Page 29 of Two Steps Ahead

So this hadn’t been a kidnapping attempt, not connected to what had happened at the lake. Just a stupid mugging.

She sat up and did a quick inventory of her body. Her vision was clearing, although her jaw felt puffy and sore. Scrapes on her hands and elbows, but nothing too bad. Even the shoulder pain was already more manageable.

She gritted her teeth at the loss of her camera. It was her favorite, but it could be replaced. She picked up her purse, still on the ground next to her. Mugger would’ve been smarter to have taken that and gotten the cash and credit card. The camera would be more complicated to fence.

She struggled to her feet. She didn’t want to be sitting there hanging out like an idiot if the mugger came to the same realization and decided to return. She leaned against the bricks a couple of times to let dizziness pass then stood and began walking back toward the parking lot.

She’d barely taken a few steps when Jasper and one of his men burst into the alleyway, guns drawn, eyes darting everywhere.

Jasper saw her and ran in her direction. “Are you okay, Miss Delacruz?”

She wanted to tell him he shouldn’t even be there, that she was done with her father’s security team, but given the circumstances, that seemed childish.

“I was mugged. The guy stole my camera.”

Jasper nodded at the other security team member and the man walked a few steps away and pulled out his phone. No doubt to call the other Jasper clones.

Jasper took a step closer. “We should take you to a hospital.”

She shook her head, ignoring the pain it caused. “I don’t need a hospital. I got a little knocked around, but it’s not too bad.”

Jasper looked like he wanted to argue, but was smart enough not to. “Then we should take you home. To your father’s house. We can have a doctor come there.”

She gritted her teeth again. “I’m on my way to the San Antonio Security office. I need to talk to Weston.”

Jasper’s jaw tightened at the other man’s name. “I don’t think seeing him while you are bloody and bruised is a good idea.” His tone was much more friendly than the look on his face. “I will make sure someone escorts you to see him later, after you’ve gotten cleaned up and checked out.”

Once again, she wanted to argue, but knew it was childish. She could feel the swelling in her face, her blouse was ripped at the elbow and her palms were bloody. She needed to apologize to Weston but doing it looking like she needed medical assistance was not the best way.

She agreed and Jasper pulled out his phone and called for the car to be brought over.

KAYLEIGHCAUGHTSIGHTof herself in one of the car mirrors on her way back to Leo’s house and was glad she’d listened to Jasper. She looked a mess.

By the time they were pulling up to the gates, the adrenaline rush of the attack was gone, leaving her jittery and anxious. Jasper pulled the SUV straight into the garage. Normally he would’ve let her off at the front, but she was grateful she didn’t have to attempt the front steps.

She needed a shower, half a bottle of ibuprofen and industrial-strength makeup to get herself presentable again.

And she needed to talk to Weston. Despite her aches and exhaustion, and horror-movie-victim appearance, there was nothing more important to her than setting things right with him.

That’s why when she stepped into the hallway and found him talking with her father—his calm, low voice a balm to her overwrought system—she thought she’d gotten hit harder than she’d figured.

His dark eyes widened when he saw her and he was moving toward her in an instant. “What happened? Are you okay?”

Jasper stepped in front of her. “Back off, Patterson.”

“Jasper, get out of the way,” Kayleigh snapped, jaw clenched in irritation. But Jasper didn’t move. He just stood there like he was the white knight she’d never asked for.

The fact that he felt so strongly about protecting her from the one person she’d ever felt completely safe with was complete irony.

Weston looked him over before taking another step so the two men were shoulder to shoulder.

“A lot of people mistake my quietness for weakness. Don’t beone of them. If Kayleigh doesn’t want me near her, I will honor her wishes immediately. But until I hear the words from her, get the hell out of my way.”

Weston’s voice didn’t rise; he didn’t growl or do anything threatening. But there was danger dripping from every syllable he uttered.

How could she have ever thought he was only a gardener? This man was a warrior.

It was written all over him. Even in jeans and a T-shirt, he looked formidable, and she knew firsthand he had muscles under those clothes to back it up.

---