Page 17 of The Trail Boss

Out of nowhere, a strong arm hooked around her waist, yanking her back with such force her feet left the ground. Roxie let out a startled cry as she collided with something solid—a wall of muscle that held her tight.

“Stay down!” a deep voice growled in her ear.

Gavin. Thank god.

Before she could fully comprehend what was happening, he moved, shielding her with his body. As the car skidded to a stop, Gavin reached behind him and pulled out a wicked-looking handgun. He fired two shots. The car hesitated for a heartbeat, then screeched off into the night.

Roxie’s breath came in short, panicked gasps as she clung to him, her fingers digging into his shirt. She could feel the heat of his chest, the steady thrum of his heart.

“Are you okay?” Gavin asked, his voice rough, his lips close to her ear, as he holstered the gun and wrapped his arm around her.

She nodded weakly, her words caught in her throat.

“Roxie,” he said more firmly, pulling back just enough to look down at her. “Are you hurt?”

“I… I don’t think so,” she stammered, her hands trembling as they slid down to her sides. “What the hell just happened?”

“Someone just tried to kill you,” Gavin said bluntly, his jaw tight as he scanned the street, his body still angled protectively in front of hers.

Roxie blinked, the reality of his words slamming into her like the car had almost done. “Kill me?”

His eyes met hers, his expression hard but laced with concern. “Yeah. And they damn near succeeded.”

Her knees buckled, but Gavin caught her before she could hit the ground, sweeping her up into his arms, cradling her against his chest. “Hey, hey. Breathe, Roxie. You’re okay. I’ve got you.”

The warmth in his voice steadied her, though her heart still hammered against her ribs. “Who… who would do this?”

“That’s what we’re going to find out,” Gavin said, his tone leaving no room for argument.

He carried her up the stairs. She protested, but only weakly. He acted like her weight was nothing to him, and the sound of his strong heartbeat soothed her in a way nothing ever hadbefore. Roxie’s mind raced, her thoughts a chaotic jumble of fear and confusion.

He bent slightly at the waist in front of her door. “Unlock the door, baby. They’re gone and I’ve got you. I want to get us inside and call for backup.”

“This can’t be happening,” she whispered, staring at the faded and peeling paint inside her apartment.

Why weren’t people coming out of their apartments to help or at least to see what was going on? Gavin had fired two shots for god’s sake. Then she asked herself, would she have ventured out to see what was going on? Probably not.

“Trust me, it is,” Gavin said, carrying her inside and kicking the door closed behind him. Setting her on the counter, taking her keys and locking the door. He returned to her, his hands resting on her knees. “And it’s not a coincidence.”

She watched as Gavin scanned her apartment, his sharp gaze sweeping over the room. The peeling wallpaper, the single lock on the door, the broken blinds. It was a bad joke pretending to be security.

Roxie looked at him, her eyes wide. “You think this has to do with… everything?”

“I don’t think,” Gavin said, his voice low and steady. “I know. Someone’s targeting you, Roxie, and they’re not messing around anymore.”

The solemnity of his words pressed down on her, but so did the intensity of his gaze. There was something about the way he looked at her—like she was more than a problem to solve, more than a puzzle to piece together. Like she mattered.

She swallowed hard, her voice barely a whisper. “What do I do?”

“You stick with me,” Gavin said without hesitation. “You let me keep you safe. No more arguments.” Pulling his mobilephone out of his pocket, he made a call. “I need two units outside Roxie’s place. Somebody just tried to kill her.”

Roxie opened her mouth to protest, but the look in his eyes stopped her. There was no arrogance there, no condescension—just pure, unrelenting purpose.

“Okay,” she said finally, her voice soft.

Gavin nodded, his hand brushing hers briefly before he stood. “Come on. Let’s get you settled, and then we’re going to figure out who’s behind this.”

As she rose to her feet, Roxie couldn’t help but feel a spark of something unfamiliar amidst the fear—a flicker of trust, even safety, in the presence of the man who had just saved her life.

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