Page 5 of Snowed in with the Bodyguard

I’m pulled back to the present by the receptionist calling out a name. I think it’s mine for a moment, only to realize it’s another man named Jack. I shake my head, silently chastising myself. I have to stay focused and keep my attention sharp if I’m going to protect her properly.

When Holly’s appointment ends, I meet her by the exit and lead her back to the car. We don’t speak as we drive out of the parking lot, and I sense her drifting into her thoughts.

We’re minutes from her father’s mansion when a dull pop shatters the quiet, sending a chill down my spine. A split-second later, the rear window shatters, and a bullet embeds itself in the backseat, inches from her head.

“Get down!” I shout, reaching back to push Holly’s head down as another shot rings out, striking the rear of the car. In the rearview mirror, I glimpse an SUV with its window down, a pistol gleaming from the driver’s side.

Without hesitation, I floor the accelerator, my gaze darting between the road ahead and the rearview mirror.We need to get back to the mansion.With the extra security there, we have a better chance of holding them off.

“Hold on tight,” I call to Holly, adrenaline flooding my system as I tighten my grip on the wheel. My protective instincts flare hotter than ever, driving out every other thought. “We’re going to lose them.”

I take a sharp right down a narrow street, the city whirling by as I push the car’s limits. My mind races as I scan for escape routes, the chaos around us blending with the hammering of my heart. The urgency of the moment leaves no room for hesitation.

Ahead, a red light threatens to slow us, but I spot a side street that cuts through the city. I don’t hesitate, cutting sharply onto the street and slamming on the brakes as I reach the end, forcing the SUV behind us to swerve wildly. It skids, its tires squealing as the driver fights to stay on our tail. I grit my teeth, sweat beading on my forehead as I swing the car around a tight corner, trying to maintain our lead.

The weight of the situation presses down on me. Holly’s life is on the line.

Her breaths are shallow as she lies in the backseat. Her hazel eyes are full of fear, but she’s holding it together. She hasn’t fallen to pieces. She’s tougher than she looks. Something fierce blooms in my chest, and it only fuels my resolve.

As the SUV closes in again, I spot a driveway up ahead, a last-ditch escape. I swerve into it, pulling the emergency brake and putting the car in neutral. Before I know it, I’m out of the car, gun drawn, firing a quick shot that shatters the SUV’s windshield. The driver loses control, crashing into a fence with a jarring screech of metal on metal.

I dart back to the car, heart pounding, knowing I have only seconds to get us out of here. Throwing the car into reverse, I maneuver us around the SUV, then jam it into first and accelerate toward the mansion. Holly is silent and shaken, her body flattened to the backseat.

As we near the city's outskirts, I see a dark column of smoke rising from the direction of her father’s estate, thick and ominous against the skyline. My stomach drops as we approach the mansion gates, only to find flames licking at the edges of the property, devouring the facade and sending plumes of smoke skyward.

“What the hell is happening?” Holly gasps as she sits up, her fingers digging into my arm with desperate strength. “My family…My home…Call for help!”

I shake my head, gritting my teeth as I assess the situation. Now isn’t the time for panic. My priority is keeping Holly safe. “I’m sure your family’s fine,” I reply, though doubt gnaws at the edges of my words. “Right now, I need to get you out of here.”

My mind races as I think through the options. The estate security will have contacted emergency services—reinforcements will arrive soon, but I can’t risk waiting. The flames are spreading too quickly, and the attackers are likely nearby.

“Holly, we need to leave. Now.” I inject as much authority into my voice as possible, sensing her panic rising beside me.

Her eyes are wide, reflecting the terror churning in her heart.

Then, her expression shifts to quiet determination as she scrambles into the passenger seat beside me. “Let’s go,” she whispers, the tremble in her voice betraying her fear even as she tries to hold it together.

I take a breath, making a quick calculation. We can’t head back into the city—that will only lead us into more danger. I need a place to lie low. Somewhere we can regroup and stay hidden.

Alpha Mountain. I have a cabin there that no one but me knows about. My bolt hole in case the need ever arose. Like now. Holly is my charge. My duty. And she’s something else, something I’m not ready to put a name to yet. I have to protect her, whatever it takes, and where better to hide out than in the mountains?

Decision made, I slam the car into reverse and get the fuck out of Dodge. The city blurs behind us, the landscape shifting to open roads and distant trees as we speed away from the flames and chaos. I glance at Holly, taking in the pale cast to her face and the way her hands clench around the seatbelt. Her gaze holds mine for a moment, and the trust in her eyes nearly undoes me.

“Hang on,” I say quietly, forcing a note of calm into my voice. “I won’t let anything happen to you.”

She nods, the tiniest hint of relief flashing across her face.

I can’t afford to let my guard down. We still have a long way to go, and I know, deep down, that I’ll do anything—even lay down my life—if it means keeping her safe.

Chapter 3

Holly

The shrill ringing of Jack’s phone interrupts the silence, grating on my nerves. I glance at him, watching his jaw tighten each time the ringtone echoes in the car. I can’t understand why he doesn’t turn the damn thing off if he isn’t going to answer.

“Do you want me to answer that?” I finally ask, reaching over to grab his phone.

His hand shoots out, gripping mine firmly, and I still, startled by the contact. His expression is unreadable, but I catch a flicker of something beneath the surface—concern, maybe?

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