Page 31 of Salacious Devotion

I wrap my legs around his waist as he carries me to the table and sets me on top of it. He cups my face. “Two weeks.”

“Two very long weeks. Are you sure we can’t at least talk during that time? We could use my burner phone.”

He shakes his head. “I won’t risk your life for anything, baby. It’s a long shot, but on the off chance someone is watching you, I don’t want anything to connect you to me. Even if they aren’t aware we knew each other in your previous life, they could easily figure out who I am and what I do and know you’ve been compromised.”

“I hate this,” I murmur.

“Me, too, baby. Me, too.” He flattens me against him and hugs me like he’s done a thousand times today. When he leans back, he continues to give me instructions. “Order packing boxes like anyone who’s moving would do. Pack most of your things in the boxes. I only want you to bring a few suitcases to my penthouse. Some clothes, toiletries, things you would take on a trip. I’ll have fake movers come and take your boxes to a storage unit. I’ll also arrange for someone else to go in after you’re gone and deal with the furniture.”

“There are so many parts to this,” I say.

“Don’t worry. I’ll make sure we cover every base. In two weeks, my men will come in the morning to take the boxes. Then one of my men will pretend to be an Uber driver and pick you up out front at six o’clock in the evening. It will look like you’ve done everything you need to move, and you’re heading to the airport.”

I nod.

“You’re strong, Paige. You can do this.”

“I know I can. But I don’t like it.”

Another tight hug. “I love you,” he whispers against my ear. “I never want another day to go by without saying that.”

I choke up, wishing he had said it three years ago. “I love you, too.”

“You’re mine. I’ll never let you go again.”

My eyes are watery as I meet his gaze. “I never want you to.”

Chapter 11

Dane

* * *

I’m out of my mind by the time the two weeks have passed. The only thing that held me together was having Paige put those cameras up in her apartment. It allowed me to make sure she was okay and gave me a glimpse into her life. It was almost impossible not to sit and watch her every time she was at home.

She was careful about the cameras at all times. She never came out of the bathroom without being fully covered. Good girl. I wouldn’t have wanted my men to see her partially naked.

I watched her sleep. She didn’t sleep well. She was restless. Not surprising. Unlike me, she didn’t have the ability to see what I was doing.

She paced a lot. She packed her things. She filled her suitcases. She went to work and came home. She had groceries delivered once. Most of the time, she ate frozen dinners.

Every night, she sat and picked at them.

Sometimes, she glanced at the cameras, probably wondering if I was watching.

I’ve been pacing for twenty minutes, ever since she got into the fake Uber. Brant picked her up. She’ll be here any moment. He instructed her to lie in the back seat once they left her apartment so that no one would be able to see her in the back of the SUV. It’s tinted, but I didn’t want to take any chances.

My underground parking spot is next to my private elevator. Brant will call the elevator, wait for it to arrive, and then motion for Paige to get out of the SUV and hurry into the cab.

That should be any moment now. I jump when I hear the ping. I’m standing right outside the doors, and as soon as they open, Paige rushes into my arms.

I lift her off her feet and swing her around. I kiss all over her face, not giving a fuck that Brant has followed her out of the elevator with her suitcases in tow.

When I put her down, I keep her pressed against me.

Brant sets her cases inside the penthouse. “Do you want me to do anything else for now?”

I turn to face him. “No. Can you and JT be here tomorrow morning at eight? We’ll go over what to do going forward.”

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