Page 23 of Never Fear (Whiskey Ridge)
Finally, I spotted Booker’s black truck across the lot and beelined for it. My heart was threatening to climb up my throat, my lungs burning with the need to breathe deeper and take a moment to sort myself out. I didn’t have time for that, not when I didn’t doubt the man had a weapon on him.
I moved past cars so fast that I barely saw my surroundings. Then, suddenly, a hand was on my wrist and yanking me back. I didn’t have time to open my mouth to scream before I was shoved against a lifted white truck, a hand plastered over my mouth. My leg lifted with the intent to knee my attacker in the balls, but before I could make contact, his body pinned mine, leaving me defenseless.
I couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think. I was going to die, right here in the parking lot of a fucking rodeo. Talk about small-town crime podcast cliché.
I shouldn’t have come here, should have listened to Austin, should have?—
“McKenna. Look at me.”
That voice.
Austin’svoice.
I forced my eyes open, not realizing they’d been squeezed shut, and was met with Austin’s chest in my field of vision. It wasn’t moving as rapidly as mine. He wasn’t fighting for air like I was.
He slid his hand from my mouth to my cheek, snaking his fingers into my hair to grip the strands and tilt my head back. “I need you to breathe. Can you do that for me?”
I gulped down air as I nodded, not realizing my handswere shaking until I felt the chilled metal of the vehicle behind me.
No matter how much my lungs expanded, I couldn’t get a full breath in. I was suffocating, the cold air failing to ease my panic.
Austin opened his mouth like he was going to say something, but then he shut it and wrapped his arms around my head, pulling me to his chest. I leaned against him, sucking in air as I fisted trembling fingers in his sweatshirt.
“What happened, kitten? Who scared you?” He was trying to calm his voice, but I heard the hard edge to it. He was pissed, likely at me for leaving the bleachers.
“I’m sorry,” I whispered into his chest.
His grip on me tightened. “Do you hear my breathing? Feel my heart?”
I nodded.
“I want you to breathe with me. Okay?”
I nodded again and he inhaled deeply, holding it for a few seconds before slowly blowing it out. I tried to do the same, but it wasn’t until the fifth try that I was successful.
With his silence, I lifted my head from his chest, looking up to find him scanning our surroundings with narrowed eyes.
“Tell me what happened.” He was as hard as a rock beneath me, limbs stiff with the promise of vengeance.
I quickly explained, hands still fisted in his clothing, and it wasn’t until I told him that the man had followed me into the parking lot that he moved. He pulled his phone out of the pocket of his jeans, eyes never once leaving the lot as he brought it to his ear.
The line rang a few times before Booker’s telltale grumble came through on the other end.
“We’re leaving. Meet us at the truck,” Austin said before hanging up and pocketing the phone.
He didn’t look at me as he left one arm around my shoulders, holding me close to his side as he began walking us in the direction of Booker’s truck.
“Austin,” I started. For some reason, his anger—likely towards me—worried me. More than the danger surrounding us. More than the thought of someone watching us walk across this parking lot.
He didn’t respond. Once we made it to the truck, he yanked open the passenger door. I assumed he either had a key or Booker had unlocked it, knowing where we were headed. I turned with barely enough space to do so, facing him. Still, he wouldn’t look at me.
I blinked away the gathering tears. It was only the adrenaline fading away. Nothing else.
Rather than try to get his attention again, I slid into the truck. As soon as my ass was on the seat, he closed the door a little harder than necessary. He came around the vehicle, getting in behind the wheel and clicking the locks.
Finally, I found some semblance of safety. Whether it was being inside the truck or with him near, I wouldn’t admit. All I knew was that I couldn’t let this change me.
I couldn’t let some stranger break me when they hadn’t even laid a finger on me.
