Page 23 of Liar & Champion
It took five minutes to drive her there, and then he opened his door and pulled her out after him. He bowed and left her there, before climbing back in and turning the truck around on her lawn. I looked back to see the look of shock on her face alongwith the thick tread marks Nix had left behind in the otherwise immaculate grass.
I buckled my seatbelt and then turned to see the damage on his right arm, touching him carefully.
“Here’s the thing, Kitten,” he said almost sociably. “I don’t like getting shot.”
A strangled laugh escaped my throat before I throttled it. “I can’t imagine why. It’s so refreshing.”
“Sadly, this town isn’t living up to its hype as a relaxing getaway. I have a deal for you, and I strongly encourage you to think about it. Come with me to Las Vegas, where I can protect you, and not get shot in the meantime. Also, stay with me for six months so I don’t have to talk to any more Christina’s.”
I stared at him, my fingertips stained red from the blood still running down his arm and dripping on the worn leather upholstery. “Sorry?”
He shot me a wry look. “It doesn’t sound like much of a deal, does it? What do you want?”
“I don’t date,” I said, but I was so disoriented. How could he ask me to date him now, careening around at night in a truck with people shooting at us?
“I get that. I don’t either. So, we can not date together. Or, we could get married and then we definitely wouldn’t be not dating or dating.”
I picked at the buttons on my sweater. “Oh, you must be going into shock from the bullet. We need to get to the hospital.”
“I’m only grazed. I might need a few stitches, but there isn’t a bullet that needs to get out. Your blanket work was genius. I am good with marrying a woman like you, who can keep her head in a gunfight.”
“I think for it to be called a gunfight, there have to be two guns. The ones in your arms, though impressive, don’t count.”
He sighed heavily. “Humor aside, Sunshine, the first rule of self-defense, is to know the danger. He’s attacked twice, once going for you, once for me to get me out of the way so he can get to you. You dragged me into this when you parked in front of my house screaming about your boyfriend. I don’t mind that, unless you don’t let me actually protect you, which I can’t do here. So there it is. If you choose to stay here, you’re putting yourself, your aunt, and me in danger, because I’m not going to turn my back on you when I know that you’re at risk. It would be bad for my ego.”
I tugged on my cardigan’s button so hard that it came off in my hand. I stared at the small white thing. “My button came off.”
He covered my hand with his, the arm that had been hit with a bullet. His eyes were intent, beautiful, burning. “We can take precautions, be well-armed, but as you noted, Dupre is a psychopath. You can’t have a nice normal college life with him around. Come with me. Disappear in Las Vegas as my girlfriend, or wife, or whatever you want to be for six months or until the threat is over.”
“I don’t date,” I said, feeling very small, very panicked. The button had fallen to the floor, now stained red from his blood. He’d been shot after I dragged my psycho stalker into his life. “I shouldn’t have gone to your house and brought my problems to you.”
“Is that why you don’t date, because you’re worried about dragging people into your mess?” He squeezed my hand gently, sending a little bit of comfort and warmth through my chilled limbs. “I’m in it. Let’s do damage control. Deep breath, Kitten. We’re going to my place, grabbing my first aid kit, and then we’re going to drive to Vegas in that sweet Camaro of yours. Can you drive while I bandage myself up? You’re still hurt, I know. I hate that he hurt you. I reported him, but protection is slower than a psycho, and he’s in a hurry to take you. Usually psychos build upto that kind of thing slowly. How long ago was he stalking you? Were you hiding from him?”
I clung to his hand even though I was hurting myself with how tight I was squeezing. “I’ve moved a lot of times, but I haven’t heard from him for a few years. I thought that maybe he died. He used to be sickly, but he must have gotten better.” My breathing hitched and I realized that I was hyperventilating. “He shot you. He actually shot you.”
“Easy, Kitten. It’s just a flesh wound.”
I whirled around to glare at him. “You could have been killed!”
His eyes were cold for the first time. “But I wasn’t, and you weren’t taken and enslaved. Not even Christina was harmed, which is a pity. I wouldn’t have gotten shot at all if I didn’t have to deal with her.”
“No, you wouldn’t have been shot at all if you didn’t have to deal with me. I’ll have to move again.” My breathing hitched.
“That’s what I’m saying. Come with me to Vegas. I have friends there that the craziest psycho couldn’t get through. I’ll be safe. You’ll be safe. We’ll have time to track down this… person and take care of any future threats.”
“Why did you say marriage?”
He sighed heavily. “The French poetry. He wants to make you his virginal bride. I’m not the kind of person who marries, but I would love to disappoint your special psycho.”
“I could be wrong, but I don’t think that marriage should be based on that kind of thing.”
“Shared goals. We have more and more common goals the more I get to know you. Marriage in Las Vegas isn’t exactly permanent, and it can be a useful tool if used judiciously.”
I snorted. “The judicious use of marriage? Mr. Honey, I don’t even know your last name.”
“Hammer. I’m Nix Hammer of the Huntington Hammers.”
I nodded. I’d heard of the family. “Your father, wasn’t he a senator?”
