Billionaire Protector - Alexa Hart Page 0,66

we talk. After you know... everything.”

“Okay... you want me to come to your place?” I could hear Penn’s tone growing anxious. I pictured his troubled blue eyes and perfect lips and rugged jawline...

Focus.

“Yes. Tonight. We close at six... So maybe, like seven? Just come up to my apartment.”

My beautiful, magnificent one-bed, one-bath dream home.

“Yes. Okay. Absolutely. I’ll be there. And... Anne?” Penn spoke softly.

“Yeah?”

“I’m really, really glad you called.”

I smiled. “Me too.”

“And I’m super glad you asked me out on a date.” He chuckles.

“Ugh. You. I’ll see you tonight.” I rolled my eyes and ended the call. Then I laughed. I laughed hard.

The day couldn’t have possibly moved along any slower. Kate knew Penn was coming to “talk” later that evening, but that was all she knew. I couldn’t bring myself to talk about it anymore.

Instead, I passed the day second by agonizing second, trying to plan out what I would say. How I would start.

Where do you start?

I didn’t know. I just knew that I had to, and I would.

By the end of this day there wasn’t going to be a single thing about me that Penn Hardick was not aware of.

At six, I zoomed Murphy and I up to my apartment. I wanted to freshen up. Smelling like sawdust and motor oil was fine, but not for this kind of evening.

Murphy watched me inquisitively while I did my makeup and attempted to brush through my hair. I gave him a smile and a wink. “Mommy’s gotta play nice tonight.”

“Pway nice.” Murphy agreed, patting his tiny hands together.

I nodded.

And if I don’t, I’m gonna be in the longest time-out ever. The worst time-out ever. It’s called heartbreak, and I’ve nearly brought it upon myself single handedly.

The expected knock came at my door, although Penn was a half hour early. I shrugged. I looked and smelled decent enough, and six thirty was just as good as seven was for this lovely discussion to take place.

Murphy toddled behind me, clapping his hands and saying “Pway nice! Pway nice!” repeatedly.

I knew Penn was going to get a huge kick out of that one.

I took a deep breath and swung the door open.

Timothy Fisher stared down at me with hate-filled eyes.

“Been awhile, girlie. You didn’t think you’d seen the last of ol’ Timmy, now did ya?” He smiled.

I tried to slam the door shut – but Tim was too strong. He threw it back open and I fell backwards.

Murphy had frozen entirely.

“Hey there, little guy? You miss your Uncle Timmy? Did ya?” Tim grinned widely at Murphy, but Murphy stayed in his completely still state.

“Leave him alone,” I nearly hissed, getting back on my feet.

I had expected to see Tim again. I just hadn’t expected the deep rage that was bubbling up in my throat.

“Oh see now, Val, I ain’t got to leave him alone, cuz he’s my kin. My blood. That’s as good as a title to a car. That boy is Fisher made, and he ain’t gonna be raised by the likes of a dirty, lying, murdering little whore like you.” Tim winked at me.

I screamed and charged directly at him, knocking him over but also flying to the ground myself. Scrambling to get up before Tim did, I realized that he was laughing.

Before I could run, he grabbed me by the ankle and pulled me hard back to the floor. The back of my head took the brunt of the fall this time, and I struggled to sit up. No sooner than I had managed to sit up did I realized that I was staring down the barrel of Tim’s revolver.

Fuck.

How do you argue with a gun?

“Seems like you might have gotten just a tad tougher since I saw ya last, Val. Little bit more fire goin’ on in there.” Tim chuckled. “That’s fine by me. Fire makes everything more fun. Everything. But right now, we got a little stage settin’ to do, okay? Don’t worry, darlin’, we’re gonna have our playtime. Been waitin’ so goddamn long for it, ‘bout right drove me outta my mind!” He was laughing then, incredibly loudly.

I glanced past him to the wall clock. Six thirty-seven. Penn would be here, but he wouldn’t be here fast enough. And if he did somehow show sooner, Tim would almost certainly shoot him dead before he had two seconds to figure out what was going on.

This. This is why you should have told him. This is why he wanted to protect you. He knew. He just knew. And