Taken to the Cleaner by Ginger Ring

Author:Ginger Ring [Ring, Ginger]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781640343344
Publisher: Limitless Publishing LLC

Chapter 4

Dominic

Stephanie sat in front of the television, her eyes glued to the local weatherman. Madison had sent him a text asking about Steph. She was worried about her friend being alone in the storm. A tornado had hit in the next county over, and Maddy was concerned she’d be freaking out.

* * *

Dominic: Don’t worry. She’s with me at my cabin.

* * *

Maddy: Oh. Send her my love and be good.

* * *

The “be good” comment had to be a joke. He’d never been considered good. Another loud clap of thunder shook the ground. The lights flickered. It was a wonder they hadn’t gone out yet. Taking a swig of beer, he noticed his guest was shaking.

“Do you want me to start a fire?” He set the bottle down and strolled over to where she sat on his couch.

“No,” she mumbled. It was a lie. Steph shook like a leaf. He touched the back of his hand to her arm. It was ice cold. If what Madison said was right, she was probably so traumatized by what raged outside that she didn’t realize it.

Dominic grabbed some wood stacked nearby and started a fire in the fireplace. The flame caught, and soon it snapped and cracked as it burned. He squatted in front of it and stared at the glow. There was something about a fire that calmed him. As many times as he thought about bringing a woman to his home, he never had until now. Stephanie Barclay was the last person he’d ever pictured here.

He warmed up a mug of apple cider in the microwave and added a shot of brandy. Dom handed it to his guest, who still stared lifelessly at the TV. From what he’d seen in the past, this wasn’t like her at all. Most thought she was timid and shy, but even from a distance he could see she had strength beneath the façade. She didn’t want to bring attention to herself.

“Drink.”

Her eyes were unfocused as she drank the whole thing down at once.

The fact that she did what he said proved she was shutting down. Dom heated up another and added two shots this time. An alert flashed across the bottom of the television screen. Another tornado had been seen, and there was now a tornado warning for Genoa. This time he noticed Steph starting to rock back and forth. Shit. Now what was going on?

Wind roared outside the cabin, but they would be all right according to the radar they’d just posted. Dom found a blanket and wrapped it around her shoulders.

“Here’s another.” The couch cushion shifted as he took a seat beside her and handed her a second drink.

“Thanks.” It was an automatic response. She drank half and placed it on the coffee table.

A flash of light, a loud boom, a buzz sound zapped, and everything went black. They’d lost power. The only sound inside was the fire roaring in the hearth. It took him a moment to realize she was pressed up against him.

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