Total pages in book: 98
Estimated words: 95756 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 479(@200wpm)___ 383(@250wpm)___ 319(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 95756 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 479(@200wpm)___ 383(@250wpm)___ 319(@300wpm)
She’d thought about telling him last night. However, they’d been so tired by the time they’d gotten to Bozeman that they’d just sort of fallen into bed.
And she hadn’t wanted to travel the rest of the way on a sore bottom, so she’d figured she would wait.
Hatter would love it here. She’d brought Moody, but Duke had told her that Sparkle Pony was too big to come.
Who knew what mischief he was getting up to at home.
She shuddered to think.
“Everything is unpacked,” Duke told her, walking out of the cabin and leaning against the porch railing.
“This place is so beautiful. Not sure I’ll ever want to leave. Can we come back again sometime?”
He grinned down at her. “We just got here, but sure. I’ll bring you back each anniversary if you want.”
“Aw, you’re so romantic.”
He shook his head. “No, I’m not. But I do like to make you happy.”
Oh, sugar.
He was trying to make her cry.
“What’s going on, Sunny?”
“What do you mean?”
“You were very quiet on the way here. What’s wrong?”
“Drat. You know me too well.”
“Sunny. Tell me.”
“I have something to tell you. And you might be an itty-bitty bit mad.” She held up her finger and thumb about an inch apart. “Or maybe like this.” She widened the space.
“Sunny,” he said warningly.
Just spit it out.
“Right before the wedding, the Fox came into our bedroom when everyone was chasing Cinnabun. I think he let Cinnabun out, which was a bit naughty of him. Although Cinnabun never goes far.”
“Sunny.”
“He said he wanted to see me before the wedding. That he felt like he should be giving me away, although he wasn’t sure he’d want to give me to you. Sugar. I didn’t mean to say that part. Then he gave me a charm and left.”
Duke just stared at her.
She waited for him to say something.
But he didn’t move. She couldn’t tell what he was thinking. Or if he was even breathing.
“Um, the charm he gave me is this one here.” She showed it to him. “If I press this blue stone firmly, it will send an emergency signal to him. Also, he said that he set a safe house up for us. And something about the shit might be about to hit the fan and he’s just trying to protect us.”
Well, he was trying to protect her. But she didn’t think it was a good idea to word it like that.
Still nothing.
“Are you this upset?” She held her hands about a foot apart.
And still he said nothing.
“This much?” She moved her hands further apart.
And he didn’t even blink.
“Duke? Are you going to say something? Oh, God. You’re not having a stroke, are you?”
“He was in my house, in the same room as my girl! He could have done anything to you!”
“The Fox won’t hurt me.”
“You don’t know that!” he roared, making her startle and settle deeper into her chair. “He’s the one putting you in danger! What the hell does he think is going to happen? Why do you need an emergency button and a safe house?”
“I don’t know,” she whispered.
Duke put his hand over his face and took some deep, slow breaths. Getting up, she moved over to him, sliding her arms around his waist.
“I know you think I probably should have told you straight away—”
“As soon as he stepped into the room!”
“But that would have been a disaster. It was our wedding day. And he wasn’t there to hurt anyone.”
He dropped his hand, staring down at her. “You promised that you would be careful.”
“I didn’t let him in. I didn’t contact him. I swear.”
“That fucking sneaky bastard. If I see him, he’s fucking dead. Christ. You were in our bedroom with an assassin and I was outside, chasing down a damn bunny.”
“Duke, I think there’s more going on here than we know.”
He gave her a skeptical look. “He kidnapped Dahlia.”
“Yes, I know. But I’m sure he had a good reason.”
“Sunny,” he groaned. “I know that you want to see the best in everyone, but the truth is that the Fox is an assassin for hire. He kills people. And he isn’t who you think he is. You should have told me that he was there straight away.”
“But by the time I found you, he would have been gone anyway, and what would have been achieved other than for our wedding to be ruined? I just wanted to marry you.” She sniffled.
“Baby girl.” He sighed, wrapping his arms around her. “Telling me wouldn’t have ruined the wedding.”
It was her turn to give him a skeptical look.
“I know that I have a bit of a thing about the Fox. And maybe you’re right. I would have fixated on him if you’d told me before the wedding. But I still don’t like that you kept this from me, Sunny. At. All.”
“I know, I’m sorry. Are you really mad?”