Page 64 of Crude Heir

“Bring your leg up here.” I pat my knee. Reluctantly, she shifts on the seat then brings her ankle up to my leg as instructed. She cautiously moves her foot in one direction then another so I can see she has mobility.

“I was more surprised about my skirt flying up,” she admits with a faint smile, pushing her windblown hair away from her face. “And I couldn’t see where I was going.”

Her explanation makes sense, and while her ankle is slightly swollen, she doesn’t seem to be in severe pain. “You’re sure you don’t want to go to the hospital?”

“I’ll be fine,” she assures me.

“Okay, home it is, then,” Addler decides, putting the truck in gear. “Keep your leg elevated. We’ll get you some ice as soon as we get in.”

As we drive along the caliche road, Nicole leans into me. The darkness outside the windows seems to envelop us, adding to the sense of isolation. Sensing her unease, I turn to search her face. She’s looking out the window, her throat working as she swallows hard.

I put my hand to her shin, calling her attention. “Where am I?”

She turns to me, her eyes meeting mine in the dim light from the truck’s dashboard. “You’re right here beside me,” she responds, her voice a whisper of reassurance.

“Good girl.”

Chapter 25

Derrick

The wide, two-story, Spanish-style home is nestled in the middle of nowhere, commanding the attention of anyone who comes upon it.

I lean in, glancing around Addler. “This is one hell of a place.”

Addler scans the area as we pull up in front of a solid-looking gate. “It’s what my family’s called home for three generations.”

Once again, I’m reminded that my best friend is the sole heir of his family fortune. Clearly, they’ve made the best of “old money” as people call it.

“You doing okay?” I ask.

Nicole looks into the inky darkness then turns, giving me a brave smile. “I wouldn’t say no to a hand I can hold onto.”

Obviously, she’s determined to walk on her own. I take her hand, letting her make her way slowly into the house.

“Why don’t you drop off the bags while Nicole and I head to the kitchen?” Elena suggests.

“That sounds like a good idea,” I agree.

Addler glances down the hall. “The bedrooms are upstairs,” he says, his brow furrowed in concern. “We can move a bed down to the library so Nicole can more around.”

“Please, don’t go to any trouble,” she pleads.

I appreciate his concern but shake my head, just the same. “I can help her up and down the stairs. It’s only one night anyway.”

“All right, this way.” I follow him down the hallway as the girls disappear into another part of the house.

We arrive at the room we’ll be sleeping in tonight. The heavy wooden furniture with the matching bedframe takes up a goodportion of the room. The carpet is plush enough to have your feet sink in with every step. “Heaven.”

“It is that.” Addler grins. “The controls for the blackout curtains are over here on the wall.” He points to the panel in question. “You also have temperature control right beside it.”

I set the bag down on the dresser, following Addler’s lead. “Like I said, heaven.”

“There are toiletries in the cabinet, along with towels. Just let me know if there’s anything else you need.”

“This is more than enough.” I glance around at the size of the room. I can only imagine what the master bedrooms look like. “We’ll see how Nicole’s doing once she has some ice on her foot.” Not that she’s the type to complain, even if she is in pain. “If she’s good, we can go back out if you’re up to it.”

Addler ponders it for a minute. “We should leave it for tomorrow. If we show up now, it’ll probably spook the guys on-site.”

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