Page 53 of Wild Mustang Security Firm

As much as she hated to admit it, flying in the chopper scared her to death, and she found Mac’s presence and his gentle hold on her hand reassuring. In short order, they landed on the hospital helipad. Mac came around and helped her out.

“I can walk,” she hissed as he propelled her toward a waiting wheelchair.

“You can ride in the wheelchair, or I’ll sling you over my shoulder… your choice,” he said pleasantly but with steel.

As her resistance lessened, he helped her to sit.

“Good girl,” he said and received a swift kick in the shins that only made him chuckle. “Naughty girl,” he leaned down and whispered. “Have you forgotten naughty girls get their bottoms spanked, or is that what you actually want?”

Willa couldn’t believe how his praising her settled over her like a warm cashmere shawl, but the admonishment she was misbehaving, sent the butterflies, which took up residence in her lower belly whenever he was near, into full flight. It was very disconcerting, not to mention annoying.

Mac walked close by as she was wheeled down to the emergency room, where she was quickly patched up. The wound had been as superficial as any wound from a bullet could be. It had taken off some of her skin along her upper arm close to her shoulder, but not penetrated deeper.

The doctor addressed Mac when he was finished. “I wouldn’t mind keeping her overnight, but it’s not absolutely necessary?—”

“Good,” interrupted Willa. “I’m going home.”

Mac smiled. “If you think she’s fine without additional medical attention, I think she’s probably better off in our safe house in Phoenix.”

“I’ll get her prescriptions ready, and you can take her out of here.” The doctor turned and left the room, leaving Willa and Mac alone.

“I’m going home,” Willa insisted.

“Not your choice. You’re in official protective custody. In case you missed it, you got lucky this evening. That guy wasn’t shooting to spook your mustangs. He meant to kill you. I mean to see he doesn’t have a second chance to finish the job.”

“You can’t just hijack my life.”

That’s what was really bothering her. Mac seemed determined to come back into her life, and that terrified her. No, that wasn’t it. It was the idea he’d come back, she’d lose herself in him again, then be devastated when he left… again. She had cried buckets of tears over Ethan McDaniel, even thought about joining him in Louisiana and begging him to take her back. She’d known he would be furious at her for what she put them through and would have acted accordingly. Willa knew she’d have ended up with welts across her backside and a well-used pussy full of his cum. The fact she’d welcome both was what had terrified her and still did.

“I can, and I have. The question is, do I need to put you in restraints before we drive to Phoenix? Or should we save that until we have a chance to settle things between us?”

His easy, sexually laced banter left the butterflies in her belly fluttering around like they were in a pinball machine.

“Get dressed, Willa.” Mac turned his back on her. “We need to get moving.”

“Quit telling me what to do. I’m dressing because I don’t want to have to hail a cab in a hospital gown.”

“You’d better start doing as you’re told. I wasn’t kidding about the federal custody and safe house or the restraints, for that matter.”

“I’ll hire a lawyer.”

“You can call whoever you like tomorrow morning over a secure line.”

Willa sat down hard on the bed. “You really think Eastwick tried to have me killed?” she whispered.

Mac turned, sat on the mattress next to her, and took her hand in his.

“I do, and the guy will keep coming until he’s accomplished what it takes to get paid.”

“What about my horses? My business?”

“You have good people in Gus and Mandy. They’ll take care of both. Mandy said you don’t have a job for two weeks. Eastwick didn’t confess to anybody but you. You can put the nail in his coffin, and he knows it.” He stood and extended his hand. “You ready to leave?”

“Um, sure, but don’t we need to wait for the prescriptions and to sign out?”

“Nope, John can follow up to close things out and retrieve whatever you need. Right now, you and I are going to slip out the side entrance and head for an unmarked car.”

Mac helped her to her feet and with her elbow securely in his hand, directed her out of the emergency room, down the hall, and out a service entrance. He kept her moving at a fairly good clip until they came to an SUV. Mac ushered Willa into the rear seat, made her lie down, then threw a blanket over her. Locking her in, Mac opened the door on the driver’s side, got in, started the engine, and drove away from the hospital. They had driven for about fifteen minutes when Mac asked, “Would you like me to pull over so you can sit up front with me?”

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