VULTURE (a Stepbrother Romance) Read Online Free PDF

“I don’t want to see her in the hotel again. Get rid.”
    Sadie sighed. “Fine, I’ll make sure she’s let go in the morning.”
    “You’re a star.”
    “Don’t I know it.” She shook her head and arched an eyebrow at me. “But one day, Harvey, your actions are gonna turn round and bite you in the ass!”
    I chuckled, doing my best to contain my amusement, and Sadie took her leave.
    Turning my attention back onto Sara, I reached for her hand and noticed the angry gash across the full width of her palm.
    “What happened?” I questioned as I studied the deep wound. How come no one had noticed it before now? My blood boiled. For fuck’s sake, she was in a bloody hospital!
    “It’s nothing. Just an accident.”
    “Sara, it needs a stitch or two. Why hasn’t anyone seen to it?”
    “I—”
    “Never mind. Come with me.” I took her wrist and began to walk. I tightened my grip and pretended not to notice the tugging.
    “Where are we going?” she asked. “Don’t we need to let someone know where I’m going? Make arrangements?”
    “No. We need to get you fixed up first. This way.” I marched through the place until I saw the first able looking body I could find. “Hey! Yes you! Call yourself a hospital?”

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    “ B etter ?”
    Sara nodded, a weak smile edging upon her lips. “Yeah, much.”
    “OK, now we can go. I’m going to take you home. Put some decent food in you, and you’re getting some sleep,” I told her, not giving her much choice in the matter. “Tomorrow we can worry about everything else.”
    “Really, I’ll be fine. You don’t have to.” She paused as if there was more she wanted to say, but then her head turned and she looked away.
    “Sara?” I frowned. At first I thought she was crying, the shock finally wearing off, giving her the release she perhaps needed, but I studied the part of her face I could see, her cheek; it was a little pale with delicate sprinkle of freckles yet bone dry. Her eyes had been puffy when I’d first saw her, but as the evening drew on, sitting with her, not letting her out of my sight, I thought it strange she hadn’t broken down. She was stronger than I’d originally given her credit for.
    Her hands came up to her arms and her teeth began chattering loudly. I took a step closer.
    “No, don’t.”
    “Don’t what?”
    “Don’t hug me.” Her eyes were sad but defiant. I shrugged off the puzzlement and slipped out of my thick, warm jacket instead.
    She flinched, but stood with her feet planted as I placed it over her smaller but curvy form so that it fell around her. I waited patiently as she slithered her arms through the sleeves, and we began to walk again, making our way silently towards the exit. This time it was me who gave a light shiver from the frostiness of the night. I threw my head back and studied the millions of stars showcasing themselves while we waited for my driver to bring the car around. Their bright shapes glinted against the darkness of the sky. Sara looked, too, and I wondered what she was thinking. Did they give her hope or make her feel small and helpless? She used to be a glass half full kind of girl; I wasn’t too sure now.
    It wasn’t long before the black car made an appearance. I opened the passenger door, and she slid in obediently, cramming herself into the far corner, clutching at my jacket.
    “You OK?” I asked after a minute. What a stupid fucking question, you idiot.
    She whipped around to face me and nodded, muttering a quiet and yet broken “yes” under her breath. I took that as my cue to stay quiet.
    Once we arrived at her modest, four-bed semi-detached I helped her out, placed a hand on the small of her back and guided her towards the stairs that led up to the door. She hesitated at the threshold, wobbly, her knees threatening to buckle beneath her. I took the keys from her purse and opened the door.
    Unmoving, like a mime frozen in time, she peered into the gloom of the house. There were no