Page 138 of Here and Now
They turned and looked at Anthony. “Find the book and kill anyone who’s seen it.”
“Penny,” Miles says quickly. “My God.”
“I hid. I knew I had to or I would be dead too. I tucked myself under the front desk of his assistant, staying as small as I could. They left the room, after tearing his office apart. Edward told me that if anything happened to him, I needed to go to one place. He told me it was going to keep me safe. Even in his games, he knew that I was at risk. He explained there was a book in his office and they’d want it. Once I was sure they left, I went to the couch they’d flipped over, pulled the staples back, and took the book that was secured in the wood frame.”
“So they know you have it?” he asks.
Again, in my haste, I was stupid. There are so many things I should’ve done differently. If I had called Quinn before I left the office or when I was in there. If I had called the cops, I had the proof, but the book was ... off. It had half answers and things left out. There were first names but not last ones or vice versa. Nothing in that book could actually prove anything, and that book that he thought would protect me became a liability because I knewsomething. Enough that people would want to gain that information.
“They were watching the building and saw me come out with it. I called my brother as I was running out of the building, and he told me where to go. I got in my car and headed to him. Anthony and the senator must’ve assumed I was just going somewhere and they justneeded to wait for the right time, but I was protected by Quinn and his friends by then.”
“What was in the book?” Miles asks, playing with my fingers.
I take the strength he offers and say the rest: “Dates, locations of bodies, money that they were laundering. But the book is flawed. The list of names are half there. The thing is, even if I gave them the book, they’d kill me. They’ve hunted me, finding me each time Quinn moves us. I hoped they’d give up after six years, but I don’t think they ever will. Until we crack what’s in that book, I’ll never be safe.”
Miles reaches forward, pulling me into his arms. I let him hold me, because I’m absolutely drained.
Miles pulls back after a while, taking my face in his hands. “Their days of coming after you are over, Penelope. I protect what I love, and I will make sure you and Kai are safe.”
twenty-eight
Penelope
Protecting what he loves means spending the next two weeks trying to constantly surprise me by grabbing me, tossing me around the house, and teaching me ways to get out of his hold.
“Good, Penny, keep your arms in next time.”
I glare at him. “I know all of this is your way of controlling the situation, but you’re killing me.”
“No, I’m trying to keep that from happening,” Miles says after flipping me over.
This week, we’re doing choking maneuvers. I swear, he’s enjoying this a little too much. However, since doing this with him, I feel a little ... calmer.
“If someone grabs you, where does this arm go?” He lifts my right arm.
“I hook it under and twist,” I say.
“Exactly, love. You duck at the same time you twist.”
I can really see why he was such a great teacher. He’s smart, calm, and explains things in a really clear way. Last week, we talked about what to do if someone grabbed me, all the ways to break a hold, if someone grabbed me by my hair, but Miles was adamant I learn how to get out of a choking situation.
Today, he’s shown me if they grab me standing up, or against a wall.
“You do realize that even if I get out of this, it doesn’t mean theywon’t grab me again,” I remind him. “There was more than one person.”
He nods. “I don’t think the others like to get their hands dirty. Killing someone isn’t as easy as it sounds. I would guarantee the reason they had their henchman is because they don’t have the stomach for it. You just worry about one person, and their weakness. Then you run, and you do whatever you can to get away.” His hand cups my cheek and then moves to my neck, his eyes staying there for a moment. “You get away and find help. What is the other thing you do?”
I roll my eyes. “I call for help and make a lot of noise.”
Miles grins and leans down. “Good, now I’m going to choke you, and I want you to break free.”
I exhale and grab his wrist, twisting the way he showed me. “Ha!”
He chuckles. “Just like that. Okay, now we’re going to go through what I think will be the most likely way they’d try to choke you.”
Great, more choking. “You know, if this was my kink, we’d be doing something totally different. We could be naked and sweaty, instead ... we’re sweating for another reason.”
Miles’s eyes go wide. “Don’t worry, you’re going to be naked and sweaty very soon. Now stop trying to distract me.”
