be careful.”
Troy shook his head. “I was going to ask you if you’ve heard from Devin.”
“What?” My heart started racing. “No. Why?”
Troy handed me a folded up envelope. “This was in our mailbox.” He gave my shoulder a light squeeze before kissing my head. “Being around Parker might be the safest thing for you right now.”
I unfolded the envelope, my stomach sinking when I saw State Penitentiary in black bold ink in the corner. With shaky fingers, I ripped it open. A whimper escaped my lips as the words on the white piece of paper seared their way into my brain.
I’m back. And I found you. Miss me, princess?
I met my worst nightmare when I was sixteen. That sounded so much like a cliché but it was true. Devin Tate was the epitome of evil and I got sucked into his clutches. If it wasn’t for Troy, I’d probably be on the street or worse. He was my savior, my knight in shining armor in so many ways and I waved off his concern.
“Keely?”
I took a breath and shoved the envelope into my purse. “I have to go,” I told Troy. I kissed his cheek. “Thank you. For everything. I don’t say that enough but I am thankful.”
“I know. I’m so sorry,” he whispered. “You need to talk to Parker.”
“And say what? It’s not like we’re together.”
Troy shook his head. “Doesn’t matter. You’re sleeping with him, aren’t you? He clearly feels something for you.”
“What makes you say that?”
“I saw the way he glared daggers at every man the other night when we went to Nine . You were too drunk to notice, girlfriend.” He tapped my nose. “But that man is smitten.”
The back of my neck heated remembering the way he growled at Tony for kissing my knuckles. “Talk to him. Invite him over for supper tonight. I’ll cook. You can talk to him with me there if that makes it easier.”
“Why?”
“Again, they may just be rumors but Parker can protect you more than I ever could. I don’t want...” His voice trailed off, becoming thick. “I don’t want something to happen to you.”
I sighed and wrapped my arms around Troy’s hard middle. “I know, honey.”
He kissed my head. “Bring Mr. Sexy home tonight.”
I nodded and left the apartment. I didn’t know what would become of this new revelation. I didn’t know anything really.
The hairs on the back of my neck tingled as I made my way down the street. I frowned, glancing around me, but all I saw were a couple men holding huge assed cameras pointed in my direction.
With this new bit of information about Devin, I no longer cared that I had ended up in the tabloids right alongside Parker. Okay. Maybe I cared just a little bit. But knowing Devin was out, that he was free…a tremor shook through my body at the possibility of him finding me.
I huffed and walked the three blocks quickly to Reed Industries.
Once reaching the building, I took the elevator up to the top floor and headed to Parker’s office.
“Keely, good morning,” Liz greeted me with a smile.
“Hi.” I smiled back.
“Mr. Reed is about to start a meeting but wanted you in there. He said to just go ahead and knock.”
“Okay. Shouldn’t you page him at least, though?” I asked, nerves racing through my belly.
She shook her head. “Nope. Not what he wanted. Go ahead.” She nodded towards the door, her auburn bob brushing her shoulders with the movement.
I took a breath and headed to the large double doors. “Liz?”
“Hmm?”
“This is really dumb but one of the things I hate the most is entering a room and all eyes look your way.” I turned back to her. “Like whenever I was late for class in school.”
She grimaced. “Oh I know. So embarrassing.”
I agreed and turned back to the door, giving a small knock.
“Come in,” Parker barked; didn’t that just do something funny to my insides?
I had missed his commanding tone. I pushed open the doors. “Good morning, Mr....Sir.” I smiled, my
Troy shook his head. “I was going to ask you if you’ve heard from Devin.”
“What?” My heart started racing. “No. Why?”
Troy handed me a folded up envelope. “This was in our mailbox.” He gave my shoulder a light squeeze before kissing my head. “Being around Parker might be the safest thing for you right now.”
I unfolded the envelope, my stomach sinking when I saw State Penitentiary in black bold ink in the corner. With shaky fingers, I ripped it open. A whimper escaped my lips as the words on the white piece of paper seared their way into my brain.
I’m back. And I found you. Miss me, princess?
I met my worst nightmare when I was sixteen. That sounded so much like a cliché but it was true. Devin Tate was the epitome of evil and I got sucked into his clutches. If it wasn’t for Troy, I’d probably be on the street or worse. He was my savior, my knight in shining armor in so many ways and I waved off his concern.
“Keely?”
I took a breath and shoved the envelope into my purse. “I have to go,” I told Troy. I kissed his cheek. “Thank you. For everything. I don’t say that enough but I am thankful.”
“I know. I’m so sorry,” he whispered. “You need to talk to Parker.”
“And say what? It’s not like we’re together.”
Troy shook his head. “Doesn’t matter. You’re sleeping with him, aren’t you? He clearly feels something for you.”
“What makes you say that?”
“I saw the way he glared daggers at every man the other night when we went to Nine . You were too drunk to notice, girlfriend.” He tapped my nose. “But that man is smitten.”
The back of my neck heated remembering the way he growled at Tony for kissing my knuckles. “Talk to him. Invite him over for supper tonight. I’ll cook. You can talk to him with me there if that makes it easier.”
“Why?”
“Again, they may just be rumors but Parker can protect you more than I ever could. I don’t want...” His voice trailed off, becoming thick. “I don’t want something to happen to you.”
I sighed and wrapped my arms around Troy’s hard middle. “I know, honey.”
He kissed my head. “Bring Mr. Sexy home tonight.”
I nodded and left the apartment. I didn’t know what would become of this new revelation. I didn’t know anything really.
The hairs on the back of my neck tingled as I made my way down the street. I frowned, glancing around me, but all I saw were a couple men holding huge assed cameras pointed in my direction.
With this new bit of information about Devin, I no longer cared that I had ended up in the tabloids right alongside Parker. Okay. Maybe I cared just a little bit. But knowing Devin was out, that he was free…a tremor shook through my body at the possibility of him finding me.
I huffed and walked the three blocks quickly to Reed Industries.
Once reaching the building, I took the elevator up to the top floor and headed to Parker’s office.
“Keely, good morning,” Liz greeted me with a smile.
“Hi.” I smiled back.
“Mr. Reed is about to start a meeting but wanted you in there. He said to just go ahead and knock.”
“Okay. Shouldn’t you page him at least, though?” I asked, nerves racing through my belly.
She shook her head. “Nope. Not what he wanted. Go ahead.” She nodded towards the door, her auburn bob brushing her shoulders with the movement.
I took a breath and headed to the large double doors. “Liz?”
“Hmm?”
“This is really dumb but one of the things I hate the most is entering a room and all eyes look your way.” I turned back to her. “Like whenever I was late for class in school.”
She grimaced. “Oh I know. So embarrassing.”
I agreed and turned back to the door, giving a small knock.
“Come in,” Parker barked; didn’t that just do something funny to my insides?
I had missed his commanding tone. I pushed open the doors. “Good morning, Mr....Sir.” I smiled, my
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