Page 81 of How Sweet It Is

Claire scrambles out first, still bound, but with her arms in front, she can maneuver easier than I can. The old one grabs her around the waist. Big mistake. She jerks forward then whips her head back with acrack, slamming it into his nose. Blood spurts. He howls.

I launch myself out of the SUV, knocking into Mr. Mustache and sending us both crashing to the ground. I roll, then I stomp on his wrist, making him drop the gun.

Claire kicks it away.

I find my footing, eyes scanning for the rope ends on her wrists. Claire’s already to me, her hands extended. “Untie me,” she mumbles through her gag.

I don’t hesitate. I fumble with the knot, tugging then pulling until it loosens. Her hands break free. She rips off the gag and spins to untie mine.

Behind us, Mr. Mustache starts to rise.

Claire finishes untying me, and I grab the loose rope and whip it around the man’s ankles, yanking hard.

He crashes to the ground again. Claire grabs a nearby rock and stands guard beside me, breathing hard.

“You know,” she pants, “for a baker, you’re surprisingly good at takedowns.”

I grin through the sting in my shoulder. “You should see what I can do with a rolling pin.”

A siren sounds, and relief pulses through me. The police are coming. We’ve got them. I pull Claire to me, breathing hard.

I wasn’t sure we’d make it through this. “How did they find you?” I ask.

“The wedding. I was in one of the photos.”

I swear under my breath. I should never have taken her. This isn’t some game. This is Claire’s life at stake. I’m such an idiot.

“It wasn’t your fault,” she says as two police cars pull into the parking lot.

I’m not so sure she’s right, but I nod anyway. My brother and the other officers jump out and handcuff the men. Once they’re secure in the squad cars, Noah comes over to us.

“Are you guys okay?”

Claire nods. “I’m okay.” She looks at me. “You?”

“Fine.”

Noah pulls my arm out to look at a scrape from the pavement. “Fine? Who are those guys? The neighbors saw them jump you and called it in.”

I look at Claire, unsure of what I should say.

She sighs and closes her eyes. “They’re after me. I need to call Rafe, my handler.”

“Handler?” Noah clenches his jaw. “You’re in witness protection?”

“Yeah.” She pinches the bridge of her nose. “And they’re going to have to move me.”

CHAPTER 39

CLAIRE MATTHEWS — SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 20

Isit in the hard plastic chair in an empty interrogation room at the police station, my legs shaking. Actually, my whole body shakes. I have no idea how we got away from Victor’s goons. I just kept thinking about the guy Victor shot in front of me as I hid behind the desk. When I close my eyes, I see it on replay. I would have died if that had happened to Levi.

We told the police everything. They called the US Marshals. Rafe is on his way to get me, to relocate me. He’s furious I went to Tobias’s wedding. Apparently, he’s some big business guru. I didn’t realize there might be online buzz about his wedding.

The shaking doesn’t stop as I think about what might happen next. I’ll be carted off to another island somewhere, an island far from here. Far from Levi. My heart aches, and I have a hard time breathing.

Levi walks into the room, concern on his face. “You doing all right?”

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