DarkInnocence by Madeline Pryce Read Free Book Online Page B

head and gingerly got out of the truck, mindful
of both my heels and the fact I was naked under my coat. “How about I decide
what’s best for me.” Neither spared me a glance. Anger simmered.
    Dante raged on. “You concentrate on finding out who the
creep is that tried to kill her and I’ll focus on keeping her safe.”
    Ella looked at him for a long moment before shifting her hostile
gaze to me. “Is this what you want, Hannah?”
    How nice of them to realize I had opinions, jerks.
    “The sooner this is over, the better. Honestly, I’m not sure
if I could survive another session with a homicidal vampire. I’ll be okay with
Dante.”
    My sister pulled me into a tight hug. “I love you. Call me
if you need me. Don’t shut me out, not anymore, okay? We talk everyday at
sundown. Got it?”
    I nodded.
    One-half of Ella’s mouth curled up and she lifted onto her
toes to reach my ear. Her voice was barely above a whisper. “When you have sex
with him, I want details.”
    “I can hear you,” Dante rumbled, seeming amused.
    I cracked a smile, glanced at Dante. My cheeks heated in
direct correlation to the naked hunger in his gaze. To my sister, I shooed her
away and said, “We’ll talk later. Go. Micah is probably ready to murder someone
right about now because you’re away from him.”
    “You’re probably right. Keep her safe, Dante, or I’ll tie
you down, cut off your balls and shove them up your ass.” Two seconds later, Ella
poofed away.
    Dante frowned. “Your sister has such a lovely disposition.”
    On the short, silent drive back to his house, I stared out
the window and watched the landscape pass me by. Instead of stopping in the
driveway, he pressed a button on his rearview mirror and the rumbling vibration
of his garage door opening thrummed through me.
    Headlights cut through the darkness and illuminated a tidy
workspace large enough for two cars. Workbenches topped with shelves and dark
oak cabinets lined the walls. In neat little organized trays, there was
everything from screws to copper wiring. Tools hung from corkboards. Tucked in
the back corner was a stainless steel washer and dryer. It was so masculine and
responsible, nothing like any of the guys I’d dated in my pre-kidnapping days.
    “I’ve got wards around my house, it’ll be safer if we park
here,” he said.
    His words sank in—park in the garage so Mr. Restricted
couldn’t tamper with Dante’s truck. Holy hell. I could have died tonight. My
stalker, most likely a vampire, could have ripped open my car door and dragged
me out if he’d wanted. I would have been defenseless.
    The garage door closed after Dante pulled in and shut off
the motor. He killed the headlights and for an awful moment my helplessness
joined with the pitch-black. I’m not sure how long I sat, utterly frozen, until
Dante was there to pull open my door. The cab light flashed on and with it, the
terror abated.
    I unclipped my seatbelt, grabbed my bag and accepted the
hand he held out to help me down from the truck. Once inside his kitchen, Dante
flipped on light after light, bringing his house to life. Hand in hand, I
trailed behind him like a lost puppy.
    Dante guided me into his bedroom and did a quick scan for
danger in the closet, under the bed and in the attached bathroom. Once he had
the all clear, he shut the window, locked it and pulled the blinds closed.
    He turned to me. “Why don’t you get dressed and I’ll start
dinner. You hungry?”
    My insides cramped but I didn’t think I could stomach any
food. “Not really, but you should eat. Go ahead, I’ll be out in a minute.”
    “You look a little pale. Do you want me to stay with you?”
    I shook my head. I needed a minute to freak out in private.
“I’ll be fine,” I lied.
    He pressed a quick kiss to my lips before exiting the room.
The second the door shut and I was alone, the panic crept in. I tried to fight
through it. My hands trembled when I unbuttoned my jacket and let it drop to
the