Page 18 of Royally Lucky

He reached for her, pulling her over his lap so her head hung over the side of the bed. She gagged and threw up as he held her until the dry heaves finished. He pulled her around until she sat on his lap. His dick gave a happy little jerk.

Ignoring the damn thing, he looked around the small room. A half-full bottle of water lay on the bed. “Did he provide this for you?” he asked.

She nodded. Fuck. Kendrick didn’t want to give her anything the fucker had left for her, especially since they didn’t know if he’d drugged it or not.

“The cap was sealed.”

Shit. She was too damn trusting.

“Baby, they can still insert drugs through the cap by using a needle. I’m not saying he did. It’s just something others do. Here, swish some around and spit it out if you need to get rid of the yuck in your mouth.”

She swallowed and closed her eyes. Fear etched her beautiful features. Her gorgeous eyes widened, showing him blown pupils. He brushed his thumbs along her cheekbones under her eyes, hating that they looked bruised from exhaustion. If he could, he’d erase the last twelve hours for her.

Her hand shook as she reached for the bottle. He helped her lift it to her mouth, then waited for her to do as he’d instructed.

“Good girl, Sutton. I know this is hard. I promise you’re safe with me. I won’t let anyone else get to you.”

“How do you know that stuff?”

She sidestepped his words about keeping her safe, and he’d let her, at least for now.

“Because I know that there are monsters in this world better than most.” He let out a deep breath. “You ready to get out of here?”

She looked down at the body on the floor and then at him. “What do we do about him?”

He looked at the last of the Vigliaturo line with disgust, knowing he wouldn’t lose a wink of sleep from his death.

SUTTON WAS MORE THANready to get out of the room she thought was going to be her prison before she went to the next level of hell. They stepped out of the room, leaving the bloody mass that once was a man who’d terrorized her with promises of rape and torture. She should feel something as a medical professional, but all that consumed her was relief and the need to wash the dirt and grit from her body.

A huge man stood outside the door. His arms looked big enough to crush a man’s skull, but he kept them crossed with a placid expression.

“Are you okay, Miss?” His dark eyes were kind.

Deep within her being, she sensed he was like Kendrick—a killer without remorse. Yet, he had kind eyes and a gentle demeanor. She swallowed and moved closer to the man who’d come into a room ready to kill for her, holding onto his arm like a lifeline. She should be running for the nearest exit, screaming for the police. She didn’t. Kendrick was her anchor, her savior. Hell, she had watched him beat the fucker with viciousness and didn’t once cry out. No, she’d silently cheered.

“She’s good. We need a cleaner in there.” Kendrick gestured toward the door behind them.

“Already on it.”

One step in front of the other, that was her goal. She had to stay strong and walk out of the building. Deep down, she knew she was safe. Kendrick saved her. Yet her mind kept thinking of the what-ifs.

Her knees gave out. The cry she’d kept inside escaped, but Kendrick’s strong arms came around, scooping her against his chest as if she weighed nothing.

“I got you, Passerotta,” he murmured.

“I’m sorry. You can put me down. I know I’m too heavy.” Her mind brought up old conversations from her youth.Nobody will ever want a girl like you. You're too big and too full of yourself. You need to lose at least twenty pounds and stop hunching your shoulders like that, or you’re going to get a hump in the middle of your back.

“What are you talking about? You are light as a feather. I’ll have to pay extra care that you get three meals with extra snacks throughout the day to keep up your strength,” Kendrick growled.

She froze.

The memories she lived with her that her mother and stepfather had thrown at her never failed to shake her to the core. “What?” she gasped.

His arms tightened as he rubbed his nose against hers. She realized they were almost to the front of the building where her captor had taken her. The light filtering in made her eyes water from the hours of darkness.

“Baby, I don’t know where you got the notion you were anything close to big, but trust me, you’re perfect. I like that you’re tall, so I won’t have to break my back or crane my neck when kissing you. You have a sexy little ass, and my god, don’t even get me started on your breasts. They’re not large by any stretch of the imagination, but I can tell they’re perfect. If I didn’t think you needed rest and some TLC, I’d show you how much I appreciate every inch of your body. Close your eyes,Passerotta. It might be too bright outside for you.” He kissed her lids after his speech, giving her no other option.

Sutton couldn’t think of a response to his words.

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