Page 56 of Whiteout

She moved. Soft hands settling on his back, her sleepy voice whispered, “Sinjin?”

“Good morning.”

Dark lashes fluttered. Fingertips grazing his cheek, Breanna looked at him with those fairytale eyes. “Good morning.”

“Here.” Reaching for the cup on the nightstand, Ian offered it to her and winked. “I made you coffee. Cream, no sugar. Just the way you like it.”

“Thanks.” Sitting back against the headboard with a yawn, she took it from him. “Is this a cousin thing?”

Huh? His brows cinching together, he cocked his head.

“Showing up in a girl’s room uninvited.”

“You left the door to the deck unlocked,” he said with a shrug of his shoulders.

“Oh, my bad.” She made a face, lifting the cup to her lips. “I didn’t realize an unlocked door meant an open invitation.”

“For some people, it does.” Ian smirked, twisting her hair around his finger. “Unsavory characters…”

“Like you?”

“Exactly.” He watched the silken strand unravel. “I hope you’re not this reckless at school…and what do you mean, cousin thing?”

“Derek has a habit of sneaking in here, too.”

The no-good sonofabitch.

Anger surged. His cousin’s threats weren’t empty then. He meant what he said. If Breanna didn’t sign Derek’s phony documents, and Ian would make sure she didn’t, he’d get what he was after some other way.

Fisting the hair in his fingers, Ian brought her face closer to his. “Keep the fucking doors locked, Breanna.”

“Yeah, okay,” she said, snickering. “Except he knows the key code.”

“I can change it,” he gritted.

Blue eyes searching his, Breanna nodded. “All right.”

“I don’t want you alone with him. Ever.” Loosening his grip, Ian’s lips brushed over hers. “Am I clear?”

“Perfectly.”

“Good girl.” He let her go. “Now, I want you to take a shower and get dressed. I hope your roommate sent you something warmer than your leather jacket because we’re going out after breakfast.”

“We are? Where?” Setting her coffee down, Breanna didn’t sound very thrilled with the idea. “I wanted to go back upstairs and…”

“Later.” Ian captured her lips between his. “There’s something I want you to see first.”

She came down the stairs, floating like a cloud in a white puffer jacket, pulling a beanie on top of her head. Good thing he still had his wits about him, because if he didn’t, he’d have taken her right back up those stairs and into his bed. That would come later, too, but right now, Ian needed her to realize just what Derek was trying to take from her.

Extending his hand as she neared the bottom, Breanna took it.

“Are you taking my advice, dear?” Francie asked, coming down the hall.

“Yes, Auntie.” He laced their fingers together to stop himself from kissing her.

“It’s lovely outside today,” Francie said, giving each of them a hug. “So make good use of it. Last I heard, that storm may hit sooner than expected—as early as tomorrow.”

Fine by him. It would buy them some time, and with any luck at all, Derek would keep his sorry ass in Sacramento.

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