Page 30 of Property of my Boss

“That’s all the money you have. You can’t use that.”

“If I don’t have fucking freedom, there’s no house to buy. It’s a done deal. I’ve got the cash, and we’ll make the transfer in the morning.”

“Then what? Run forever? Who says this guy doesn’t come back for more? I say we drag him to the fucking woods and—” I stop myself before I finish the sentence.

“No,” Tilly tilts her head to the side, “I was kind of thinking the same thing. I mean, who says he goes away after this? My brother told me once that ransoms should never be paid for that very reason.”

“This guy will go away if he’s paid,” Atlas groans. “I say we just pay him what he wants.”

“I have some savings, but not enough to match yours.”

“I have some, too,” Tilly adds as she settles into the second rocking chair on the porch. “It’s not a lot, but it’s something.”

“We aren’t using your money, princess.” I glance back toward Atlas, whose face looks like its aged ten years in two minutes.

“Princess?” He nods toward Tilly. “So, this thing with you guys is official now? You don’t hate his guts for lying to you?”

She shrugs and twists her hair to the side of her shoulder as a cool breeze wakes the wooden chimes. “No. I mean, I was mad, but Wren is alive and she’s living the life she wanted to live thanks to you guys. I don’t know. This is one of those cases where I think criminal activity resulted in something good.”

I laugh under my breath. “Which is exactly why you need to get your ass out of here. Shit is going to go down, and I don’t want you to be a part of it.”

“Too bad,” she says, wandering toward me from the rocking chair. “I’m your girl now. You said so in the truck. That means I’m here for all the shitty stuff too.”

I know that’s what I said, and Lord believe me, that’s what I want, but I know without a shadow of a fucking doubt that I’m a selfish prick for wanting it.

Chapter Sixteen

Tilly

It’s dark, and the full moon is filtering in through the shades as I lie against Tucker’s solid chest, breathing him in, his T-shirt tangling around me as I lift my leg up onto his.

“You should leave before morning. I really don’t want you here when this asshole shows up.” He tickles my back softly as he talks, and though I’m trying to keep my eyes open, they’re fluttering closed.

“It’s so romantic how you keep telling me to leave,” I laugh under my breath and weave my fingers through the hair on his chest. “I’m not going.”

“I thought I made the rules.”

“That’s an illusion,” I say, kissing his stomach gently. “Should we talk about that now or later?”

He shakes his head and spanks my ass gently before squeezing. “You’re a pain.”

“Yup! Better get used to it. I’m pretty sure I get worse.”

“Worse?” he groans. “Worse how? I thought you were a sweet, little, small-town nurse who drove stick and was desperate to obey my every command?”

I laugh harder this time. “For sure, for sure… Daddy. That’s exactly who I am. Also,” I sit up from the bed and climb onto his thick frame, “sometimes I like disobeying.”

“That wasn’t part of the plan.”

“I know,” I sigh and breathe in the warm cedar on his chest, “but I can’t help myself. I love the punishments too much.”

“Then I’ll stop punishing you. If you disobey, your punishment is no more punishments.”

“I might completely rebel then. Who knows… I’m sort of a wild card.” My tone is flirty and light, and though we just fucked two hours ago in his truck and the world is set to get crazy come sunlight, I’m hungry for more.

He growls low under his breath and flips me onto my back, his heavy, hot heat hovering over me. “I’ll have to pick a punishment you don’t like.”

“I like them all.” I grin, staring up into his dark gaze. “That’s the problem. I can’t think of a single one I’d hate.”