Page 9 of Broken-Hearted

Anyone would do the same.

3

“You don’t have to walk me to work,” I say as we make the short walk to the diner.

“I do.” Nathan left his car, a dark gray Honda, in the parking lot and refused to let me leave without him.

I thought about running, but something about his dogged persistence made me think he wouldn’t hesitate to chase me down.

“You look thoughtful,” he says, shooting me a rapid glance.

“Just thinking.”

“About?”

I shake my head. “Nothing.”

“Your sister?”

I don’t respond.

His stare is a little longer this time. “She was worried about you.”

My guilt burns so hot and bright, it damn near overwhelms me. “I’m doing this for her.”

But I should’ve told her what I was doing.

Martha never would’ve let me go off on my own. She’d want to make sure I was safe, even if it meant leaving her mate, Ty,behind. She tried to do it before, even hiding the fact Ty was her mate from me because she knew I wasn’t happy in Dawley.

She’s given so much of her time, energy, and happiness to keep me safe over the years. I refuse to let her give more. It’s time I looked after myself.

“I’m sure that she’d prefer to just have you.”

I spin to face Nathan, looking him right in the eye. “Someone nearly killed my sister trying to get to me. Then you turn up in Dawley, and no sooner do you arrive than someone is trying to kill you. It’s best you go on your way and leave me to go on my own, Blackshaw. You’d live a hell of a lot longer than if you stuck around.”

I walk away and I’m not even surprised when he closes the gap between us in two ground-eating steps. The joys of being over six feet tall. I wish I knew what that felt like.

“Who’s trying to kill you?” he asks.

“Didn’t Martha tell you?”

“A little. But I think I’d like to hear it from you.”

“It’s nothing you need to know.” I increase my pace.

He matches it.

Easily.

“If you’re in danger, I can protect you.”

“More like get yourself killed trying to—” I gasp when he grips my wrist and has me pressed up against a brick wall in under a second.

There’s not even a hint of the amiable, smiling shifter I nearly tripped over taking my trash out last night. “I can protect you.”

“Unnecessary.” I move to skirt around him. He steps into me, pinning me to the wall, and, randomly, reminding me of his determination to kiss me.

Not the time, Clara. Definitely not the place or the time to be thinking about that.

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