Page 18 of Found By the Surly Ranger

He leans over to kiss my forehead, then angles the laptop even further away. I watch nervously as his eyes track back and forth. Jace is doing an admirable job of keeping his expression relatively neutral but there's a subtle tightening in his jaw and wrists, and a stiffness comes into his shoulders. Whatever he's reading is clearly filling him with barely contained rage.

"What an arrogant, ignorant piece of shit," he finally mutters through clenched teeth. "This little worm took your entire app — something that was supposed to promote artists and help the average person discover fine art that they liked — and turned it into a money laundering device for the mafia." Jace looks at me with an eyebrow cocked. "At least, that's what he's claiming. He's yammering on about his friends and a couple of cousins who are apparently well-connected, blah blah fucking blah. I wouldn't be surprised if he's just exaggerating for the sake of dramatic effect."

"Yeah, sounds about right." I hesitate. "So he's screaming that he's going to hunt me down?"

Jace nods, glowering. "Yup. He sounds like a snot-nosed little prick who's been spoiled rotten his entire life." Jace is seething. "I can't stand that he made you so many promises, baby. That he lied to you."

"It was partly my fault. I was an idiot for trusting someone I didn't know very well," I say. "I should have checked out his credentials."

Jace shakes his head. "Nah. Credentials can be faked. You don't really know someone until you look them in the eye, shake their hand, and have a coffee with them. It's not your fault, Kara." He snaps the laptop shut and grasps my hands. "None of this is."

I can feel my bottom lip trembling. I have no idea how scared I should be, and ironically that makes it even more terrifying. My hands are trembling, my knees are shaking. It even feels like this little meeting room is closing in on me. "Did it sound like he's coming after me?"

His gorgeous lips press into a firm line. "That's what he's threatening, yes. But he clearly doesn't have any idea where to start. I wouldn't be surprised if he asks your friends and any other connections he can find online."

"That's why I just told my friends that I headed west." I wink.

His eyes light up. "I love that my girl is a smart cookie."

His girl. My heart actually flutters.

"Hey." Jace kisses my forehead softly, then takes my hand as we leave the room. "Are you ready to go down to Spring Grove? I have to stop and ask Mrs. Honeywell if my books are in, then we can grab a coffee next door and get going."

"Sure. Can I use the bathroom here first?"

He points to the back corner of the building. "I'll meet you at the front in a minute."

After I'm done, I meander slowly through the library, relishing the calmness that always floods me when surrounded by endless books. By the time I get to the front door, I see that a beam of sunlight is illuminating the whole front entrance. Amazing.

I step outside, staying in the entryway, enjoying the warmth on my face on what up till now has been such a cloudy day. An old man gives me a friendly nod from his spot on the bench a few feet away. Across the street, a woman laughs with her toddler as he pushes his own stroller for half a block.

There aren't a lot of vehicles parked around town in the middle of the day, but I do note three slightly dirty pickup trucks that are obviously owned by farmers, and a midsize blue SUV with car seats in the back.

There's a glint of silver down the street, then the sun disappears behind a cloud. Leaning forward, I peer around the corner and see the rest of the Mercedes.

Then I see an all too familiar figure coming out of the hardware store across the street.

Brad.

I jump back into the doorway. My heart leaps into my throat as white hot panic floods my system.

He's going to see me if I stay here. But if I go back into the library, I'll be trapped.

What can I do?

Run.

Brad is ridiculously fussy and hates getting dirty. He'd be reluctant to follow me into the woods.

Still as a statue, barely breathing, I wait until he turns in the opposite direction. Then I dart down the street, running past two buildings until I find an alley to duck into.

Racing blindly toward a forested area two blocks away, all I can do is hope I know the way back to Jace's house.

And that Brad hasn't seen me. Won't catch me. Won't ever scream at me like that again.

Or do…whatever he plans to do to get those passwords.

12

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