Nurturing Britney (Surrender Book 7) by Becca Jameson (best books to read fiction .TXT) 📗

tucking it back into my jeans and squatting down to pick up some clothes. It’s going to be a challenge gathering her clothes in this mess, and I don’t have a lot of time. I want to get out of here fast and head for the Sky Lounge. I have some snooping to do.

I grab several shirts, noticing they are threadbare. Clean but well-worn. Her jeans are too. She doesn’t own much else. Baggy T-shirts and jeans must be her main wardrobe. There’s a pile of white panties and a few plain white bras next to the dresser. They must have all fallen out together.

I drop what I’m holding and stand. Seriously, I don’t want to take any of this. I want to order her new things and have them delivered. I shuffle over to the only room that’s separate from this main room. The bathroom. It’s surprisingly not as upturned. There’s a brush on the counter and a worn toothbrush in the holder. She won’t need either item. I’ve already put a brush and toothbrush in her bathroom.

I open the drawers and find nothing but costume jewelry and cheap, flashy makeup that she must use at work. There isn’t much. Considering what she wore to work last night, I assume she keeps most of her work-related clothes and makeup at the Lounge.

I draw in a deep breath and make my way to her bed. The sheets are threadbare too. The bed is unmade. Her pillow is thin. The only thing that stands out is a worn stuffed animal lying next to her pillow. I grab it. It’s a bunny that’s seen better days.

Something seems off, and after glancing around, I realize what it is. Nothing is pink. The woman picked out pink bedding and towels. She doesn’t even appear to care for pink. Why would she do that?

I move to the bedside table that doesn’t match the bed or the dresser and I’m surprised to find whoever intruded didn’t open the drawer. I pull it open and suck in a breath. Not sure why. I shouldn’t be surprised. She’s a grown woman. Single. Living alone. Of course, she has a vibrator.

I hesitate before grabbing it and adding it to my now pile of two items. The only two things I’ve decided she could possibly want or need. Shit.

The kitchen area is as messy as the rest of the place. Drawers open. Papers tossed around. I’m sharp. I know what those men were looking for. What I don’t know is if they found it or not. I’ll have to carefully question Britney in the morning.

I spend the next ten minutes grabbing her phone charger and then making a small pile of shoes and clothes. I grit my teeth the entire time. The only thing I’ve retrieved that can’t and shouldn’t be replaced is the stuffed bunny. The rest I’d rather burn and buy new.

But I can’t do that. She’d freak out if I started buying her more things. Hell, the value of her entire studio apartment can’t possibly be more than a few hundred dollars. But the woman has pride, and I’d be seriously stepping on it if I came home empty-handed and informed her that a new wardrobe would be delivered later that day.

I do, however, take note of her sizes. Extra-small everything. She’s damn tiny. I can’t picture her stripping. It’s mind-boggling. Even her bras are a B cup.

I stuff everything into a duffel bag I found in her closet and hurry from the apartment, taking the stairs back down to my SUV two at a time.

Unease is creeping up my spine as my phone vibrates silently in my pocket. I pull it out and glance at the screen before answering. “Blade.”

“Hey, Spidey. Got your message. What’s going on? All you said was urgent, call me.”

“I’ll explain on the way. Can you meet me at the Sky Lounge?”

Blade chuckles. “Need to unwind a bit?”

I groan. “Nope. Need to stop a human trafficking ring.”

He sucks in a breath. “I’ll meet you there in ten.”

I grip the steering wheel with both hands, far tighter than necessary on the drive to the Lounge. I should turn over what I know to Blade and let him assign some other guys to this case, a case with no paying customer. I should recuse myself because after having only known Britney for a day I’m already emotionally involved with her.

Rule number one—never get involved with a client. I absolutely must pass the job on to Blade and go back to my house. But I won’t. I won’t for the same reason I should. I like this woman, and I want to personally make sure she’s safe. She’s my responsibility. No chance I’m going to turn over her safety to someone else, even if I would trust every man on our team with my life.

Blade is already in the parking lot and he strolls over to me as I climb from my SUV. He’s wearing all black. Not shocking. I am too. It’s what our wardrobes mostly consist of. “Care to fill me in a bit?” Blade asks.

“I did that job for Cindy this morning at the animal shelter.”

“Right. I remember.”

“Met a woman there, Britney. Works for Cindy. She was sleeping in the parking lot. Long story short, she worked here also until last night. She overheard her boss talking to another man about selling her.”

Blade groans and rubs his forehead. “Fuck.”

“Yeah. It’s bad. I knew you wouldn’t want me going in and snooping around alone.”

He claps me on the shoulder. “Damn straight. Where’s the woman now?”

“My place.”

He lifts a brow.

I glance away. “She needed a place to stay. I could tell Cindy was beside herself. Inviting someone to stay with her is complicated.”

Blade nods. “I’ve met Cindy several times at Surrender. No need to say more. I get it. I can probably even guess what her fetish is just from knowing her.”

I nod. “Anyway, I offered. Britney is at my house now. I just