Chapter 46
Chapter Forty-Six
WEST
The sun was just breaking over the horizon when Blue and I walked out of the hospital.
Marcus was already waiting with the SUV, parked right at the curb where he’d been all night.
We climbed into the back, neither of us saying much.
The drive was quiet, and before long, he pulled us into the garage of the penthouse.
I walked Blue upstairs, helped her out of her clothes, and laid her down in my bed.
She looked so small against the sheets, her lashes heavy, her body finally giving in after hours of fear and adrenaline.
I stretched out beside her, running my fingers slowly through her hair until her breathing evened and she drifted to sleep.
I must’ve fallen too, because when I blinked again, the light spilling in was brighter, harsher. I reached for the remote on my nightstand, tapped the button, and the curtains slid shut, cocooning us back in darkness.
Sleep wasn’t coming back for me, though. My body buzzed with too much tension, so I pulled on workout clothes and headed for the gym.
When I came back, I expected her to still be curled in bed. But the bedroom was empty. So was the bathroom.
“Blue?” I called, my chest tightening as I started through the penthouse.
I found her in the library, sitting cross-legged on top of the pool table, a book in her lap. Relief hit hard enough that I laughed under my breath.
She pulled the book down and tilted her head at me, confusion written all over her face. “For the life of me, I can’t figure out why this pool table is in here. It’s not even comfortable. Am I supposed to read a book on this thing?”
The corner of my mouth lifted. Humor was a good sign. “You called your dad?”
She smiled, and the weight in my chest eased. “Yeah. He’s sleeping, but better. His doctor saw him first thing. Warned him that his disease won’t let him live at the pace of a normal man. As much as he’s enjoyed himself lately, he has to slow down.”
I nodded, licking my lips, swallowing the relief down like medicine. There was more I needed to say, things I should’ve done, but selfishly, I didn’t want to break the moment.
“So… is that really your secret sex dungeon in the locked room next door?” She asked, seemingly out of nowhere.
I smirked and walked toward her. She slid off the pool table, wearing one of my shirts that hit just above her knees, bare legs peeking out like some sort of invitation I couldn’t refuse. I scooped her up, carried her down the hall, and stopped in front of the locked door.
“You think you can handle what’s in there?”
She swallowed and nodded, even though her eyes betrayed her nerves. I set her down and traced my finger down her throat, slow enough that she knew I saw it.
“Go in,” I said, lowering my voice to a growl. “And get on your knees.”
Her eyes widened, a flicker of uncertainty in them. She tried to play it off with a shrug, but her hand gripped the doorframe tight enough to make my pulse kick.
I keyed in the code, the lock clicked, and I pushed the door open. She stepped inside, the automatic lights flickering on one by one. Her head turned slowly, scanning the room and I held my breath, waiting to see if she’d bolt.
“Toys?” she asked, her voice climbing a full octave.
A grin spread across my face. Because it wasn’t ropes or cuffs or leather straps. It was Legos. Hundreds of them. Towers, cities, pirate ships, an entire working train line weaving through it all.
I walked in behind her and crouched next to the First Edition Collector’s Millennium Falcon, flicking at a loose piece. “Limited-edition collectibles,” I corrected. “The good ones are on the bottom shelf. You’ll have to get on your knees for those.”
She shot me a glare sharp enough to kill a weaker man.
I stood and got behind her, wrapping my arms around her waist and pressing my mouth to her neck.
“I know what you thought, my kinky girl. And trust me, I’ve never wished harder that this room had something to tie you up with, something that would make you scream so loud I’d have to soundproof the walls.
” My lips brushed her ear. “But I’m not that guy.
You’ve been reading too many romance novels.
Or maybe you just picked the wrong billionaire. ”
Her body shivered against mine, even as I smiled against her skin.
“The one you married loves Legos. And I keep them locked up so no one messes with them. Not that a lot of people come in here, but still. This might as well be my office. I come in here and build when I need to think. Hell, sometimes it’s practically my vision board. ”
She turned in my arms, eyes gleaming, her voice soft but teasing.
“First of all, I didn’t pick you, you found me.
Second, I didn’t even know what I was willing to let you do to me until about thirty seconds before I walked into this room, so maybe we both need to unpack that.
And third…” she grinned, wrapping her arms around my neck.
“I freaking love Legos. And I want to build something.”
I nodded toward the bins of loose pieces. “Have at it. I’ll call Gramps and Grams, let them know we’re not making it for dinner and explain what happened. Then I’ll join you.”
But she shook her head, that stubborn little smile pulling at her lips. “I don’t want to miss dinner tonight.”
I paused, surprised. “I assumed you’d want to stay here with your dad.”
“I’m going to see him in a couple of hours. Lisa’s in town, and she wants to visit too. I figured you and I could take the chopper to dinner. Maybe swing by Dad’s house afterward so I can grab his slippers and a few things.”
“Are you sure?”
“I mean… if it’s okay. We could drive. I just thought that quicker is better, right?”
“Taking the chopper is never a problem. I just have to let Hugo know.”
Her lips curved with that soft southern accent she slipped into when she was being extra sweet. “Only if you don’t mind.”
I didn’t bother telling her Hugo never minded. I paid him enough, and I’d bought his apartment in the building to make sure he was always close.
So I just nodded and took her hand, leading her farther into the room. I pulled out a stool at the large white table in the center and pressed a button that lit up the tabletop. The pieces glowed under the light as we rummaged through bins, each of us pulling out parts and clicking them together.
“Do it like I do,” I told her. “Picture what you want. Then build it.”
“I can do that.”
A few minutes later, I looked over and laughed. “Is that supposed to be Fiddlers?”
She grinned proudly. “Maybe.”
“You’re on the right track. It’s already yours. Look at mine.” I turned my blocky creation around for her to see.
“What is that supposed to be?” She squinted.
“A sex swing,” I winked. “I want one of those now.”