Mr. Buff: A Flaming Romance
Page 17
Enough of this shit, she said to herself. Get to the damn switch already. Concussion or not, just do it for Andrew. She wrapped her arm around the rail and forced her feet onto the tread. Reaching up, her finger barely touched the end of the toggle. With a grunt, she stretched onto her toes and the switch flipped.
Let there be goddamn light.
Alex fell to the step and looked around. Andrew was at the back of the room beating the shit out Ted’s face. Several slashes in Andrew’s shirt bled.
“Andrew, help me. I can’t stand,” she said. He took one last swing and let Ted drop to the floor, unconscious. Stumbling, Andrew backed away, panting, staring at the man at his feet.
Tears welled. She was alive, and Andrew hadn’t bled out totally, yet. If he’d just get his ass over here...
A moment later, he had her in his arms. She hadn’t felt this safe for a while. Her wet cheeks rested against his chest as he kissed the top of her head.
“It’s over, sweetheart,” Andrew said. “You’re safe.” Without a word, she pulled him to and through the hole in the wall/door. Bumping her forehead on the damn clothes bar, she fell to her knees. Andrew scooped her up, trying to hide his snicker which he didn’t do a good job of. If she weren’t so disoriented, she would’ve punched his arm.
It felt so good to have him around. She prayed to anyone listening that her phone had recorded Ted’s words. That would be Andrew’s only saving grace. If she’d failed, she had almost died for nothing.
He carried her down the hallway to the living room where she unlocked the front door’s deadbolt and turned the doorknob for him. Stepping into the twilight, she treasured the rain-freshened, crisp air against her face after the musty basement.
“Everything is going to be fine, sweetheart,” he said. “We’ll call the police and have Frederick arrested.”
She looked up at him. “Who?”
Behind them, a hysterical scream filled the air. Andrew spun around with her still in his arms to see Ted dashing at them, bowie knife raised over his head.
In her current position, both she and Andrew were helpless to stop the madman. He approached in what seemed like slow motion. His face was bloody and cut from the punishment he took from Andrew, nose askew and eye swelling. The Speedo Ted wore had a tear in the side, but still covered the important stuff.
Andrew stepped back, but he wouldn’t be able to out maneuver the psycho determined to kill them. Alex cringed against Andrew, awaiting the oncoming stab. Would it sting? Do internal organs have nerve endings? Could she feel a slashed kidney?
Two gunshots echoed from the street and Ted’s body abruptly changed direction, crashing into the muddy flowerbed. Alex stared at the hole in his chest and the side of his head. What had happened? Who fired the gun?
Andrew twisted around.
Standing over the hood of an unmarked sedan, Detective Hudson lowered his outstretched arms, his service weapon in hand.
Epilogue
They sat in a private VIP booth at Come Again. Alexandra rolled her eyes at her gloating cousin.
“Come on, let’s see the rock again.” Nina took pleasure in teasing Alex.
“Oh, cut it out, will you? I swear I don’t know which of you is worse. Now that he’s got a ring on me, he acts as though he won the lottery.” She held out her hand anyway, grinning like a fool.
After the fiasco between the crime scene, police station, and courtroom, he’d proposed, gotten down on his knees, and put on the ring. The event almost hadn’t happened.
When Andrew had set her somewhere safe, she pulled her phone from her pocket and saw the app still recording. She emailed the file to Hudson who listened to it immediately.
The judge for his arraignment charged Andrew with contempt of court for missing his time slot and ordered him thrown in jail. The warrant for his arrest had come out as police arrived at Frederick’s home. It took Hudson yelling at the men to release Andrew of cuffs.
The FBI had arrived on the scene before they were allowed to leave. She didn’t know who called them or if anyone did. Big Brother seemed to know everything. Along with them was a camera crew from America’s Most Wanted. Alex hid in her car in the garage. She had no desire to be included in the capture of the wanted sex predator.
She wanted to put it all behind her and go on with her life.
Nina and Mrs. Sholes had taken over management of the company. And Mrs. Sholes paid back the money her husband had stolen.
Not long ago in the local news, Alex saw a listing for the marriage of Jack Masterson and Leslie Lynch. She wished them the best and wished them out of her and Andrew’s lives forever.
The only excitement in her life was planning a wedding.
“Andrew did win a prize with you, chica. Don’t ever doubt it. Where is that fiancé of yours, anyway?” Nina glanced around the crowded bar.
“He’ll be here in a minute.” The man in question was in his office talking business with his new partner.
“I told you I had a good feeling about him. Just remember, I’m totally going to be a fantastic godmother, okay?”
She laughed. “We’re not even married yet, and you’re giving us kids already?”
Nina winked. “I have this feeling about you.”
“Don’t even joke like that. I’m not walking down the aisle looking like a beached whale.”
