Page 121 of Nanny for the Firefighter

The next bag goes just like the first. I get the handles in my hand and pull the thing inside quickly.

Unfortunately, the third bag is too far from the door for me to reach like this. I have to take a step onto the porch to get it.

My throat is beyond dry, and I’m this close to having a fucking heart attack.

I could just shut things up. Two out of three isn’t bad. But I’ve come this far, and nothing has happened. I just want to grab the thing and be done with this.

The countdown on the security panel chirps in a steady rhythm as the seconds pass by.

It’s going to go off if I don’t get the door closed.

Letting the door creak open a bit further, I rush forward to step out onto the porch and grab that last bag.

The handles are safely in my grasp, and this one is significantly heavier than the others. I turn around to go right back through that door with the last of the groceries.

Just as I’m crossing the threshold, I’m stopped short.

Thick arms circle me from behind, and a hand clamps down over my mouth. Pain flares through my face as the grip squeezes my cheeks.

And then a rose appears in front of my face.

No. No, no, no!

“Hey there, sweetheart.” The raspy voice is right in my ear. “Miss me?”

The blood drains from my face, my stomach dropping into hell itself as the fear that I’d been fighting back rushes to the surface.

The hand on my mouth releases, but Jai still holds me pinned to his chest, his grip on my neck.

“H-how did you…”

My voice is so damned small, and I can barely form words. This can’t be happening.

Of course, it is. You did this, Bridget. You led him here.

“Find you?” Jai’s familiar cocky tone is strong, and he draws the rose in toward me, dragging the bud across my face. “You have yourself to thank for that. Though, I’m surprised you’d actually choose to come back here.”

He squeezes my throat tighter before throwing the rose down to the ground.

“And apparently, you’ve been cozying up with that piece of shit from college. You were awful close in that hospital, weren’t you?”

Realization hits, and I sag, struggling to breathe around Jai’s grip. He saw the news report after the fire. He knew I was with Mason.

“I…I…”

“Don’t bother denying it, baby. I saw it with my own eyes. It was tempting to burst into the hospital right then and there. But I enjoyed watching you stew in your juices, walking around this house like I might jump out at any time.”

Jai presses his lips to the shell of my ear. Disgust and fear swirl, and I struggle against him in vain.

“Well, here I am, baby,” Jai whispers. “Boo.”

I don’t know what the fuck to do. Mia is just inside the damn house, and my vision is going spotty as Jai presses down on my throat.

This is really fucking bad. Do something, Bridget.

Beep!

The security panel chimes loudly, the alarm starting as the computer voice says, “System not secure. Breech at front door.”

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