Page 33 of Savage Hearts

I just wanted to rest for a little while longer.

All too soon, the car stopped.

I pulled back and looked out the window. I could feel Maverick’s eyes on me, but I ignored him.

We were in a shopping center I had never been to before. It was chic andexpensive.

This was the kind of place that catered to the rich.

“Let’s go,” he said softly.

Maverick Tiernan was not a soft man.

Slowly, I climbed off his lap. One corner of his lips lifted in a small smirk, as if he found my caution amusing. He opened the door, climbed out, and bent down.

I stared at the hand he held out to me.

The devil was asking me to join him in hell.

And, like a sinner, I didn't have much of a choice.

Slowly, I placed my hand in his.

The stark difference in our size always became more obvious when I was near him, but it was even more so as I looked down at the way my hand was fully engulfed in his.

He had large hands.

A man’s hands.

I should not be fascinated by this, but I was.

I swallowed around the lump forming in my throat, let him guide me out of the car, and tuck me safely by his side.

His eyes moved about his surroundings, looking for any sign of danger.

As if he was protecting me.

Who’s going to protect me from you?I thought.

A stupid part of me recognized I wasn’t afraid he would hurt me physically. He had strong-armed me, had made a show of his strength, and threatened me to get me to comply, but fuck, therehad been no kneeling in front of any one of them, waiting for the whip.

No one raised their hands to me in anger, although there was a lot of scowling from Killian.

It was much too early to tell, but an insistent part of me didn’t think they would physically harm me the way Dad had.

At least?—

I didn’t think so, even if I was too scared to test that theory.

No, my fear of him right now involved my mind… my emotions.

They were too good with psychological mind games, and I didn’t want to play.

And a stupid part of me couldn’t forget the man he had been in New Orleans.

Our eyes met and held for two long seconds before he turned away and walked toward one of the buildings. Since he was still holding my hand, I had no choice but to follow along.

For one moment, I had forgotten the purpose of our little trip. That was, until he opened the door to a high-end salon.

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