Page 45 of His to Possess

“Because we’re protecting you,” I insist.

“Yeah, yeah,” she mumbles and spins the wheel. The tires screech as we head for the exit and I prepare myself for a wild ride. “Did it ever occur to you that I don’t need protecting anymore? I’m almost twenty-six years old?—”

“You’re a baby, Lottie.”

“No, I’m not!” Her full attention is on me and I point to the road which she is completely ignoring. She rolls her eyes and slams on the brakes, nearly running a stop sign.

“You were saying?”

“I saw it,” she snaps irritably.

Yeah, sure.But, I don’t comment further. When my sister gets in a tizz, there’s no soothing her. “Look, I know we can be overprotective sometimes, but it’s only because we love you.”

Her face softens. “I know, but I hate being left out. Now please tell me who this woman is who kidnapped you so I can kick her ass.”

A laugh bursts from my throat. My little sister might be sassy, but she isn’t tough and street smart like Blake. I don’t think Carlotta has ever held a gun before, much less know how to use one. And she certainly doesn’t keep a knife in her designer boots. “First, there’s no need to kick her ass because I think I’m falling in love with her.”

Once again, Carlotta turns all of her attention on me, her eyes going comically wide. “What?” she squeals.

“Eyes on the road, please,” I say and she returns her gaze straight ahead, but still keeps slipping bemused glances my way as I start bringing her up to date. “And before you drop me off, there is some place I want to check out first.”

I give Carlotta directions to Blake’s safehouse where we spent most of the night. I know it has been compromised, but I still want to swing by and see if maybe she’s there. I know it’s a longshot, but I’m desperate to find her.

“After we finished playing racquetball last week, I was, um—”Hmm, how do I explain that I was kidnapped? Or, abducted maybe?“Well, let’s just say there was a mixup.”

“What do you mean?”

I let out a sigh. “Blake is a bounty hunter.”

“She kills people?”

“No! Not an assassin! She tracks down wanted people,badpeople, and turns them in to whoever is searching for them. Somehow she mixed me up with another guy and she took me instead of him. It turned into a big mess and our names were put on this, ah, list.”

“What list?”

I hesitate, but then decide to come clean. Lottie will find out sooner or later, anyway, so I may as well tell her now. “It’s called the Kill List.”

“Oh, my God,” she whispers. “Is it as bad as it sounds?”

“Yeah, it’s exactly how it sounds. Anyway, we had to escape the city, so I flew us up to my cabin to lay low for a little while.”

“Is everything all cleared up now?”

“Not exactly,” I answer carefully.

“Then why are you back? And where is your bounty hunter?”

“That’s what I’m trying to find out. She left during the middle of the night and I have a feeling she’s on some damn quest to sacrifice herself to save me. We’re heading for her safehouse right now. She’s probably not there, but I want to look anyway. Just in case.”

“She has a safehouse? Wow, she definitely sounds interesting. I can’t wait to meet her.”

When I don’t comment further, her mouth edges up in a sly smile.

“Is she pretty?” Carlotta asks.

“What?”

“You heard me. Is Blake hot? And do you really think you’re falling in love with her? Oh, my God, who are you and where is my player brother?”

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