make my way out into the terminal. I go to baggage claim
and look around, but I have no clue what this guy looks like. All I know is
that his name is Kenton, and he is supposed to be picking me up.
I don’t see anyone who looks like they’re
searching for someone, so I go to the conveyer belt and spot one of my bags as
soon as I get there. I pull it off, stumbling back slightly from the weight, as
every guy here just watches me without offering to help. I look around again,
wondering if I’m supposed to call someone to tell them I landed. I pull my
phone out, click it off airplane mode, and send a text to Link letting him know
I had arrived. He sends me a message back letting me know Kenton had called and
told him he couldn’t make it to pick me up, and I should just catch a cab to
his house; the door would be unlocked.
I shake my head, cursing under my breath, and almost
miss one of my other bags going around the belt. Luckily, I catch it at the
last second. I carry it over to my other bag, and turn around just in time to
see my last bag about to go through the tunnel. I run as fast as I can in my
flip flops, and land half-on the conveyor belt, my bottom-half being dragged
along the floor as I grab the handle of my bag, pulling it back so hard it
flies over my head, causing me to land on my back with my hands over my head.
“You must be Autumn,” I hear rumbled from above
me. I tilt my head back and look up at the man standing over me. He’s
upside-down, but even from my awkward position, he is good looking. His chuckle
makes me grit my teeth though, and I stand up, putting my bag on its wheels
before turning back to face him.
“You are?”
He raises a brow to me, shaking his head, looking
me over from head to toe. My body heats immediately under his gaze. I take my
sweater off, wrapping it around my waist and clearing my throat. “You are?” I
ask him again, getting annoyed that he’s obviously finding this so funny if the
smirk on his face is anything to go by.
“Kenton.” He smiles. “Those bags yours?” He nods
towards my other two bags.
“Yes.” I blow some hair out of my face, looking
into his blue eyes and wondering why the hell I feel so hot all of a sudden. He
looks away, going over to my bags while I take the time to look him over.
He’s tall—much taller than my five-five. His hair
touches the edge of the black t-shirt he has on. He needed a cut a while ago,
but judging by the dark scruff along his jaw, I can tell he doesn’t care much
about grooming. His shoulders are broad, tapering down to a lean waist; his
thighs are thick, incased in a pair of dark jeans that have shredded around the
bottom by his heels, and his wallet is imprinted in the back pocket like he
wears them often. I look at his ass as he leans over. I can’t believe I’m
checking a man out; I’m not one to be the slightest bit sexually interested in
anyone. My eyes travel lower, looking at his feet, which are enclosed in a very
large pair of black boots. I wonder absently if what they say is true about
shoe size. I shake my head at my thoughts, dragging my bag with me towards him.
“I thought you couldn’t make it,” I tell him when I reach his side. My head
tilts back to look up into his eyes.
“Yeah, change of plans,” he mutters, looking at
me. I wait to see if he’s going to say anything else. Apparently, he isn’t
going to, so I shake my head again and lower my face towards the ground. “You
tired?” His voice is dark and rich, and does something crazy to my insides. I
nod, lifting my head. “Let’s roll; you can sleep when we reach the house.”
I don’t say anything else. Something is wrong
with me; maybe I’m getting sick. I follow him out of the terminal into the car
park. When we reach the parking lot, he stops and pulls a set of keys from his
pocket. I hear the beep and look around, expecting him to be driving a large
truck, a Hummer, or maybe even a tank. I never expected him to be driving a
Dodge Viper, the black-on-black of the car only making it look hotter. I look
at my bags, wondering how we will get them in the car.
“It’ll be tight, but they’ll fit,” he mumbles,
pulling my other two bags with him. I can’t help noticing the flex of his
muscles as he gets my bags into the car, or the fact even his fingers are
attractive. It takes some maneuvering, but he does get my bags to fit. I sigh,
sitting down on the warm leather once we’re done. “I’m just gonna drop you off
at the house. I gotta head out for a bit, but you have free rein. Just make
yourself at home; there’s food in the fridge, and fresh sheets on the bed in
the guest room.”
“Thank you for doing this,” I tell him, looking
at his profile. He is seriously good looking, and the butterflies in my stomach
are making me feel anxious about staying with him.
“Don’t
mention it. So…you and Link?” It took a second to decipher his words between
the thickness of his accent, his smell, and the nervous energy I was feeling. Being
in his presence, my brain seemed to have shut down.
“He’s a friend.” Shit, maybe I should have said
he was my boyfriend. I looked over at him again; he didn’t seem to be as on
edge as I was. He was probably used to women swooning over him. My gut tightened with something, and it took
a second to realize what it was. My body froze. Jealousy, really? I must be
going into shock or something—I don’t get jealous.
“How’d you two meet?”
“We work at the same club,” I murmured, squirming
in my seat.
“Oh yeah,” he mumbled, his knuckles turning white
from his grip on the steering wheel. I didn’t know what that meant, but the
energy in the car changed, making me want to get away from him.
We drove in silence for the next half-hour, the
car winding its way through one small town after another until we went up what
seemed like the side of a mountain. The area was surrounded by forest on either
side of the road. We drove for about five minutes more before turning onto a
dirt road that took us deeper into the forest. I wanted to ask if he lived out
here and about where he worked, and a million other questions, but my mouth had
gone dry, and the energy in his car hadn’t gotten any better, so I decided to
keep my mouth shut.
