Page 71 of Secret Desire

I was now speeding down the highway.

Kenny better be fucking right about her destination, or else I was going the wrong way and would lose her forever.

My chest constricted. Why would she go so far? Maybe she never cared about me in the first place?

No, Reed said something to upset her. To scare her. John had good instincts about these things, and I had to believe he was right about this.

I floored the gas pedal, zigzagging between cars on the freeway.

When I had called Kenny from the office, he had said his best guess was that she was going to her favorite forest. I hoped he was right about her going back to her hometown. If he was wrong, then I was wasting time, and Laura was getting even further away from me.

A car in the fast lane was going way too slow for my taste. I tailgated him and honked my horn.

As soon as he changed lanes, I punched it. As I watched the speedometer hit 100 mph, I just hoped there were no cops around.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, I spotted her beat-up Miata puttering along in the right lane.

I slammed on the brakes and slowed until my car was next to hers. Then I honked.

Laura jumped, looked over at my car, and gasped. Her eyes were puffy and watery, and tears stained her cheeks.

It pained me to see her like that, like a stab through my heart. What the fuck had Reed done to her? I would break every bone in his body.

We were approaching a truck stop, so I motioned for her to pull over, but she shook her head and mouthedno.

Stubborn woman. I sped up and nudged my car close to her front bumper. She veered off the highway and pulled into the rest area, screeching to a stop.

When she stormed out of her car, she said, “You almost drove my car off the road. Are you fucking crazy?”

Ijumped out of my car. “YES! I AM. That’s the effect you have on me. I’m crazy for you. I won’t let you leave without telling me why.”

“I told you it’s over. I don’t want to be with you. Leave me alone.”

My mouth went dry. Had I made a mistake coming after her?

I softened my tone and said, “No! Please, Laura. Tell me what happened. I know something happened. You wouldn’t leave me. You wouldn’t leave your job without a good reason.”

“Exactly.” She hugged herself and looked up. “I have a good reason. I don’t want to be with you.”

It couldn’t be true. I refused to believe it. I heard the words, but her voice…and those tears. “You’re lying. You—”

She turned and climbed back into her car. I bolted toward her and threw myself on my knees, blocking the door from closing. “Laura, please. Talk to me. I’m not leaving until you tell me what happened.”

“Go away, Steven. It’s for…the…best.” She choked on her words, barely able to get them out.

I cupped her trembling hand in mine. “You’re what’s best for me. Only you.”

Finally, she looked at me, and I saw the agony in her eyes. “I’m doing this for you. To protect you.”

John was right. But from what? And why? It was my job to protect her. Not the other way around. I needed to protect her. I needed to take that pain away, but I didn’t know how.

I inched forward. “What do you mean?”

“Reed has pictures of us doing it on your desk on Christmas Eve. He had hidden cameras installed in your office.”

My blood boiled. I would kill him. The prick. The bastard. And he had threatened Laura with the pics, instead of threatening me. The fucking coward.

I wanted to soothe Laura. Offer her words of comfort. Promises I would protect her, make everything right.

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