Page 33 of The Daredevil

“That note seemed personal. Do you know anyone in Iceland besides me?” Royce glanced at his phone, staring at an image of the note. I didn’t even see him snap a picture.

Fiona’s face came into my mind. But why would she do something stupid that could ruin her career? But then again, she could be unpredictable.

I kept the suspicion to myself because I didn’t want to point fingers when I didn’t have proof. I hated assumptions. Fiona had started rumors about me, and that took forever to resolve. If I wanted vengeance, I could start a rumor about her, but I didn’t want to.

I’m acting like a good girl right now.

I didn’t need the drama. “Not really.”

“Maybe someone’s jealous of you.” He walked up to me. “I can see why.”

What did that mean?Elaborate, please!

He didn’t.

“I have a coworker I don’t get along with, but it’s just business stuff. I don’t think she would walk over here in her designer shoes and expensive outfit to whip a rock at my window. I don’t think she’s very athletic.”

She could’ve hired somebody, but also I kept that thought to myself.

“From now on, be extra careful wherever you go. This is the second time you’ve been attacked.”

I’d only been here for about two weeks and had experienced my share of unfortunate accidents. Were these signs that I should head home?

“You should stay with me at my place until the window is fixed. It’ll get cold tonight. Weather here is not much different from Rhode Island.”

“Oh, thanks, but I don’t want to intrude. My bedroom is over there, and I can close the door, turn on the heat, and use extra blankets.”

The greens of his eyes turned glacial, and his expression too serious to ignore. I understood his mood by simply looking at his eyes.

“I want you safe.”

Those words entered me slowly, penetrating my chest and heart in the most profound way. If I could illustrate what I felt, it would be like watching some otherworldly force piercing through my skin, and traveling through muscles and tissues to settle into my heart.

My heart quivered, and I knew I was a changed woman.

CHAPTERTHIRTEEN

ROYCE

“It’s notsafe for you to sleep in your apartment tonight. Let my men fix the window, and you can return after that. I'll sleep here if you don’t want to go to my place.”

“I have one bedroom and a couch.” Her brows knitted together.

“I can sleep on the couch.”

Michelle glanced at the broken window and back at me. “But you’re going to freeze.”

An odd warmth spread through my chest at her concern. Then an image of her and me in her bed popped into my mind, sending heat to my cock.

The baggy sweatshirt hid the immediate hard-on. I didn’t know what brought on the sudden attraction to Michelle. She was a beautiful woman, and any man would be attracted to her. However, the attraction I felt seemed different, deeper somehow. I wasn’t sure if I was making any sense, but I’d never felt this way before.

I was good at research, so I’d analyze this feeling later. Perhaps I could “research” my feelings by having her close by. What better way to study a specimen than by having it displayed in front of me?

I never said I was a decent man. Sometimes I crossed the line to get to the truth.

Michelle kept staring at me with those warm brown eyes that increased my body temperature exponentially. I glanced away for a second to gather myself—another reaction I had to investigate. Turning away meant I feared something, and I’d stopped fearing anything a long time ago. Fear made me feel weak, and I hated that feeling.

I’d never turned away from a woman’s stare until Michelle. It was as though she could see through me, right into my soul—a place closed off to the world, even to myself sometimes. No one had come close to that part of me, but Michelle was stepping towards it without even knowing.

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