Page 32 of Savage

“Yes. I’ll take you somewhere safe.”

Cooper’s eyes shifted past my shoulder to the window, then back to me, and I couldn’t help but wonder if he was worried his masked stranger wouldn’t be able to find him if he said yes.

Now that was a laugh.

“Um, how long do you think I’ll be gone?”

“However long it takes.”

He took another look around the room, and not wanting him to say no, I decided to help him out a little with his decision. I took a step toward him and reached for the backpack, brushing my fingers over the back of his. The connection between us crackled to life as it always did, and I wasn’t above using it.

“I can see you’re scared,” I said. “You have every reason to be. But this is what I do. That’s why you called me.”

“You’re right.” Cooper’s blue eyes locked with mine, his concern dissipating. “You’re absolutely right.”

“Good. Then why don’t you throw some clothes in this backpack, and I’ll take you somewhere safe.”

He nodded then moved around the room grabbing clothes and stuffing them into his bag. I slipped the card in my wallet and watched him closely, tracking his every move freely now instead of from the shadows.

It was strange watching him in the light of day like this, only adding to the illusion that there were two of me. This version of me could be the protector he’d met at a coffee shop, and something about that turned me on almost as much as being themasked stranger who unleashed Cooper’s wildest desires in the darkness of night.

“I’m ready,” he said, pulling me from my thoughts.

I refocused on the gorgeous man standing in front of me in his jeans, hoodie, and sneakers, his backpack slung over his shoulder and his computer in his hands. I had no business taking him where I was about to, especially considering he was a journalist. But I was already in King’s bad books, and I hadn’t saved Cooper just to have him wind up dead.

“There’s one last thing I have to ask before we go,” I said.”

Cooper looked at me expectantly.

“Do you trust me?”

13

COOPER

IWAS STARTING to wonder if I had a death wish.

I’d gone all in on trusting someone I barely knew, and what had that gotten me?

A blindfold. Also a ride in a comfy vehicle with heated seats to some destination unknown, but ablindfold? That was what I’d signed up for when a handsome face said, “Do you trust me?” Not to mention the whole host of other bad ideas I didn’t want to think about right now. Not when I needed to focus on putting one foot in front of the other as Lachlan’s firm hand around my arm led mesomewhere. “Somewhere safe,” he’d said, but how the hell was I supposed to believe that when I couldn’t even be trusted to see where we were going?

Maybe my family was right—I didn’t belong here. Following drug dealers, almost dying, allowing a stranger to climb in my window to fuck me, having an actual break-in… I was asking for trouble to find me. Begging for it, even.

The ding of an elevator sounded, and then Lachlan moved us into the claustrophobic space. When the doors shut, all of the background noise I’d tried to place disappeared and silence descended. It felt like we were the only two here, which meantLachlan’s earlier warning of “don’t say a word” didn’t count here, right?

Besides, my patience was waning, and I wanted answers.

“Can I take this off?” I reached up to tug at the blindfold, but Lachlan caught my wrist in his firm grip.

“No.”

Stifling a sigh, I said, “Can you tell me where we’re going?”

“We’re almost there.”

“Almost where?”

“Somewhere safe. Like I promised.”

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