Page 23 of The Boss's Hideaway Baby

I weave in and out of the traffic and the car behind us continues to gain ground, attempting to ram into our rear bumper. My heart races, but I refuse to let panic win. Our safety depends on my ability to stay focused.

I’m only dimly aware of the conversation Nathan is having. It’s like he’s at the other end of a long tunnel, and I just hear a jumbled whisper. I’m too focused on driving, too focused on losing the car behind us.

“They said they’ve got people nearby. They’re on their way.” Nathan’s voice cracks.

“Good,” I manage, cutting off another car in order to take an exit that leads off the bridge. The tires screech beneath me as I swerve onto the ramp, narrowly avoiding a collision.

Nathan curses as we miss the other car by mere inches.

“Almost there,” I whisper, more to myself than to him. My foot presses harder on the gas pedal, the engine roaring in response. “So where is this security team?”

“Apparently they can’t get here fast enough,” he says through gritted teeth.

I take a deep breath, already knowing that we’re on our own. No way can this security team get to us in time.

“You’re doing great, Maria,” Nathan says, his hand reaching over to squeeze my arm gently. “We can do this.”

His words act as an anchor, grounding me amidst the chaos. With newfound determination, I navigate the winding roads of Long Island, leaving the would-be kidnappers in the dust — at least for now.

As we finally reach my family’s property, a cabin a couple blocks from the beach, I allow myself a small sigh of relief. We made it, despite the close call. But I know that this is just the beginning, and the road ahead is still uncertain.

“Thank you,” Nathan murmurs, gratitude shining in his eyes. “You saved our lives tonight.”

“Like I said before,” I tell him softly, offering him a shaky smile, “that’s what friends are for.”

I pull into the driveway and kill the engine, but neither of us moves to get out. Adrenaline races through me, and it feels like I’ve melted into the seat.

For a moment, we sit in silence, the weight of our situation settling around us like a heavy fog. My heart hammers in my chest, a reminder of how close we came to disaster. I shiver and wrap my arms around myself, trying to ward off the chill that has nothing to do with the temperature outside.

“Are you okay?” Nathan asks, his dark eyes searching mine for signs of distress. “You were amazing back there.”

“Thanks,” I whisper, my thoughts racing a mile a minute. How many more close calls like this do we have ahead of us? How many more of them can we survive before we run out of luck?

“Maria,” Nathan says softly, bringing me back to the present, “I don’t know how I’ll ever thank you for this.”

“It’s not like you’re the only one in danger, but thank you.”

His sincerity tugs at my heartstrings, and I know without a doubt that I would do anything — even risk my own life — to help him. I’ve always believed that turning your back on someone in need is the worst thing you could do. And since those men probably know I’m Nathan’s assistant, it seems like we’re in this together whether we like it or not.

“We’re a team, remember?” I say.

“Right,” he agrees, offering me a small smile. “A team.”

“Besides,” I add, “I couldn’t just let you face those thugs all by yourself. You’d be lost without me.”

“True.” He chuckles, some of the tension leaving his shoulders as he playfully bumps my arm. “You’re the brains of this operation, after all.”

“Exactly.” I grin, suddenly feeling a renewed sense of determination. We may be in a dangerous situation, but we have each other, and that’s not something to take lightly.

“All right, team.” Nathan claps his hands together. “Let’s figure out our next move.”

“Sounds good.” I nod, ready to face whatever challenges lie ahead — together.

CHAPTER 9

NATHAN

The cabin door creaks open, and I’m struck by the how dark the place is. Musty, too. It’s clear that no one has been here in a while.

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