Page 20 of Break Me: Smith and Belle

“Do you want to go home? Or should I fuck you again in the backseat?” I demanded.

Belle pulled away, running her tongue over her lower lip as if to savor the taste of my skin lingering there. Her eyes hooded lustily. “Whatever pleases you, sir.”

Christ. We would be lucky to make it home tonight, at all. At least, the Range Rover had plenty of gas and heated leather seats. But before I could get back out of the car and shove her pretty little ass into the back seat, my mobile began to ring. Instantly, the air thickened around us. I pulled it from my pocket, checked the screen and answered immediately. “Is everything okay?”

Across from me, Belle’s demeanor shifted in an instant. She reached for her seatbelt and strapped herself in, casting terrified glances in my direction.

“Everything is under control, but you should come home,” Georgia said. “There was an incident.”

“What kind of incident?” I asked, throwing the SUV into gear and pulling back onto the snow-covered road.

“Nora has had some sort of allergic reaction. Paramedics are here.”

“What?” I roared.

“Everything’s fine. She’s fine. It was some type of misunderstanding. I figured you’d want to get home, though, since—”

“I’m on my way,” I cut her off and hung up on the phone to concentrate on getting us back to the estate.

Next to me, Belle had crossed her arms over her chest protectively. She looked too scared to ask what happened.

“Nora had some type of allergic reaction,” I said, trying to keep my tone as even as possible. “They had to call the paramedics.”

“I didn’t know she had any allergies,” Belle said, looking stunned.

“Everything is under control. Georgia is there, and Penny is fine.” I didn’t mention that I hadn’t even asked about the baby. I assumed that if something was wrong with my child, Georgia would lead with that.

Belle looked unconvinced next to me. “Smith…“

“Yes?” I asked as we raced home.

“Is anyone safe at Thornham?”

I was beginning to wonder the same thing myself.

10

Belle

The paramedics were still there when we arrived. Smith pulled the Range Rover into the drive, and we shared a worried look.

“I think I’d better…“

“Yes,” I said, sensing what he was thinking. Smith jumped out of the SUV and headed quickly toward the house. With my heels on, I was forced to take my time, carefully following him so that I wouldn’t fall in the snow. Thanks to Rowan and his foresight putting down salt not much had collected. Still, I walked slowly in part to navigate the slush but also because I dreaded going inside. Every time I left Thornham, I didn’t want to return. Tonight was worse than usual. I ascended the stairs, clutching the stone railing. As I got closer, I heard Penny sobbing. Panic ignited me and I dashed up the last few steps, kicked off my Louboutins in the entry, and ran up the stairs to the nursery.

I found Georgia, looking more harried than I’d ever seen her, pacing the room while trying to comfort my daughter. Before I could think better of it, I held out my arms. “Give her to me.”

Georgia didn’t hesitate to pass Penny off, which either meant she trusted me more than everyone else or that she desperately wanted a break from the baby.

The moment I brought Penny to my shoulder, her crying faded to a punctuated tremble as she began to calm down. “It’s okay. Mummy’s here.”

Relief rolled through me as I savored the feeling of my daughter in my arms. When Smith’s mobile had rung on the way here, I’d known instantly something was wrong. On the drive, my mind had played a continuous reel of hypothetical accidents that could have hurt her. Nothing felt better than having her safely with me again.

Georgia crossed toward the door, and the solace I felt gave way to a sharp stab of panic.

“Don’t leave me with her!”

She turned, her dark eyes flashing before she composed herself and shook her head. “She’s safe with you.”