Hard to Get (Killer of Kings Book 4)(32)

Tears filled her eyes as she shook her head. She didn’t try to deny it. “No.”

“Tell me, Riley.”

There was so much she kept bottled up, and he hated seeing her like this.

She closed her eyes, and sighed. “Sixteen. I was sixteen, and finally getting by. I had a, erm, a fake ID. I got to work, and everything was fine. You know? Nothing going wrong. I worked late one night, finishing at two in the morning. I hadn’t been to school in a long time, and I passed this same alley for weeks, months even. They say your life can change in an instant. I was pulled into that alley.” She wiped under her nose as the tears fell. “I don’t even know who the guy was, I just know that he’d been waiting for me. That’s what he said. He’d seen me. He’d been waiting, and I struggled. He slammed me up against the wall, and threw me to the ground, knocking the wind right out of me. I fought, but he was stronger. I screamed for help. I yelled and screamed and begged. Nothing. He didn’t stop. He shoved up my skirt, and tore at my panties, and he had his … thing out. I don’t know what happened next, but I had the knife in my hand, and I just kept stabbing and stabbing until there was so much blood that all I could see was red.” She looked toward him.

“Is that why you wouldn’t let Boss have the knife?”

She nodded. “It’s kept me safe ever since.”





Chapter Nine


Riley had nodded on and off, but Shadow let her rest. When she pushed to sit up on the sofa, he bent down in front of her and held her hands in his.

“How you feeling?”

“Better. I’m sorry for making such a scene,” she said.

He couldn’t help but smile. “You’re allowed to be upset, Riley. Do you think the gossipy housewives on our street could handle what you’ve just been through?”

She chuckled. “I’d pay to see that.”

Shadow sat beside her on the sofa, putting his arm around her so she could rest her head on his chest. “Things are only going to get better. My contract’s been handled, and I’ll be sure to keep future projects far from home.”

“So, no more hitmen waiting to kill me?”

He couldn’t answer her without lying. Boss’s words rang in his head. The mark’s outer circle could still want Riley dead. Until he knew exactly what they were dealing with, he had to keep his woman close. “Let’s hope not.”

She held his hand. “You have a strong heartbeat,” she said.

“I take good care of it,” he said. “Now that I think of it, most of my life my biggest fear was dying of sickness. All that’s changed now.”

“How so?” she asked.

“Because none of that matters anymore. Now I’m only afraid of losing you, Riley.”

She tilted her head to kiss him, slowly, passionately.

“I’ve always been scared to rely on another person. Everyone’s always let me down, hurt me, or put me last. I promised myself I’d never give anyone power over my heart … until you came along.”

He kissed her again, their tongues playing, tender and sweet. It wasn’t a prelude to sex, just unadulterated desire and love for one woman. “You’ve taken care of yourself for so long, but I’m telling you, you don’t need to. I’ll never let anyone hurt you,” he promised.

Once the gym had been closed down at midnight, Shadow drove Riley to his house. Even though he had her little bungalow wired from top to bottom, it didn’t have the security measures he had in place. There was no way he’d leave her in harm’s way now that she was on a massive shit list.

They’d stayed at the gym until late in the evening, had some takeout, and did a lot of talking. Now it was time to get down to business, but first he wanted Riley safe and settled so she could rest.

“I know you wanted a sleepover at your place tonight, but I didn’t think it would be under these circumstances,” said Riley, as they walked up the path to his front door.

No one had ever been in his home besides Boss. No women. No colleagues.

“It’s the best place to be for now,” he said. “Until I figure things out, I don’t want you alone. Or at your bakery.”

Once inside the foyer, she kicked off her shoes, still a little wobbly, so he held her elbow. “I can’t ignore my bakery. I’ll lose all my customers,” she said absently, busy looking around.

“If you want a replay of today, be my guest, but it may not turn out as well for you next time.”

“I can’t believe this is happening. It’s like the witness protection program, only I’m on my own.”

Shadow tilted her chin up. “You’re not alone. You have me. I won’t let anything happen to you. If they come, and they will, I’ll take care of them.”

“Aren’t you scared?”

He smiled. “I was only afraid when I couldn’t get to you in time, when I thought that asshole had killed you. I felt helpless, and I won’t be so sloppy next time.”

“It wasn’t your fault. You couldn’t have known.”

Shadow didn’t want to get Riley upset or to revisit memory lane again, so he thought it best to change the subject. “Do you need to talk more?” The drugs had worn off hours ago, and the food helped stave off the lingering effects.