Page 45 of Taming Raptor

When we arrived in front of the clubhouse, I breathed a sigh of relief. My knees gave out on me after I got off his bike and I nearly fell.

“I’m calling Angel to come in and look you over,” he insisted.

“Hell no. I’m not having him leave his pregnant wife and their children in the middle of the night when I’m fine.” I crossed my arms over my chest.

He grumbled under his breath, but gave in when I glared and refused to back down. Frustrated with me, he ran his hands down his face with a groan. “At least swing by the clinic tomorrow to get checked out.”

“Fine,” I huffed. We went inside and he walked me to my door.

“Sage, I’m not stupid. I saw the skid marks on the road. If I find whoever did that, I’m slicing them into such tiny pieces their own mother wouldn’t recognize the pieces,” he practically snarled before he stomped off down the hall to his room.

The second I went in my room, I collapsed on my bed and stared blankly at the wall until I couldn’t keep my eyes open any longer.

That night I dreamed of the way things used to be when I would fall asleep in Raptor’s arms.

The next day, true to my word, I went to the clinic where Angel volunteered. Like I told Blade, I was just fine.

Mostly.

After what happened last week, Blade was crazy protective. I now had a reason to be just as protective. My phone had remained silent which left me feeling like the other shoe was about to drop. Ever the rebel, I refused to let that hinder me from living my life as normal as I could. I also didn’t use the number on the business card George Horacio had left with me. Fuck him.

“I’ll give you a ride home tonight. You can leave the rental car there and I’ll have one of the prospects bring it home in the morning. I just have a job to do down in Des Moines but it won’t take long. I should be there long before you close.”

“That’s dumb, Blade. I have the rental, I might as well use it.”

“I don’t care. Wait for me and at least I can follow you home.”

“That’s just plain stupid. The prospect was run off the road following me. Solomon will be there and he‘ll walk me out like he always does.”

“You wait for me,” he demanded as he pointed a finger at me. Of course, I stuck my tongue out at his back as he left. He was being a worry wart when there was no need. I’d been extremely cautious every time I left the compound. Besides, I hadn’t heard a word from them since I’d been run off the road. I was keeping my mouth shut and to my knowledge, the RBMC had stayed out of the Diamond Palace.

I hoped.

It had been a long night. After pulling two performances out of my ass, I was tired and ready to go home so I could climb in the shower. It wouldn’t be long before I couldn’t help out on stage. I gave one last glance at the time and decided to call it a night.

Since Blade wasn’t there yet, I rebelliously prepared to go home. I figured I would just send him a text to let him know I was leaving, and he should’ve been here. The girls all went out as I was standing by the back door digging through my bag for my phone.

“You okay, Ms. Cookie?” Solomon, asked as he waited for me at the door.

“Yeah, I’m good. I think I left my phone in my office. You can go ahead and leave. Blade should be here any minute.” Pissed because now I’d have to wait after all, I gave him my brightest smile. He searched my face to ensure I wasn’t lying.

“Solomon. I’m good,” I insisted. I wasn’t. Because I was exhausted.

But I would wait.

Reluctantly, he looked over my head and down the hall. “Okay, but you shut this door. And you wait for Blade to walk you out to your car or drive you.”

Solomon and the other guys didn’t know all the details, but they knew I wrecked my car. Solomon also knew that another business was poaching our talent and harassing the dancers that refused to leave. Me included—which is why I was afraid he suspected what had happened was a far cry from a big buck jumping in front of me like I told him.

“I promise,” I assured him.

Finally, he left. I watched his hulking form lumber out to the lot. He glanced back and I closed the door with a quick wave. Heels clicking on the floor, I returned to my office. I hadn’t lied to Solomon. Though it irritated me, I would wait for Blade.

A search of the desktop came up empty. In case I shoved it somewhere in my rush to get on stage earlier, I checked the drawers—nothing. I got down on my hands and knees to look under the desk in case I knocked it off when I was finishing shit up for the night.

“There you are,” I muttered when I spotted my phone up against the wall where it must’ve fallen.

A giggle came from the hall before I heard Blade murmur. Asshole must’ve had someone drop him off because I know damn well his bike wasn’t out back or out front because I could see both with the cameras as I closed up. Guess he got back sooner than he anticipated and was killing time. I rolled my eyes. On the other hand, I hadn’t lied to Solomon—I’d waited. The whispered and continued laughter from both of them confirmed my suspicions. I stayed down because I didn’t feel like being a part of their farewell. Gag.

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