Page 55 of Seduce & Destroy

“He’s a security guard, isn’t that his entire job?”

“Not these files. A soldier of his rank didn’t have permission to access the extended surveillance footage he was attempting to get at. I’ve been trying to hack into it too, but whatever is in there is too valuable to be held on normal hard drives. They store it in The Cove. Laney built it.” Of course, she did. Smart cookie. It also explained why she was in that meeting with Sorren and her father.

More importantly, the only thing on my mind after I almost lost my life to the Ravencrofts. “Did Laney know?”

I shut my eyes while I waited for him to respond. The timing was too perfect, and there was no universe where her father wasn't the one to orchestrate this whole thing.

“No. Not about you.”

My entire body stilled. There was nothing I was more confident of. “Keep it that way.”

Norman sighed and agreed. “Yes, and that,” He pointed toward Forrester on the floor. “Stays between us.”

“Absolutely.” I nodded, distracted by the pooling blood beside his head. It made me shiver.

?

I watched her sleep for too long. Her light snores soothing my maniac heartbeat. It was welcome after the day I’ve had. Dear God, I just wanted to wrap my arms around her and fall into a deep sleep. But I knew there was a guard at the door.

It was the first night in a week that I had spent alone. There was something so wrong about it, so foreign, that I came here instead, simply staring. I was content to stay for a couple more minutes. Maybe I’d fall asleep in the chair. I just had to stay as per her request and as per my heart.

A light humming sound came from her laptop that I hadn’t noticed before. It was still on. It laid on top of a pile of paper, the header of which said: Edward Archibald Ravencroft’s Will.

I neared the bed to reach for it and turn it off, but a hand shot out from under the covers and slammed the laptop shut again.

“You came?” A soft voice spoke beside me. I hadn’t noticed it, but her eyes were wide as if she had been watching for a while.

The corners of my mouth lifted. “I did.”

All the instincts in my body wanted me to confess everything to her, tell her the truth, and have her stay and not hate me.

“I need you,” her breaths come out haggard. I rested a hand on her forehead. It was hot.

“We shouldn’t. You’re not well.”

“I’m fine,” she asserted as she swung her legs out the side of the bed. “I want to. Do you?”

“I do, but I should go, princess. I’m not willing to get you in trouble.”

I tucked a hair behind her ear and pulled her closer to place a firm kiss on her head. She flinched before relaxing back into my arms.

“You told me to stay with you, so why do you flinch when I’m near?”

It took a few minutes for her to respond.

“Could I just…” She fingered a hole in my button-down shirt.

I grabbed her wrist and planted a kiss on the inside of her wrist before letting go. “No, princess.”

She needed sleep and a clear mind. I needed sleep and her.

“Please, baby, just quickly…” Her hand dug a heavy trail down my body, skimming across my pubic bone downward. My body came alight at her touch, and I tried my hardest to step on the coals to put it out.

“Laney,” I drew out her name.

“Just once more,” she whimpered under her breath.

Conscience that a man stood on guard at the door, I lowered my voice and pressed a finger to her lips. “We’ve gotta be quiet.”

---