Page 142 of Ruthless Savage

He sleeps soundly beside me, his arm heavy over my hip, my back molded into his front.

I hate to wake him, but I have a surprise of my own. I know he won’t like me leaving the apartment without him, but the grocery store is only a few blocks away.

Since he cooked me breakfast, I figure I’ll make us dinner. Maybe buy some fresh flowers and a nice tablecloth, make it romantic. Show him how much I appreciate him.

A smile curls on my face. I was thinking of making chicken marsala with some homemade Caesar dressing and freshly baked bread.

My father is a great cook, and he taught me a lot when I was young. One day, when Devlin and I have kids, I want to teach them too.

Gently, I lift Devlin’s arm and slip out, tiptoeing to the walk-in closet to grab some clothes.

I should be gone no more than half an hour.

Slipping into a pair of sneakers he bought me, I grab my bag and phone. But before I go, I open the nightstand and take out a pen and Post-it note so I can let him know where I went. If I text him, his phone will go off.

He dismissed Rogue for today, or I know he would call Devlin and tell him I left. I can’t wait until everything with those Palmer people is finished so he can stop worrying about my every move.

Heading quietly for the door, I give him one final look before I start toward the foyer and out of the apartment.

Once in the elevator, I breathe a relieved sigh. It feels like I’m escaping a prison. The doorman greets me as I head out of the building and into the chill of a spring day.

The clouds above are dark, but a little sunshine seeps out. Geez, I hope it doesn’t rain. I didn’t bring an umbrella.

Deciding not to go back for it in case Devlin wakes up, I rush for the store, running through the ingredients in my head. Maybe I should make him cupcakes too for dessert. He once told me he loves strawberry cupcakes.

A little girl, maybe around seven, passes by with her mom. The girl smiles at me, a big pink bow in her dark ponytail.

Thoughts of my mom suddenly jump into my head. Did she take me to stores with her? Did she put bows on my head?

I still have all my pictures of her in my room in Boston. If I’m going to live in his apartment, I want to bring all my stuff there. This wedding happened so fast, we haven’t had time to talk about the future or where we plan to live. I do like the city and wouldn’t mind making it my official home.

Finally at the store, I start grabbing all the things I need as fast as I can because Lord knows if that man wakes up and knows I disappeared without him, he’s going to raid the city.

“Need any help?” a young man who works here asks as he stocks the shelves with pasta boxes.

“Nope.” I grab two boxes of spaghetti. “Just need these. Have a great day.”

With a sleazy gaze, he scans my body, and I roll my eyes as I head to pay for all my items. The line goes quick, and I throw everything into two bags, which are quite heavy. Didn’t exactly think this through.

Thanking the cashier, I head out, and as I walk past the first block, thunder rolls across the sky and it starts to pour.

“Are you kidding me?! Ugh!” I groan, shaking my head as I try to run home, but with these damn bags, it’s more like a jog.

“Hey!” someone calls. “Eriu? Do you need a ride?”

I blink through the drops of rain on my lashes, seeing Professor Montgomery pulling up on the corner.

“Oh my God! Please! I’m just a few blocks that way.” I point north.

“Hop in. I was just getting breakfast. Do you live here now?”

I open the passenger side and place my wet bags on the floor before hopping inside.

“I guess I do.” I give her Devlin’s address.

“You’re soaked. Take this.” She reaches to the back and hands me a sweater.

“Thank you.” I do my best to wipe my face and hair. “I can’t believe the rain came so hard and fast.”

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