Page 88 of Pressure

"Did you just come to judge my apartment, or do you need something?"

He sighed, longing to pull her to him and press his lips to hers.

"I just want you to come to Colorado with me, love. I promise I'll keep my distance. We still have work to do."

To his surprise, she wrapped her arms around his waist.

"I'm fucking glad you came. That's what I waited for weeks after... that night," she whispered.

Her arms burned around his waist as he kissed the crown of her hair. "God, I'm so sorry Riss. Come with me, please. And promise you won't come back here when we come home. I'm not saying you have to live with me, but this apartment complex was the site of at least two police investigations in the last month. It's not safe. You know how I feel about your safety."

Marissa gave him a tight smile. "I spend most of my time at work. My only goal in the past five years has been earning enough to start my own company.

Lance was silent as he dragged a knuckle down her cheek. He'd been in that very same place more than fifteen years ago. Eighteen years old, his parents dead. He'd barely had enough to cover his tuition at MIT. He shook his head as the memories tried to crowd his brain.

"Come on, love. Let's finish this job and then figure our own lives out."

When she gave him an almost imperceptible nod and headed for the tiny hallway, he breathed a sigh of relief and dropped to one of the rickety barstools that sat in front of her kitchen counter.

She emerged fifteen minutes later with a suitcase and a ginger smile.

"Let's go," she whispered.

Quietly, he led her to the parked SUV and instructed his driver to take them to the private airfield where his jet was waiting to fly them to Colorado. He had twenty-four hours and change before the next party started, and he intended to make her undeniably his before then.

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