Page 32 of Christmas in the Shadows

The ski mask he wore over his face concealed his identity.

“You don’t know what you’re getting yourself into,” he growled.

Fear shot through her as the air was cut off from her lungs.

She couldn’t breathe. Panic filled her.

Was this man going to kill her?

“Hey!” a deep voice yelled in the distance.

Her attacker froze. Looked over. His eyes widened.

The next instant, he darted in the opposite direction of the other man.

Chelsea nearly sank onto the asphalt, her knees no longer able to hold her up.

Then she saw another figure running toward her.

Her heart rate climbed again.

Wait . . . was that . . . Tex?

Had he just come from the woods? What . . . ? How . . . ?

He paused and leaned down in front of her, touching her face as his concerned gaze assessed her. “Chelsea—are you okay?”

Chelsea nodded. At least, shethoughtshe nodded. “Yes . . . I’m—I’m fine.”

“You sure?” His gaze pinned her down, forcing her to tell the truth.

“I’ll . . . I’ll be fine. I’m just shaken right now.”

His eyes darkened. “Get in the car and lock your doors.”

He helped her stand and slip inside. Waited until he heard the lock click.

Then he was gone. Chasing the person who’d just attacked her.

Her head spun.

What was going on in this town? And how had she ended up in the middle of it?

CHAPTER 11

Tex hadn’t intended on revealing his presence, but he’d had no choice.

One minute he’d been watching Chelsea as she hurried back to her car. The next moment, that man had appeared out of nowhere.

The guy had moved so quickly it had taken Tex a moment to realize what was happening. To realize the man already had Chelsea pinned against her car.

Then Tex sprang into action.

He darted down the road in the direction the man had gone. But the guy had disappeared from sight.

A small suburban neighborhood surrounded them, full of houses built close together with street parking.

There were only so many places the man could go.

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