Page 123 of Nanny for the Firefighter

I just need to make it over there. But I can’t just stand in the damn front area to make a call.

Scanning around me, my eyes land on the patio doors. There’s a pool house outside.

It’ll have to do.

Psyching myself up with several quick breaths, I sink down and then run for my phone on the coffee table.

I’m there in a flash, my fingers curling around the slim cell, and I immediately turn on my heel and head for the patio.

The sound of my steps is too loud, though, and I push myself harder.

At the doors, I yank to the side, but they don’t open.Goddamn it. The fucking bar!

Our security protocols have dicked me right now, and I unlock the sliding door and then go for the bar that keeps it from moving.

I’m fumbling with the little metal pin that holds it down when I hear a low series of thuds coming from the other side of the house near Mason’s office.

“Shit, shit, shit. Come on.”

The stupid metal thing finally slides through the little slot, and I yank the bar up. Pulling on the door, I throw the thing wide open just as the incoming footsteps reach me.

“There you are. You can’t escape me, Bridget.”

I turn over my shoulder, my eyes wide as I see Jai rushing toward me. He wears an evil smile that turns my blood cold, and I start to stumble backward through the door.

“Didn’t you know?” He cocks his head, his hands balled into fists. “You’re mine, and I intend on making sure you stay that way forever.”

I can only guess what he means by that, and I don’t really want to know. It doesn’t matter in any case because my heel catches on the lip of the sliding door.

I fall backward onto my ass, and I have to scramble on my hands and knees to get myself turned around and up.

Everything I do feels too slow, just getting up taking the same time and energy as sprinting across the room. When I’m finally on both feet again, I launch myself forward, trying to run past the pool and into the little guest house behind it.

The door there locks. I just need to get inside and make a damn phone call.

My heart pounds along with my steps as I run into the sunny backyard with everything I have. But I’m short, and my legs don’t cover the same amount of ground as someone taller.

Like Jai.

Suddenly, I’m hit by something solid from behind, and I fall to the ground as Jai tackles me. Pain roars through my knees and arms that took the brunt of the fall, and then Jai turns me to face him as he pins me down.

“Get off! Ahh!”

I scream and kick against him, but I know it’s no use. Jai doesn’t care if he’s hurting me. On the contrary, that’s what he wants.

“You really thought you could just run off and fuck some nobody? Hmm?” I twist and yank against his hold, but the flat of his blade presses to my cheek. “You belong to me, Bridget. And now no one will get to touch you again, you stupid whore.”

Terror courses through my veins. I lash out, knocking the knife out of Jai’s grasp, but we’re right at the steps of the pool, and he just pushes my shoulders down.

The fear rushes through me all the harder as the cold water slips over the top of my hair. I try to crane my neck forward, to keep myself out of the pool, but Jai is too strong.

And then my head is underwater.

Panic grips me, and I try to hold my breath for as long as I can, still thrashing against Jai in a vain attempt to break free.

But water slips in through my nose, and in a moment, my body reflexively tries to breathe. Everything burns as the liquid fills my throat and lungs.

I’m going to drown.

---