I was going to be stuck with him for a while, so
I figured there would be time for all of that later. I looked ahead of us, and
squinted as the image of a large house came into view. It was a very large
brick house; the front had two porches, one on the first floor, one on the
second, and both wrapped around the front of the house. It was beautiful and expansive.
I looked over at Kenton again, gaging if I should ask him if this was his
house. His jaw was ticking, and the vein in his neck was pulsing wildly. I had
no idea what had set him off, but figured my best bet was to sit there quietly
until he calmed down.
We parked in front of the house, where there was
no real designated parking place. He unfolded himself out of the car without
saying anything, and I took that as my cue to follow him. By the time I made it
to the back of the car, he had both of my bags out and was back on the driver’s
side, sliding his seat forward so he could get to the bag in the backseat.
Without a word, he carried two of my bags up the front porch and right into the
house. I dragged my last bag with me, following close behind him.
He set my bags down at the bottom of the
staircase, then turned to look at me. “Your room is at the top of the stairs to
the right. There’s a bathroom across the hall you can use; I have my own.” He
ran a hand through his hair and looked me over again, anger apparent on his
face. “I don’t want random men in my house, so if you need to get off, take
care of yourself.” I blinked at him as he continued. “The code for the alarm is
4593; don’t forget to set it when you’re in the house. I don’t know when I’ll
be back, but you’ll be safe here.” Before I even had a chance to form a
complete thought, he was closing the door behind him, shouting, “Set the alarm.”
I stood
there for a few minutes, just looking at the door, then I looked around for an
alarm, but didn’t see one. Tears stung my nose again as I recalled the look of
disgust on his face when he told me to get myself off. I said a silent, “Fuck
you,” and looked at my bags then the stairs, shaking my head—I could cry once I
got settled in the room. I carried my bags up the stairs one at a time, and by
the time I was done, I was so exhausted that I laid face first on the bed, put
my head under the pillow, and cried until I fell asleep.
There was a pounding on the door, and I rolled,
falling off the bed and onto the floor. “You didn’t set the alarm,” I heard
growled. I stood up, pushing my hair out of my face, glaring at Kenton, who
stood in the doorway with his arms crossed over his chest.
“I looked and didn’t see the alarm to set it.” I
copied his posture, crossing my arms over my chest.
“You should have called and asked me where it
was.”
I scoffed. “With what magic? I don’t have your
number.”
“You could have asked Link for it.” He shook his
head.
“I’m sorry, but if you wanted me to have your
number, I figured you would have given it to me,” I retorted.
“Did you eat?” he asked, changing the subject
suddenly and throwing me off-guard.
“Pardon?”
“Did you eat something?”
“No, and I’m not hungry; I’m just really tired,”
I told him, rubbing my face. All I wanted to do was go to sleep and forget
about the last forty-eight hours.
“You need to eat something,” he chided,
uncrossing his arms and placing his hands on his hips.
“Okay, don’t get me wrong; I’m really thankful
for you looking out for me, but I have been taking care of myself for a very
long time. I don’t want nor need a babysitter.”
“Suit yourself.” He shrugged then looked me over
again, his eyes lingering on my chest. I glanced down and groaned. Seriously?
My boobs were in my bra, hanging over the top of my tank-top. I quickly
adjusted my shirt before narrowing my eyes on him. He smirked, looking up into
my face. “Make sure you set the alarm from now on. The panel is inside the room
off the entry, first door to the right.”
“Got it.” My body was doing that hot thing again,
and I wondered why it kept happening when he was around.
“All right, doll, get some rest. I’ll see you
tomorrow.” He let his eyes linger on me for a few moments more, and then shook
his head, stepping out of the room. I went to the side of the bed and turned on
the light before walking to the door and shutting it. I leaned my head back,
closing my eyes and breathing in deeply. I ran a finger across my tattoo behind
my ear before opening my eyes and looking around. I could do this; I had lived
through much worse and came out on top. I just needed to get a plan in place.
Additional Books by Aurora Rose Reynolds
The
ENTIRE Until Series is available in one box
set.
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1lr1Tnu
B & N: http://bit.ly/1qaR87y
iTunes: http://bit.ly/1t5lEDf
Until Series (Individually)
Until November (Book 1)
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1i3ebMV
Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/1k2XK31
Smashword: http://bit.ly/1hvNQZj
Until Trevor (Book 2)
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1l8YYfN
Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/1iWBUQK
Smashword: http://bit.ly/PBepBh
Until Lily
(Book 3)
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1mMEJro
Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/1pzOdYk
Smashword: http://bit.ly/1ik18ci
Until Nico (Book 4)
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1m0JaZO
Amazon UK: http://amzn.uk.to/1m0JaZO
B & N: http://bit.ly/1kZqgpl
About
the Author
Aurora Rose Reynolds is a navy brat whose
husband served in the United States Navy. She has lived all over the country
but now resides in New York City with her Husband and pet fish. She's married
to an alpha male that loves her as much as the men in her books love their
women. He gives her over the top inspiration every day. In her free time she
reads, writes and enjoys going to the movies with her husband and cookie. She
also enjoys taking mini weekend vacations to nowhere, or spends time at home
with friends and family. Last but not least she appreciates every day and
admires its beauty.
Giveaway
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