Page 65 of The Trouble With Bad Boys

She studied me, brows drawn together, the lines at the corners of her eyes pulled tight. “Is everything okay?”

I gave her a brief nod, then turned my attention back to the dishes. I could feel her stare cutting into my back. “Okay. Well... I’m going to get ready, then we can head to the shop. We have that delivery for Briarleigh today.”

I tensed slightly at the reminder. When she’d asked me the other day if I could help deliver the arrangements, I hadn’t been able to deny her. Not like it mattered if someone saw me. My time in Pine Ridge was running out. A few weeks from now, I would be a distant memory.

The sound of Lily’s footsteps receded down the hallway, and I blew out a breath. I still hadn’t been able to access a computer to check on the situation with Araña. I would trek far enough away so as to not draw attention to Pine Ridge and find a library to use. Once I’d gotten the info I needed, I could double back and go... I wasn’t sure where. I would figure it out later. For now, I planned to enjoy my last day with Lily.

When she re-entered the kitchen twenty minutes later, she eyed me shrewdly. “Are you sure you’re okay? You look... worried.”

I shook my head. One delicate brow lifted. “If you say so. Ready to go?”

I nodded and fell into step beside her as we made our way to the car. The ride was quiet and, as usual, I studied our surroundings as we rolled into Pine Ridge. I reached for the door handle as Lily put the transmission in park, and a glimmer of movement caught my eye. A man stood near the corner of the building, and I saw the barest flash of his face before he was gone. My heart accelerated in my chest.

Was this one of Araña’s men?

I was out of the car and running before the car rolled to a stop. By the time I reached the alley, he was already disappearing around the corner onto Main Street. I was dimly aware of Lily calling my name, but I didn’t slow. I tracked him through town, zigzagging down side streets and through people’s yards until I finally lost him.

Damn.

I scanned the area again, but there was no sign of the man. A litany of curse words worked through my mind as I stalked back through town toward Lily’s shop. There was no question; I couldn’t leave now.

And God help me, it wasn’t disappointment I felt at having to remain in Pine Ridge. It was relief.

Thirteen

LILY

I stared at Smith in shock as he threw open the door and bolted across the parking lot. I called after him, but he was already disappearing down the alley between the buildings.

My hands shook, and a buzzing sound filled my ears. What the hell had just happened? One minute everything was fine. The next, he was sprinting away from me like his heels were on fire.

An empty numbness seemed to take over my body, and it took me two tries to turn off the ignition. Still rattled, I climbed from the car and glanced around. There was nothing out of the ordinary that I could see. Had Smith discerned some threat and taken off after it? I had no idea.

He’d left so abruptly that the car door was still wide open. My stomach twisted into a knot as I rounded the car and closed the door, then locked up. I stood there for several moments, watching, waiting for Smith to return. He didn’t.

I felt like an idiot for standing here next to my car, waiting on him. I glanced at my cell phone. Nearly ten minutes had passed, and I had no idea where he’d gone, or why. Maybe he wasn’t coming back. The closeness I had felt to him this morning dissipated into thin air.

Maybe that was the cause. My throat tightened. Did he suspect my feelings for him were growing stronger? Maybe he had seen this as his opportunity to get away and had taken it. Was the idea of being with me so horrible?

Tears pricked my eyes. Circumstances of my past confirmed that, yes, it was better to run away and never look back. Not even my parents had wanted me; they’d given me up for adoption the day I was born. For the next eighteen years I’d circulated through a series of foster homes, only to be disappointed by one family after another, before I finally left for good. I’d learned long ago that I wasn’t worth the trouble.

Coming here to Pine Ridge and making a life for myself had gone a long way in restoring that confidence. But in the blink of an eye I was that same young woman, insecure and unwanted.

I moved on autopilot, unlocking the door and turning on the lights as I moved into the work room of the shop. I glanced at the coolers, filled with bright arrangements. There was a delivery to be made, and I knew Jules was excited to get set up for Briarleigh’s wine tasting event this evening.

My limbs leaden, I gathered the arrangements and loaded them into boxes, then carried them to the van. Just as I closed the rear hatch, motion from the corner of my eye drew my attention to the alley. Smith sauntered toward me, a fierce scowl on his face. Just like that, all my misgivings evaporated into thin air.

I rushed toward him. “What happened? Is everything okay? Are you all right?”

I couldn’t stem the flow of words as I swept my gaze over him from head to toe, checking for injuries. “Did you see something? Are you hurt? Where?—?”

My words were abruptly cut off as Smith grasped my shoulders. His gaze met mine, and he gave a quick shake of his head. His hold was gentle yet firm, and I felt his silent command to follow his lead.

I stepped toward the van, legs shaky, and my feet slipped on the gravel. One huge hand shot out, wrapping around my bicep and hauling me upright. I found myself face-to-chest with Smith, not unlike this morning. But this time, a whole different set of emotions flooded me. Fear. Worry for both of us.

I drew in a deep breath. I trusted Smith to keep me safe; I had to trust that he would reveal whatever was going on, at least as much as he could.

Not for the first time I wondered at his past. He was domineering yet controlled, his instincts honed to a razor sharp edge. Had he spent time in the military or worked as a cop? Maybe an agent of some kind? I hated that he kept me out of the loop, and I resented it as much as I understood.

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