Page 106 of Romancing His Heart
So many questions flood my mind as I settle back into my seat.Would she be safer if I let her go? How do I feel about Luca? I can’t spend my life without Red. Red is my life.
With new determination, I focus my energy on one task and one task only—Make Sloane Mine.
Chapter 34
Sloane
Five days later, Ashton finally drops me off at Loki’s apartment. It’s been an intense few days. I’ve been jumpy ever since Ashton pressed the button that blew up our cabin in the woods. The fact that these men all know how to do this shit has my fingers doing their nervous dance. This crap shouldn’t happen in real life.
“Are you going to be okay?” Ashton’s voice, though gentle, scares the shit out of me.
Clutching my chest, I face him. “Yeah, why wouldn’t I be?”
While we moved from hotel to hotel, sometimes two in one day, it’s given me time to make a plan. I’m not giving Loki the chance to ruin me. It was close—I’ll admit that. Another day with him, and I could have found myself uttering those three tragic words.I love you.
Ashton doesn’t realize it, but he saved me from myself. Now I just need to set my plan in motion and get the fuck out of here before I crumble. Ash may have saved me from saying the words, but they weigh heavy on my heart, and I need to be alone for the breakdown that’s looming.
“Loki will come by as soon as he can, I’m sure.”
My chest constricts hearing his name.
“Oh, that’s not necessary. I’m sure he’s busy. I’ll be out of his way in a couple of days at the most.”
“Out of his way? Sloane, what are you … he cares about you. You know that, right?” Ashton’s concern makes me twitchy.
“I’m sure he does. He cares about us all. That’s what he does, right? Cares for his family? Protects them? It’ll be better if I’m out of his way so he can focus on his work. It sounds like Luca is going to need all the help he can get.”
“That’s not what he’s doing with you—”
“Sloane? Where are you?” my sister’s voice calls out from the entryway.
“We’re in the kitchen, Mis.” My old nickname for her, a mix of mom and sis, slips past my lips and makes me smile.
“Oh my God. Thank you, Jesus.” Emory rushes me like a linebacker and has me in a death grip a second later.
Peering past her shoulder as it smothers me, I see my other two sisters, Tilly and Eli, standing in the doorway.
“Whampoosh,” my words come out mumbled, and I have to push Emory back a little to get air so I can speak. “What are you two doing here? You must have finals right now?”
“You’re whisked away by the secret service. Then we have minimal contact with you for months, and you seriously think we’re not going to come running the second we find out you’re home?” Tilly admonishes. “For such a smart girl, you sure have some stupid tendencies when it comes to our family dynamic.”
Emory is clutching my hand so tightly my fingers go numb. I wiggle my hand, and she loosens her grip but doesn’t let go.
“Sloane?” Ashton’s voice cuts through the chatter of my sisters. “I’ve spoken to Loki. He doesn’t just care for you—”
“It’s fine, Ash. I’m fine with where things are. I am fine. I’m actually planning to leave in the morning so he doesn’t have to worry about me.”
“What?”
“Where are you going?”
“You can’t leave again.” My sister’s all yell their protest at the same time.
“I’ll be back. But I need to finish this book. I was thinking I’d go visit Lexi in Vermont if she has room. I’ve never been, and it’ll be a great setting to finish this story.”
“Why, Sloane? What’s going on?” Emory asks just as Eli turns on Ashton.
“What are you talking about? What’s going on with Loki? Did something happen between them in that cabin?” Eli is a little scary sometimes, and Ashton senses it.
