Page 7 of Snowed in with the Bodyguard

The thought hits me like a physical blow, the blood draining from my face. “What…what do you mean?”

“Don’t worry,” he says, trying to reassure me. “I won’t let anyone get to you. But we need to be cautious.”

“You’re…weird,” I mutter, though a reluctant smile tugs at my lips. His calm, almost playful tone is a stark contrast to the tension surrounding us.

“My weirdness is what’s keeping you alive,” he replies with a smirk.

I huff and stare out the window as snow begins to fall, tiny white flecks swirling in the air and settling on the windshield. I groan inwardly. “Great, just what we need. Snow and icy roads.”

The snowfall thickens as we continue down the winding mountain roads, visibility dropping with each passing minute. Jack’s expression is tense as he navigates the slick road. The once gentle snowstorm is turning into a full-fledged blizzard.

“We should slow down,” I murmur, my voice barely audible. “The roads are getting dangerous.”

He nods, easing off the gas as the car crawls forward, the engine a low hum in the quiet. The snow piles up along the road, creating white drifts obscuring our path. My heart pounds, each bend in the road like a risk, a test of our control over the car.

Suddenly, headlights appear in the rearview mirror, drawing closer at a speed that makes my stomach lurch. Something about it feels wrong, and a chill runs through me.

“Damn it,” Jack mutters, glancing at the headlights with a look of grim determination.

The car behind us speeds up, its intentions clear. Our pursuers have found us again.

My pulse quickens, fear clawing at my throat as I look at Jack. His expression is steely, his jaw clenched.

“Stay down,” he orders, his voice edged with urgency.

Chapter 4

Jack

The headlights surge toward us, closing the distance between our car and the SUV bearing down on us with relentless speed. The slick roads make it worse, but I can tell from the way they’re moving that they aren’t losing control—they’re homing in on us. They’ve found us.

“Fuck,” I curse, adrenaline kicking in as I white-knuckle the steering wheel. I glance at Holly, her wide eyes reflecting a mix of fear and determination. “Throw the phones out of the window, Holly. That’s how they’re tracking us.”

Without a second’s hesitation, she hits the button to lower her window, and icy night air whips through the car. One by one, she tosses our phones into the darkness. The headlights still bear down on us, but hopefully, we’ve bought ourselves a little time.

“Let’s hope it’s not too little too late,” she murmurs, her voice laced with a bitterness that hits me like a punch to the gut.

She isn’t wrong. I should’ve known better. “I should’ve known. Basic rule of evading pursuers,” I rasp, wanting to kick my own ass.

Holly shakes her head. “Don’t be so hard on yourself. We’ve been chased, shot at, my home burned down, and you’ve had to deal with me. It’s a lot to handle.”

I glance over at her. “Thanks. I appreciate the words of support, but...” I trail off.

“But what?”

“I’m not usually so distracted.”

She frowns. “What’s got you distracted? You know, apart from the whole running for our lives thing?”

My gaze meets hers for a second. “You.”

Her eyes widen. “Me? Oh.Oh.You find me… distracting?”

“You have no idea,” I mutter under my breath. “Hold on,” I add as I punch the accelerator. The car’s tires skid slightly on the snow-laden road. I pray it has the performance needed to outrun these guys. “I hope your dad kept this thing in top shape.”

Holly shrugs. “I wouldn’t know. He controls all the servicing.”

Like he does everything else.

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