Page 103 of Claimed At First Sight

I stare at her. “No.”

She checks her phone.

“Two hours and twelve minutes, to be precise.”

It felt like twenty.

I pull the robe around myself and drop onto the edge of the bed.

“You were right.”

Rory looks smug. “I usually am.”

I elbow her ribs.

“You had fun,” she states.

I glance around the room at the clothes scattered across the chair.

Then I smile. “I really did.”

Staring at the camera in Rory’s hand, I ask, “Can I see?”

I move closer, but she angles it away. “Nope.”

“What? Why not?”

“Because you’re not seeing them until I’ve gone through them properly.” She switches off the camera. “You can see them when they’re ready and not before.”

I narrow my eyes at her. “That seems unfair.”

“You’ll survive.”

I laugh. “Fine. But I want you to show me as soon as you’re done.”

“Deal.”

I can’t wait.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Mialina

On the ride back to Aldo’s, I feel freer than I ever have.

Today has been the best day.

Even the cold Chicago air rushing against my face doesn’t bother me as Rory threads her motorcycle through the afternoon traffic.

I take in the glass skyscrapers glinting in the low winter sun and the lake looking as though it’s covered in diamonds.

By the time Rory drops me off near Aldo’s gates, I’m frozen all over again, but smiling from ear to ear.

“I’m never going to survive being trapped in a mansion again now,” I tell her while climbing off the bike.

“Welcome to the outside world.” She grins, pulling off her helmet. “Next time, I’m showing you Chicago after dark.”

“That’s if they let me out again,” I chuckle. “They won’t have liked me ditching security.”