Page 158 of Bodyguard By Night

“No. No. You don’t get to touch me right now.”

“It wasn’t like that.”

I straightened. “Oh, but that kiss outside my apartment was, right?”

He closed his eyes.

“Right. Just a means to an end right, Ransom?” Again, coming to Turnbull had just made everything worse. I’d drawn trouble right to my family.

“That’s not how it was and you know it.”

I didn’t want to hear his half-baked explanations. He’d come up with a damn good plan and I’d fallen right in line. Give a girl a few orgasms and she’ll follow you anywhere.

She’ll even fall in love with you.

I stumbled back and pushed through the door to the house. Should I stay or leave?

Where would I even go?

Breathing hard, I pulled out my phone. I could call…who?

Rachel was out of town. I couldn’t call Aunt Laverne or my cousins. I couldn’t put my problems on any more people.

Couldn’t risk causing anyone else harm, even inadvertently.

I didn’t even have my car.

I grabbed my purse and ran for the door. Ransom, ever the organized one, put his keys right on the hook beside it. I snagged them and slammed out the door.

Before I could get to his truck, the house alarm went wild since I hadn’t disengaged it. Midnight barked and chased after me. Tears streamed down my face, but I managed to get the door open to his vehicle.

“Stay, Midnight.” I climbed in and shoved my bag into the passenger side.

“Willow!” My name was a roar.

I locked the doors and tore down the drive. I glanced in the rearview as Ransom shoved his hands through his hair. The cool April breeze lifted his plaid shirttails around him.

Sorrow wrapped around my sternum and squeezed. I didn’t want to leave him. But how could I stay not knowing how much he’d faked with me?

Especially since everything on my side was all too real.

My phone blared out of my purse, but I ignored it. Before I got to the bottom of his property, the truck sputtered out. All the instrument lights on the dash came to life before blinking out as the engine went dead.

I slammed my hand on the steering wheel. “What the hell?” I scanned the nearby road, then I looked over my shoulder and saw nothing but trees.

I tried the ignition button, but it was still dead. The door also wouldn’t open. My heart rate doubled. I pushed at the door, trying the handle.

Did he do this with of his fancy gadgets in his truck?

No, he wouldn’t lock me in here.Trapme here. Would he?

I slammed my foot on the brake and hit the locks, hoping the brake to start the car would work the same for the locks. I was in luck. The unlock mechanism worked and I scrambled out.

What was I supposed to do? Go back up the damn driveway with my tail between my legs?

“If you make me chase you, Chaos, I swear to God.” His voice was a deep baritone in the distance. Even that far away, the furious worry in his tone was enough to make me shiver.

At the sound of footsteps behind me, I reached in to grab my bag. Then a sharp pain against my skull robbed my breath just before everything went black.

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