“The dark isn’t all bad.” I lower my voice, lulling her to sleep.
“I hate it. I can’t get away from it.”
“You’re safe here with me, Red.” I tell the lie that I hope becomes the truth. “Get some sleep.”
“Okay.” She lets out a long sigh.
It’s silent for so long that I think she’s asleep. Then she asks, “What sort of business were your parents doing downstairs? You said deals?”
Well, fuck.
“Goodnight, Red.” I close my eyes.
She grumbles and turns onto her side.
I feel gratified that she’s getting my scent all over her. Because I’m an animal, I guess. That’s how I feel about her, like an animal caught in her trap, but I don’t want to leave. I want to stay right here with her.
When I hear a soft snore from her, I smile and steal one more glance. A ray of moonlight lies across her red hair, making it glow like fire. No. More like a beautiful … sunset.
5
DAPHNE
“Tiernan.” I mumble his name as I roll over. I can smell him all over me. I reach my arm out but only come up with a pillow. My eyes flutter open to see no one is in the bed with me. I sit up and look around the room, then realize I’m alone. I push down my disappointment over him not being here.
At one point in the middle of the night I woke up with Tiernan wrapped around my body. He whispered into my ear that I should go back to sleep and that he’d gotten into bed with me because I had been tossing and turning so much. He said it seemed to calm me down when he held me. I think he might’ve been right. I feel as though I’ve gotten one of the best nights of sleep in my life. I’m going to guess it’s because with Tiernan being so close to me, I knew I was safe so my body was finally able to relax.
I stretch before making my way toward the bathroom. I pause when I see my cosmetics bag and blow dryer on the vanity along with my toothbrush sitting in the holder next to Tiernan’s. I guess he was serious about keeping me close. I thought he only said that last night to get me to calm down. It had worked. If I sleep like I did last night again being in Tiernan’s bed, then I’m never going to want to leave this place.
I do my morning routine before going in search of my stuff. If he brought my bathroom stuff over, I’m guessing he also brought some of my other things. I glance around the room, but I don’t see my suitcase. I do notice my laptop is on the side of the bed I slept on last night. I head over to the closet and pull open the door to a small room.
I’ve been in a couple of the girls' rooms and now Tiernan’s. They are big suites that put some people's condos to shame. There’s even a sitting area with a fireplace. The only thing not here is a kitchen. I grab my bag but stop when I feel there’s nothing inside it.
“Oh my,” I whisper to myself as I stare at all my clothes hanging next to Tiernan’s. If anyone walked into Tiernan’s room, they’d think he has a woman. Again, I push down the rush of warm emotions that flood through my body. I was already crushing on Tiernan when he was being a dick. At this rate, I’m going to be in love with him by the end of the day.
I can’t allow that to happen. I have no clue who Tiernan really is, and he’s not coughing up any information willingly. Yet there still seems to be something faintly familiar about him. I grab my shorts off the shelf and begin putting on my workout gear. I need to clear my head, and running is the only way to do that.
When I'm dressed, I realize the opportunity that I have here. He’s left me alone in his room. He should have known better. It’s like he’s asking me to peek around his bedroom. He knows how curious I am about everything. There’s no way I can pass up this opportunity. I may never get it again.
I start opening drawers. The first is his nightstand. The only things in it are two handguns and a switchblade. “Well, then.” I laugh, shutting the drawer and moving on to the next. I let out a scream when an arm locks around me. Before I know what’s happening, I’m being lifted off the ground.
Tiernan tosses me onto the bed. I huff out a breath as I begin to sit up. Okay, I totally deserved that. He stands in front of me in sweatpants and a shirt.
“Morning,” I chirp, giving him a giant smile.
He shakes his head at me. “It’s afternoon.”
“What?”
“You must have needed sleep. I’m sure it’s exhausting placing a target on your head.”
“What does that mean?” I throw my legs over the side of the bed.
“I don’t know. Maybe it has something to do with your name being on every news channel.”
“I had to do that.” I raise my chin. I don’t have any regrets about what I did. Those men needed to be exposed. I couldn’t live with myself if I hadn’t released what I’d found. I’d do it again in a heartbeat.
“I know, but it’s not only that. I’ve only known you a few days. First you show up, trespassing on our land. You had no fucking idea what you were getting yourself into in the middle of nowhere. Then you start going through someone's stuff—someone you already know is a killer. You have no regard for your own safety. I’m shocked you’ve lived this long. I’m sure there’s a million other things to add to the list that you’ve done before now.” His face grows serious as he talks about my safety.