Page 73 of Clawed
“Come on then.”He pulled her against him, relishing the feeling as their flesh collided.“Let’s head back down the stairs.”
“I can walk, sir.”
“And you can be carried.”Stepping around her, he pounced, lifting her into his arms before she could mount a defense.“Which is the way you’ll be traveling up and down stairs for the time being.”
“Okay.”She yelped, pushing her bound wrists higher against his chest as he carted her along the hallway.
“What can I prepare for our next meal?”he wondered aloud, reveling in her heat as she snuggled closer.
Time protracted as that reality stretched out around him.She actually nestled closer to him.It wasn’t only his imagination, then?The thing blooming between them was real.They were actually getting closer.Shewantedto be more affectionate.
An excited thrill shot along his spine as they reached the bottom of the staircase and he turned back toward the lounge where he’d first held her.
So much had happened since she’d woken up there.Hours of pleasure and twisted torment, but more than that, the seeds of something stronger growing between them.
“What do you suggest, Mr.Lawes, sir?”Placing her gently back on her feet, her reply was word perfect.“I don’t know what you have.”
“Not much, I’m afraid.”He chuckled at his sad performance.“Losing my salary has meant needing to cut back on many of the finer things.”
She cast a nervous look his way, presumably aware of who was responsible for his fall from grace.He watched her lips move, wondering what she was going to say in response.Would she take ownership for what she’d done, and if she did, was he ready to admit his part in his own downfall?
He’d done it all, after all.He and Fuller were the architects, but day after day in a cell with the likes of his old prison buddy, Dylan, had eroded his culpability for being there.
Tension rose in his body, his pulse quickening.Something about whatever was said next seemed critical.Staring at her, he was sure time around them had paused altogether.
“Hello?”
A holler from outside splintered the visceral intensity, interrupting whatever his little girl was about to say and spiking his already rapid heart rate.The seconds protracted as he tried to make sense of what they were hearing.Had the guy he’d seen checking the place out earlier returned?
The query was met by several loud bangs to the front door—the abrupt noise shaking him from the paralysis that seemed to have taken hold—before the voice shouted again.
“This is the police.We need you to open up, please.”
Acknowledging the tone that time, he realized it was a woman shouting.Not the guy he’d seen before, but worse—the police.The asshole must have called the authorities and somehow brought the police to the door.
Hannah glanced in the direction of the door, her eyes as wide as saucers, and for one dreadful moment, he thought she was going to make a run for it.
“Police!”The banging was heavier that time.“Open up!”
“Sir?”Her gaze whipped back to him.“It’s the police!”
He couldn’t tell if it was relief or panic in her voice, the sound of his own hammering heart making it hard to distinguish her reaction.
“Shhh.”In the end, his default need to take charge of the situation settled him.“Be quiet.”
Pressing his fingertip to her mouth, he watched her responses carefully.If she called out then, the cop at the door might hear her.He needed to keep her calm.
“But...”She whispered the word around his digit.“They must know about me.”
“They don’t.”He kept his voice low.“It’s not that.”
“What then?”She hadn’t made any move to leave his side, but there was little time to celebrate the win.Time was ticking away, and he only had moments to decide how to react.
“It’s this place.”He had no way of knowing that for sure, but his gut told him it was true.The man he’d seen sniffing around the back of the house was probably the owner who’d called for assistance to evict him.There was no reason to believe they were there for Hannah.“I’m kind of borrowing it.”
She dissolved into stifled laughter.“You’reborrowingit, sir?”Her eyebrow arched that time.“You mean, you’re squatting?”
He couldn’t say he liked her tone, but there was little time to debate the point.“Yes.”
