Page 10 of Savage Deal

“I don’t know.” My heart raced when he swiped his thumb across my lip. “I need to leave now.”

“That’s not happening.”

“You can’t keep me here.” I jerked away from his hand and moved around him, but he caught my wrist and tugged me to his chest. “Let go of me.”

“You have nowhere to go and someone is out to hurt you.” He released me from his hold. “You’re safer with me than on the streets.”

“I don’t know who you are. I don’t even know your name.”

“Jude Cordero.”

“Like the horse?”

“Jude’s Girl? You know my horses’ names?”

“I’m not staying here.” I glanced around the room, looking for my backpack. “I need to go.”

“Are you going to sleep in the woods with the wild animals?” He walked around his desk and picked up my bag from the floor. “It’s late. You can stay in one of the guest rooms tonight, and then we’ll figure out what comes next.”

“What makes you think if you give me my stuff back, I’m not going to leave?”

A smirk graced his lips, drawing my gaze to them.

“You won’t find everything in that bag.” When he handed it to me, his fingers brushed mine. “Stop fighting me. It’s counterproductive.”

“What do you mean?” I looked through my stuff as a sinking sensation of dread took over. “Where are my papers? My identification?”

“Would you like to see the guest bedroom?”

“I’d like to see my stuff!” I shouted. “You have no right to steal from me.”

“I realize you’re upset, but I will not be spoken to that way, especially not in my home by a woman who I’ve been nothing but kind to.”

Is he serious?

“You had no right to use my property as a hotel.” He pointed to the hallway. “Consider spending the night as payment.”

I stared into his determined gaze, not sure how to proceed.

“You were sleeping on the ground amongst the horses.” He motioned around the room. “Trust me, these accommodations are much better.”

“The horses can’t hurt me,” I mumbled.

“Do you think I want to hurt you?”

“I don’t know.”

As much as I hated to admit it, the thought of sleeping in a warm bed for one night did seem appealing. But what if he did want to hurt me? What if he was no better than the men who I was running from? I had no idea who any of them were.

“Come on.” He walked out of the study. “I’ll show you to your room.”

“One night.” I forced my unsteady legs to follow him down the hall and through the kitchen to a back staircase. “But only because I need my things.”

“Plenty can change in twenty-four hours.”

Once we reached the top of the stairs, a large,black dog ran toward us. I gripped Jude’s arm and hid behind him when the dog jumped up and placed its paws on Jude’s shoulders.

“Sasha.” He sternly spoke. “Down.”

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