Nina laughed at the panic Alex showed in her face.
“You are too funny, Alex. But seriously, start picking out baby names.” Laughing, she walked away toward a group of friends across the bar.
Looking down at her seltzer water, Alex felt her stomach roll again. It was a stomach virus, she told herself. She wasn’t pregnant, was she?
She nibbled her lip and took another drink. Just to play it safe, she’d better talk to Andrew about moving up the wedding date.
Across the bar she saw the only man she’d ever peeped on searching for her. Their gazes met and held, and happiness filled her. He headed toward her with a growing smile. She never would have guessed that Mr. Buff would turn out to be her Mr. Right.
THE END
About the Author
New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author
Hi! I’m Milly Taiden. I love to write sexy stories featuring fun, sassy heroines with curves and growly alpha males with fur. My books are a great way to satisfy your craving for paranormal romance with action, humor, suspense and happily ever afters.
I live in Florida with my hubby, our kids, and our fur babies: Speedy, Stormy and Teddy. I have a serious addiction to chocolate and cake.
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Also by Milly Taiden
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Email: millytaiden@gmail.com
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If you liked this story, you might also enjoy the following by Milly Taiden:
Sassy Mates / Sassy Ever After Series
Scent of a Mate Book One
A Mate’s Bite Book Two
Unexpectedly Mated Book Three
A Sassy Wedding Short 3.7
The Mate Challenge Book Four
Sassy in Diapers Short 4.3
Fighting for Her Mate Book Five
A Fang in the Sass Book 6
Also, check out the Sassy Ever After World on Amazon
Or visit http://mtworldspress.com
A.L.F.A Series
Elemental Mating Book One
Mating Needs Book Two
Dangerous Mating Book Three
Fearless Mating Book Four
Savage Shifters
Savage Bite Book One
Savage Kiss Book Two
Savage Hunger Book Three
Drachen Mates
Bound in Flames Book One
Bound in Darkness Book Two
Bound in Eternity Book Three
Bound in Ashes Book Four
Federal Paranormal Unit
Wolf Protector Federal Paranormal Unit Book One
Dangerous Protector Federal Paranormal Unit Book Two
Unwanted Protector Federal Paranormal Unit Book Three
Paranormal Dating Agency
Twice the Growl Book One
Geek Bearing Gifts Book Two
The Purrfect Match Book Three
Curves ‘Em Right Book Four
Tall, Dark and Panther Book Five
The Alion King Book Six
There’s Snow Escape Book Seven
Scaling Her Dragon Book Eight
In the Roar Book Nine
Scrooge Me Hard Short One
Bearfoot and Pregnant Book Ten
All Kitten Aside Book Eleven
Oh My Roared Book Twelve
Piece of Tail Book Thirteen
Kiss My Asteroid Book Fourteen
Scrooge Me Again Short Two
Born with a Silver Moon Book Fifteen
Sun in the Oven Book Sixteen
Between Ice and Frost Book Seventeen (Coming Soon)
Also, check out the Paranormal Dating Agency World on Amazon
Or visit http://mtworldspress.com
Also by Milly Taiden
Raging Falls
Miss Taken Book One
Miss Matched Book Two
Miss Behaved Book Three
Miss Behaved Book Three
Miss Mated Book Four (Coming Soon)
Miss Conceived Book Five (Coming Soon)
FUR-ocious Lust - Bears
Fur-Bidden Book One
Fur-Gotten Book Two
Fur-Given Book Three
FUR-ocious Lust - Tigers
Stripe-Tease Book Four
Stripe-Search Book Five
Stripe-Club Book Six
Also by Milly Taiden
Night and Day Ink
Bitten by Night Book One
Seduced by Days Book Two
Mated by Night Book Three
Taken by Night Book Four
Dragon Baby Book Five
Shifters Undercover
Bearly in Control Book One
Fur Fox’s Sake Book Two
Black Meadow Pack
Sharp Change Black Meadows Pack Book One
Caged Heat Black Meadows Pack Book Two
Also by Milly Taiden
Other Works
Wolf Fever
Fate’s Wish
Wynter’s Captive
Sinfully Naughty Vol. 1
Don’t Drink and Hex
Hex Gone Wild
Hex and Kisses
Alpha Owned
Match Made in Hell
Alpha Geek
HOWLS Romances
The Wolf’s Royal Baby
Her Fairytale Wolf Co-Written
The Wolf’s Dream Mate Co-Written
Her Winter Wolves Co-Written
Also by Milly Taiden
Contemporary Works
Mr. Buff
Stranded Temptation
Lucky Chase
Their Second Chance
Club Duo Boxed Set
A Hero’s Pride
A Hero Scarred
A Hero for Sale
Wounded Soldiers Set
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