She beams. “Thank you.”
“Now let’s go in. I’ve already had my people preparing your room.” I get out and help her from the car, Bentley cradled in her other arm.
“A whole room? I thought you’d just let me couch surf for a while until this blows over.”
“Couch surf?”
“My parents used to get booted from a lot of living arrangements, so Xanny and I got good at making do in whoever’s house we were staying in. We’d sleep on a couch or on the floor, or wherever there was space, you know? Somewhere away from the grownups and all the stuff they were doing.”
I can imagine what ‘stuff’ a bunch of neglectful and high parents might be doing instead of taking care of their children, and none of it’s good. “You have your own room. Bentley can have his own, too, if that’s what he wants.” I walk her in the front doors, and she stops, her wide eyes roving the foyer and the staircase. “It’s like a fancy hotel.”
“Your room is right down here.” I lead her to the left along the side wing of the house. My wing. Showing her in, I watch as she places Bentley on the bed, then spins. “It’s huge. It’s like as big as a house.”
“It’s yours. Bathroom there.” I point. “I’ll have my staff get Bentley set up with whatever he needs. Just tell them, and they’ll do the shopping. I’ll also send up some snacks, or if you’d rather sleep–”
She shakes her head. “No sleep. I don’t think I can. I’m afraid I’ll see…”
Marvin. She’s afraid to relive what happened in her dreams.
“My room’s right next door.” I back away, forcing myself to get out of her proximity. If I don’t, I have the strangest feeling that I might curl up with her in her bed and hold her until she drifts off. It’s the strangest impulse, one I don’t quite understand. Fucking her–makes total sense. She’s a beauty–big eyes, curves for days, an innocence I want to taste. But holding her? That’s not something I could’ve ever imagined I’d want to do. But with Zoey, everything seems somehow different. Different, but also right.
“Get some rest. The sun will be up soon. You need to sleep off the shock of what happened.”
She shakes her head.
“Just try. I’ll come by in the morning so we can talk and make a plan.”
“A plan?” She sits on the bed. “How about a deal?”
My cock tries to bulldoze my zipper at the thought of this little angel propositioning me. “A deal?” I try to play it nonchalant.
“Yes. I’ll help you find the killer guy.” She shivers. “If you help me find my sister. Deal?”
“Oh.” I swallow my disappointment at rough animalistic sex not being included in her offer. Then again, she’s not the sort of woman who’d offer herself up–no matter how badly I want her to. Given the fact that finding her sister is already at the heart of my plan, I’d be wise to accept. Then again, I’m not above taking advantage of Zoey’s innocence. Not at all. “That’s a tough bargain, little one. I don’t know if I can agree to it unless you add a sweetener.”
“A sweetener?” she asks as Bentley’s tail begins to twitch.
“Something more to tempt me.”
Her gaze slips down my body, and I can’t help but feel a rush of satisfaction when her lips part. “Like what?”
I think she knows exactly what I want. In fact, with the way she’s eye-fucking me right now, I know she wants it, too. But I can’t overplay my hand just yet. Not to mention, I want her to feel safe here. I want her to know that I’ll protect her, even when I’m fucking her raw and she’s moaning my name.
I scrub a hand down my jaw, my body tense as I take in her flushed skin and hard nipples. Jesus, she’s a siren calling me to sin. Tearing my gaze from her, I back away and grab the door handle.
“Get some sleep. We’ll talk terms tomorrow.” I close the door to temptation, but I already know I won’t be able to sleep. Not with her right here. Not when there’s a bargain soon to be struck between us that will give me everything I want and then some.