Page 5 of Grimm

But this girl in his trunk, kicking and demanding to be let out, she obviously didn’t understand the evil that existed in the world. How could a first-grade teacher know the darkness lurking outside her classroom?

With a click of the button on his fob, the trunk popped open. She froze. Dark hair covered her face. Through the mess, her electric blue eyes peered up at him. Angry and confused.

His gaze traveled over her coiled form to her bare feet.

“Fuck.” He reached in and grabbed her ankle, pulling one foot closer. She’d been kicking so hard against the raw metal of the trunk she’d made a mess of herself. Blood covered her heel, and the other foot appeared just as red.

“Just let me go. Please,” the quiet plea fell from her lips.

He dropped her foot, slid both arms beneath her, and carefully lifted her out of the trunk.

“You cut your damn heel all up,” he said as he carried her into the house, cautious not to let her foot hit the doorframe.

“William?” Duncan greeted him in the hallway when he was halfway to the staircase. “What the fuck?” His eyes darted straight to Daniella’s injury.

“Bring me the medicine kit. I’m taking her upstairs.”

Duncan gave a curt nod, then ran off.

“Who was that?” she asked, straining her head to see over his shoulder while he carried her up the stairs.

“Duncan. He’s as loyal as they come, so don’t bother trying to get him to help you.” He squeezed her a little tighter to him. “Don’t bother trying to get anyone to help you.”

“You don’t have to do this. You don’t have to keep me.” She started again to make a plea for her release, but that wasn’t happening.

“I just paid fifty grand for you,” he reminded her as he came to his bedroom door. With a little maneuvering, he got the door open, brought her inside, and took her straight to the bathroom.

He gently sat her on the large marble countertop next to the sink and slid her back until her knees were touching the edge.

“Don’t move a muscle,” he warned with a pointed finger at her nose.

She frowned. “Otherwise you’ll what—abduct me, stick me in a trunk, maybe?” she snapped at him as she yanked her foot out of his grip.

He grabbed her chin and pulled back her head. “Seeing as I already have you, maybe you should think about all the other options I have. You’re already pretty much naked, so…” He dragged his gaze down from her face to her bare breasts. The tattered material of her dress hung open, more like a robe than clothing.

Her naturally sculpted eyebrows knitted together.

“Ah, now you’re understanding the situation.” He let go of her chin.

“Here’s the kit. Do you need the doctor?” Duncan rushed into the room with the bag of supplies they kept on hand.

“No, I don’t think so,” William said, pulling the parts of her dress together. “I’m sure Ashley left shit behind, go dig something out for her to wear.”

Duncan eyed him for a beat, then disappeared again.

“I can clean it myself.” Daniella reached for the bag on the counter, but William brushed her away.

“I’ll do it.” He unzipped the bag and pulled out what he needed to get started. “Put your foot in the sink,” he commanded as he helped turn her. Once the water warmed, he brought her foot beneath the stream so he could rinse away the blood to find the actual cuts.

She hissed and tried to pull away, but he held firm.

“You shouldn’t have been kicking like that with bare feet,” he chastised her when she tried to yank away again.

“You shouldn’t have stolen me!” she countered.

He huffed. “Stole you? Fifty grand isn’t even a bargain.” His gaze wandered up from her foot, over her shapely leg, all the way up to her fiery glare. Her trip in the trunk had mussed her hair. Tears had smudged her makeup around her eyes. Maybe fifty grand was a steal. The woman had a natural beauty that she seemed unaware of.

“Here’s something.” Duncan appeared again. “Just leggings and T-shirt.” He put them on the counter behind Daniella and surveyed the damage to her heel with William. “I don’t think you need to stitch anything, but that’s gonna hurt like hell for a few days.”

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