Page 14 of Range
My eyes reopened. I stood to my feet, packing away the emotional turmoil that threatened to suppress my progress for the day.
“Rest well, Mr. Roberts. Justice will be delivered, even if it’s to your graveside.”
Ten seconds was all the time allotted for feelings unless they involved those who shared the same blood as me or were related through marriage. I’d learned from Richie that feelings were the culprit for collapses. And if I didn’t have mine in check, then everything around me would crumble and fall.
Head high.
Chest out.
Chin up.
Ears on.
I remembered his words just as I remembered him. Clearly. Honestly. Bluntly. Brutally. No cut corners. No sugar coating. No love lost.
“See you next lifetime, Old Man,” I whispered, feeling the cool wind against my face as I exited my study.
In the massive, lonely home that measured six thousand square feet, the sound of my socks against the floor was likeearthquakes on a quiet, slow evening in a pottery studio. I stopped at the railing of my stairs and placed a hand on my beating heart.
The feeling of being adored and revered, yet still lonely, is stifling.
My logic left me short of breath.
Kason was so close, but most often he felt miles and miles away.
But he’s right there.
My nostrils swelled at the revelation. I closed my eyes tightly, hoping the ringing in my ears and the pain in my chest would soon subside.
One.
Two.
Three.
Four.
Five.
There was new breath in my body again. I didn’t have ten seconds to give this time. I shoved my troubling thoughts down the drain and took my steps to the second floor where my closet ended. On the first floor is where it began and where I’d conclude my visit.
Kason isn’t complicated. He’s simple. Predictable. Safe. And the sex is incredible.
I made note of the reasons I’d agreed to be his woman and settled with the security they gave me.
862465.
A green light was evidence of my granted access. Valuables transformed my closet from a simple hideaway to a treasured vault. Every piece inside was an investment. They totaled over two million dollars. I protected them with fire-safe walls, code access, and a full surveillance system.
Black pieces lined the entry walls. Chocolate pieces followed. Beige pieces were next. Cream pieces finalized my selection.
There were no in-betweens.
No exceptions.
Black.
Chocolate.
