Savage Love (Savage Trilogy #3) - Lisa Renee Jones Page 0,41
I deal with pressing matters. I race to the bedroom, locate my handgun and make sure it fits in the sparkly black purse I’ve planned to wear tonight. It does, thank God. I quickly throw in lipstick and a few other items, just to have normal things in my purse, should I need an excuse to open my purse. Next, I do what I should have done before now. I go to my closet and grab the box where I’ve stored the ring Rick gave me years ago and grab the ring box. I open the box, stare down at the diamond and sapphire ring inside and quickly remove it. Returning the box to the top of the closet, I hurry back to the bathroom and stick the ring in the inside zipper compartment of my purse. My way of keeping Rick close.
Next, I dress to include a strappy black pair of heels. My dress is the last thing I put on aside from a touchup of lipstick. When I stand in front of the mirror in the pretty red gown, I decide I look worthy of being a first lady but only if the president is Rick Savage. That idea has me laughing through my stress. President Savage would make for an interesting press conference. I’m pretty sure the press would like him though. He’d hand out food. God, I love that man for making me laugh when he’s not even here.
I grab my purse and slide my phone into the nifty pocket in my dress before I head for the kitchen where I quite literally pour myself a glass of wine and take a sip but decide to stop there. I need a level head tonight. My phone buzzes with a text exactly five minutes later and it’s the car service telling me they are arriving. I inhale and let out a breath before I head for the front door. Once I’m there, I turn and stare at my living room, the room where Rick and I made love the first time, and I say a little goodbye. I’ll be back, but I don’t believe that will be soon. I’m sad, but only because of the way this is happening. My work travels and I have no regrets about leaving this place behind to be with Rick in New York. That very idea has me ready to just be there now with him. I rotate and exit the house into a dark night, no stars in the inky sky, and lock the door behind me.
Once I’m inside the black sedan idling in the driveway, I hear the driver speak to someone on the phone. “I have her now.” He disconnects and eyes me in the mirror, his heavy brows all I really can make out besides, his meaty arm. “Good evening, ma’am.”
“Good evening.”
My cellphone buzzes with a text and I grab it from my pocket to read a message from Savage: Our guys are right there with you. You okay?
Yes, I reply. I’m fine. Do your job and stop worrying about me so you don’t end up dead.
Never going to happen, he answers. I have you to come back for. Text me or call me if you need me. Now delete this message and all messages from me as you get them. Signed —The Savage that loves you.
I laugh and delete the messages before sinking back into the seat to letting out a ragged breath of tension. My momentary distraction of talking to Savage doesn’t change the fact that I’m on my way to play fiancée to a man who wants to kill me and my father. And I’m doing what I’m doing tonight, because the two most important people in my life—Rick and my father—are in danger this night, as well.
It’s a few minutes later when the car pulls up to the Ritz Carlton where the Governor’s Military Appreciation Ball is to take place but we don’t pull up to the row of cars awaiting entry at the front door. The driver pulls us to the side of the hotel and stops at a private door. Nerves rattle in my stomach and my door opens as Gabriel appears. He’s a handsome man, with blond hair, a defined jawline, and piercing blue eyes, and certainly, he wears his tuxedo well, but all I see when I look at him is monster. I wonder how I ever saw something more. “My future wife,” he declares, offering me his hand.