Page 108 of His Addiction
He grabbed the reins.
“Give her here. I’ll get her sorted. Go and dry off. You shouldn’t pull stupid shit like that, especially with the comps coming up. You’ve put in too much effort to let it all fall apart now.”
A raindrop trickled down her nose, falling off the tip as she nodded. “I know, Bucky. Sorry.”
“Has this got anything to do with Niall?” Bucky’s words made Shannon stiffen, her pulse quickening.
What did he know? What had he seen?
“No… I... It’s complicated.” She waved her hand, trying to brush it off.
Bucky scowled, his face hidden beneath the brim of his soaked cap. “Everything is fucking complicated with that bastard.”
Shannon walked to the tack room, the cold seeping into her skin. She stripped off her jacket, helmet, and gloves, hanging them to dry.
Her hands shook as she unzipped her half chaps,kicked off her boots, and tiptoed up the stone steps in wet socks.
Even though the door was unlocked, she let out a breath of relief, thankful Niall wasn’t around to barge in on her again.
Darting inside, she locked the door behind her and shook out her hair. A deep sigh puffed from her lips, her cheeks flushed from the cold.
She tugged her long-sleeve top over her head, tossing it onto the floor in a soggy heap.
Then, a voice cut through the silence. “What the fuck?”
Shannon froze, her body going rigid. She turned to find Jamie standing in the kitchen, a towel in his hand and his gaze locked on her bruises.
“They weren’t there when I last saw you,” he said, his voice thick. “What the hell is going on, Shannon? Who the fuck did that to you?”
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Shannon
Jamie took one step closer, his gaze never leaving her.
She threw a hand up. “Stay back.”
“Shannon.” His voice was a low rumble, carrying the edge of a command.
Her stomach knotted at the creases in his forehead, how his gaze drilled into her.
“How the hell did you get in here?”
Skirting the room, she darted through the kitchen, her heart thumping, as she headed into the bedroom. Tears welled up in her eyes, blurring her vision.
Before she could even think what to do next, she sensed him move behind her.
Doing a one-eighty, she folded her arms across her chest, trying to hide the turmoil inside, but her breath caught in her throat when she saw him.
He filled the doorway, his presence captivating. His hair was damp, towel dried from getting caught in thestorm, and he hadn’t bothered to fix it, letting the strands drape his forehead.
He’d removed his shirt to dry it off, the muscular contours of his tanned abs exposed. His belt buckle fell to one side, his smart trousers soaked through.
He embodied masculinity, raw strength radiating from every tight inch of him. The guy didn’t just live masculinity—he wrote the damn book on it.
His arms crossed over his chest, a stance that only amplified the width of his shoulders, and his eyes, dark and intense, locked onto hers with a burning intensity.
Shannon swallowed hard, her body betraying her as she stood frozen, captivated by the overwhelming power of him.
