Read Online Turning Payne by Chantel Seabrook - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Chantel Seabrook
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him. He'd done this to her.
"Riley, I'm sorry." He moved in to comfort her and she pulled back.
"I want to go home," she whispered.
"I can't take you back there. I don't know who else might be tracking you."
"I-I just need to lie down."
Turner swore he could hear the thundering of her heart, or was it the sound of it breaking? He exhaled a sharp curse and wrapped an arm around her shoulder, drawing her against his chest.
"She can stay here," Lora offered, glaring at Turner.
"No." He wasn't leaving her and he didn't think she wanted him to either.
Riley relaxed in his arms, but she held in the sobs that he could feel building within her chest. He needed to get her home—to his home.
He turned to Chase. "Get the syringe to the labs. If it's what I think it is, then maybe we have a shot of creating an antidote."
Chase nodded sharply, his lips drawn in a tight line. "I'll call you when I have any information."
Turner barely heard his brother's words. All he could think about was the woman in his arms. He'd just destroyed everything she thought was real, and yet she clung to him as if he were her lifeline.
What would she do if she realized he lied to her? Sure, it was a lie of omission. Not telling her he was responsible for the fire that took her father away from her was still a lie, and if she knew…he shook the thought away. He'd just have to make sure she never found out.
Lora was right. He really was an ass.
He led Riley out of the house and helped her into the car, taking the time to buckle her seatbelt for her. She sat silently, staring blankly out the window.
He'd take her back to his apartment and make sure she was comfortable. Marcus DuPoint would have to wait one more day before Turner sunk his claws in the man's throat.
Chapter 12
Turner tossed his car keys on the kitchen table alongside the groceries he'd picked up, then walked down the hall to his bedroom to check on Riley. She hadn't spoken since they left his brother's place and her silence was killing him. He had no idea what she was thinking, or how she was feeling. He cursed himself for even caring, but for whatever insane reason, he did.
He gave a single tap on the doorframe and peeked his head in.
Her back was turned to him, but he could tell by her breathing she wasn't asleep.
"I picked up some food." He scratched the back of his neck when she didn't respond. "Thought I could make us a couple of sandwiches."
"I'm not hungry." There was a tiny movement under the comforter.
"Okay." He leaned against the doorframe, uncertain whether he should push her to eat. "I'll be in the next room if you need anything."
He waited a beat, and when she didn't respond, he turned to leave. He heard the bed creak and a soft exhale of breath.
"Turner?"
Her voice made his stomach twist. God, what he wouldn't do to take the suffering out of it.
He paused at the door, then turned around. "Yeah?"
She sat up with her back against the headboard, and chewed on her bottom lip.
"Will you stay with me?" Her eyes were red from crying, making the vivid green appear brighter than normal. "Please."
Even as he moved towards the bed, he knew it was a bad idea, but he didn't care. He crawled in next to her and laid on his back, stretching his arm out so that she could rest her head on his shoulder.
Her head tucked under his chin, she placed a hand on his chest and sighed. A few minutes passed before either of them spoke. Riley was the first to break the silence.
"Why are you helping me?"
He clenched and unclenched his jaw. Did he even know the truth anymore? He shouldn't have let her get to him the way she did. She could never be his, even if the thought made his lion stir and his body harden. His animal had remained relatively silent during the whole ordeal, but he could feel it pacing, as if the beast had a hidden agenda, waiting in the shadows.
Her fingers fluttered across his chest, tracing random patterns on his t-shirt. "After everything my father did, how
"Riley, I'm sorry." He moved in to comfort her and she pulled back.
"I want to go home," she whispered.
"I can't take you back there. I don't know who else might be tracking you."
"I-I just need to lie down."
Turner swore he could hear the thundering of her heart, or was it the sound of it breaking? He exhaled a sharp curse and wrapped an arm around her shoulder, drawing her against his chest.
"She can stay here," Lora offered, glaring at Turner.
"No." He wasn't leaving her and he didn't think she wanted him to either.
Riley relaxed in his arms, but she held in the sobs that he could feel building within her chest. He needed to get her home—to his home.
He turned to Chase. "Get the syringe to the labs. If it's what I think it is, then maybe we have a shot of creating an antidote."
Chase nodded sharply, his lips drawn in a tight line. "I'll call you when I have any information."
Turner barely heard his brother's words. All he could think about was the woman in his arms. He'd just destroyed everything she thought was real, and yet she clung to him as if he were her lifeline.
What would she do if she realized he lied to her? Sure, it was a lie of omission. Not telling her he was responsible for the fire that took her father away from her was still a lie, and if she knew…he shook the thought away. He'd just have to make sure she never found out.
Lora was right. He really was an ass.
He led Riley out of the house and helped her into the car, taking the time to buckle her seatbelt for her. She sat silently, staring blankly out the window.
He'd take her back to his apartment and make sure she was comfortable. Marcus DuPoint would have to wait one more day before Turner sunk his claws in the man's throat.
Chapter 12
Turner tossed his car keys on the kitchen table alongside the groceries he'd picked up, then walked down the hall to his bedroom to check on Riley. She hadn't spoken since they left his brother's place and her silence was killing him. He had no idea what she was thinking, or how she was feeling. He cursed himself for even caring, but for whatever insane reason, he did.
He gave a single tap on the doorframe and peeked his head in.
Her back was turned to him, but he could tell by her breathing she wasn't asleep.
"I picked up some food." He scratched the back of his neck when she didn't respond. "Thought I could make us a couple of sandwiches."
"I'm not hungry." There was a tiny movement under the comforter.
"Okay." He leaned against the doorframe, uncertain whether he should push her to eat. "I'll be in the next room if you need anything."
He waited a beat, and when she didn't respond, he turned to leave. He heard the bed creak and a soft exhale of breath.
"Turner?"
Her voice made his stomach twist. God, what he wouldn't do to take the suffering out of it.
He paused at the door, then turned around. "Yeah?"
She sat up with her back against the headboard, and chewed on her bottom lip.
"Will you stay with me?" Her eyes were red from crying, making the vivid green appear brighter than normal. "Please."
Even as he moved towards the bed, he knew it was a bad idea, but he didn't care. He crawled in next to her and laid on his back, stretching his arm out so that she could rest her head on his shoulder.
Her head tucked under his chin, she placed a hand on his chest and sighed. A few minutes passed before either of them spoke. Riley was the first to break the silence.
"Why are you helping me?"
He clenched and unclenched his jaw. Did he even know the truth anymore? He shouldn't have let her get to him the way she did. She could never be his, even if the thought made his lion stir and his body harden. His animal had remained relatively silent during the whole ordeal, but he could feel it pacing, as if the beast had a hidden agenda, waiting in the shadows.
Her fingers fluttered across his chest, tracing random patterns on his t-shirt. "After everything my father did, how
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