Page 16 of Hidden Shadows
She’d gone straight to a hotel at the time.
Her belly cramped and she sped up, air now sawing in and out of her chest.
Why couldn’t this asshole just leave her alone? Let her build her business in peace! She hadn’t been born into privilege. She’d worked her way up to where she was today all on her own. And now this person was messing with her. Threatening everything.
She rounded a curve, her gaze catching on a man who sat by the lake, phone to his ear. She couldn’t help the thud of her heart, and God, even that made her angry. That she couldn’t look at a person, a random man she was passing, without wondering if it washim.
She was still pushing herself to run too fast, the air whooshing in and out of her chest, when strong fingers wrapped around her arm. “Finley.”
She finally stopped and turned, her chest heaving as she glanced at Nixon. He’d been behind her the entire time, but while she could barely get a breath, his chest was hardly moving.
He took a small step toward her. “You need to slow down.”
As if proving his point, her breaths shortened and black dots hedged her vision. She’d pushed herself too hard, and now she was paying the price.
Nixon’s brows furrowed and his fingers wrapped around her hips. “Breathe, Finley. In and out.”
His chest rose as he inhaled a long, exaggerated breath. She followed, doing the same as she forced air into her lungs. When he released the air in his lungs, she did too. With each breath, she never took her eyes off him. His fingers felt strong on her hips. Like they were all that kept her from falling.
One of those hands rose to her cheek, and when he spoke, his voice was soft. “Are you okay?”
It was only the gentleness of his voice, so different from his usual hardness, that had her wanting to give him the truth instead of an easy lie. “No. Who is he? Why is he doing this?”
His biceps twitched. “There are assholes in the world who don’t need much reason to harass and hurt others.”
She swallowed and shook her head. “I know that putting my life out there on social media leaves me open to this kind of stuff, but—”
“That doesn’t make this okay. And it doesn’t mean you deserve it.”
She swallowed. “I’m scared.”
She’d never admitted that out loud, but it was true. Since that mistletoe had reached her front door, she’d been terrified of this person, knowing that their presence wasn’t merely online.
For a moment, she regretted her honesty because Nixon might use it to push her to go home again. But she couldn’t do that either. This was her business. Her job. And she was just as scared about losing that.
Nixon’s eyes hardened and he stepped closer, eliminating any space between them. “Nothing is going to happen to you. I won’t allow it. You’re safe with me.”
Safe…he’d told her the same thing on the plane. And just like then, the words flowed through her limbs, taking root deep inside her chest. Shedidfeel safe with him. A man she barely knew. A man she’d fought with more than she’d befriended. Yet he made her believe that he would protect her. And it wasn’t just his size or his history as a Navy SEAL. It was the confidence that coated his words when he said them. The belief in his eyes.
“Thank you,” she whispered.
Then, before she could stop herself, or even really understand what she was doing, she wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged him.
For a single heartbeat, he was still. So still that she was about to step back, when his arms came around her and tugged her closer. His hug was tight and warm, and it made the last trickles of unease and dread leave her limbs as she sank deeper into the sanctuary that was Nixon.
CHAPTER7
Nixon’s fingers were tight around the wheel. Today was the first day the fair was open to the public. That, along with it being a Saturday the week before Christmas, meant there’d be a lot of damn people. People who could be this KJ asshole and a threat to Finley.
He shot a quick glance her way to see her eyes on the passenger-side window. When they’d returned to the hotel last night, they’d ordered room service and eaten together. It was the quietest Finley had been so far.
Because she felt the shift between them? Because she was as fucking confused by it as he was?
When she’d hugged him yesterday, something had shifted in his chest, and his vow to protect her had only been cemented further.
Holding her had felt good.Right. And it also made him want to burn down the fucking world to find and stop this asshole who was targeting her.
After pulling into the parking lot, he climbed out of the car and walked around to the other side to help Finley out. He placed a hand on the small of her back and led her toward the entrance, not missing her slight misstep at his touch. The way her gaze fluttered up to his before quickly shifting away.
