Page 1 of Stuck with My Bossy Protector

Prologue

Mia

“Ahhhhhhhhhh!” The sound rips from my throat, echoing off the walls of my small house and shattering the eerie silence. My mind struggles to process what I’m seeing. I can’t breathe, can’t think, can’t do anything but stand there, frozen in terror.

I had just returned home after spending nearly two months in Brazil. I was looking forward to a shower, a glass of wine, and my own bed. I unlocked my door, and the first thing that hit me as I stepped inside was the smell—an awful, rancid odor that made my stomach churn. I wrinkled my nose. Dawn must have left food out.

I didn’t know her very well, but she needed a place to stay for a few weeks, and I had an empty house. The relief I felt at finally getting home was swept away.

“Nice.”

I walked through the hallway, and the smell grew stronger with every step. This had to be more than old take-out containers. Maybe something was wrong with the fridge? Or the trash hadn’t been taken out? She was supposed to be out of the house three days ago. It didn’t look dirty, but there was something seriously rank. I pushed open the bedroom door, expecting to find a mess, but I found something far worse instead.

I stare at the bloody body lying in my bed. Her eyes are wide open, staring blankly at the ceiling, and her mouth is open in a silent scream. The sight is horrifying. My scream tears at my throat. I didn’t even realize I was making the noise until find myself back on my porch, gasping for breath.

I fumble for my phone, my hands shaking so violently that I almost drop it. The nine-one-one operator’s voice is calm, too calm for the situation.

“Nine-one-one, what’s your emergency?”

“There’s a body...in my house...she’s dead...” I whisper, breathless with fear.

The woman asks me question after question. I do everything I can not to lose my cool. She suggests I perform CPR, and I lose it.

“She’s bloated and dead!” I shout into the phone. “A corpse. Her chest is a bloody mess. There is nothing to save!”

Just then, I hear the sirens in the distance. The police arrive quickly, followed by a fire truck and an ambulance. I stand frozen to the spot as they swarm the house. It doesn’t take long for them to confirm there is indeed a dead body in my bed. The house is transformed into a crime scene. Yellow tape goes up, officers and detectives move in and out, and I’m bombarded with questions. How long have I been gone? Did I know the victim well? When did I last see her?

I sit on the front porch, a blanket draped over my shoulders, but I can’t stop shivering. It’s not the cold—it’s the shock. The detective in charge, a stern woman with a kind face, sits beside me, her notebook in hand.

“Mia, I need you to retrace your movements. Take your time, but please, tell me everything you can remember.”

I nod, swallowing hard, and start from the beginning.

“I am a wildlife photographer. I have been in the Amazon rainforest for the last six weeks. A friend of mine told me that she knew a nurse who was coming into town and needed a place to stay. Her name was Dawn Taylor, and we met for coffee. I was happy to find someone to look after my place while I was out of the country, and she was happy to find accommodations near the hospital.”

“That was when you met Dawn?”

“Yes. We only spoke a couple of times to make the arrangements.”

“Can you tell me what happened today?”

I take a deep breath and prepare myself. “I had just gotten home from the airport and let myself in the house. I smelled something awful. I looked around the living room and the kitchen but didn’t see anything. When I opened my bedroom door, I saw Dawn.” My words come out slowly, each one feeling like it’s being dragged from the depths of my soul. I tell her everything I know, which is so very little.

Hours pass, and night falls. They finally let me go, but my house is still off-limits. Dawn’s body has been taken away, but the evidence of the horrific crime is still everywhere. I need to find a place to stay. With the image of Dawn burned into my mind, I am desperate to get as far away from here as I can. I can’t stay in town, knowing that the person who did this might return. I don’t even know if I’ll ever be able to go back into the house.

I grab my keys and purse, not bothering to pack anything else. My suitcase is still sitting by the door. I take it back to my car and get into the driver’s seat. I need to put as much distance between myself and this nightmare as possible. I know who did this. I know he’s still out there, and I’m not waiting around for him to find me.

As I drive away, my mind races. I replay every detail, every memory of the man I once trusted. Carter’s charm, his easy smile, the way he could make me feel like the most important person in the world. But beneath that allure was something dark, something I didn’t see until it was too late. When I left him, I thought I was safe. I thought I could start over. I was wrong.

The road stretches out before me. I have no idea where I’m going. I just know that I have to run. I can’t stop. Not until I’m far enough away that he can’t reach me. I glance in the rearview mirror, half-expecting to see his face staring back at me.

I think about the good times, the moments when I believed we had a future. We met through friends, and I fell for his easygoing nature. We spent so many nights talking about our dreams, but those dreams turned into nightmares. Carter’s affection became control—his love a prison. I saw the signs too late. By then, I was already trapped.

I left everything behind to escape him, thinking distance would keep me safe. But I was wrong, and Dawn paid the price. I will be next if I don’t keep moving.

She resembled me with the same long blonde hair and petite frame. From the way her body was positioned, I imagine she was sleeping. He must have broken into the house and killed her while she slept. Or maybe she woke up, and he killed her when he realized it wasn’t me.

A cold chill races down my spine at the thought. How close had I come to being murdered in my bed?

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