Page 16 of Forbidden Protector

I glance behind me to the open door, too.

It seems now that I have a choice—make a run for it, put this all behind me, and call the cops, or let this man take me down a rabbit hole.

Just as I’m about to answer, I make direct eye contact with the body lying only a few yards away.

Douglas stares at me without seeing. His face is frozen in pain as he lies in a pool of his own blood. The face that had smiled at me, offered me so much encouragement and comfort when no one else would.

Will taking this path lead me to a fate like his?

My grief turns to tears. I can’t look away from him.

What if he was involved with this somehow? Did he know where my sister was? Or who she was with?

I begin to shake.

No. Whatever this is, I want no part of it. Aimee will come back. She’ll tell me herself.

Douglas was my friend, my mentor. He’s been the only consistent thing in my life these last few months. I have to believe he was only there for me because he wanted to be.

“I feel that I may have let you down… and I wish to rectify that.”

“You could never let me down.”

“You don’t know what I’ve done yet.”

“Well, I know I can forgive you for it.”

“You are too good for this world, Roisin.”

Our earlier conversation echoes through my mind.

Douglas’ eyes don’t blink back at me.

The shaking gets worse and worse.

Suddenly, there’s a sharp twinge in my neck, and I lose control of my limbs.

Strong arms wrap around me, helping me to the floor as my legs completely give way. What was I trying to do again? I think I should be screaming.

But this feeling of nothingness is so familiar.So good.

Something insidious sparks within me as my eyelids become too heavy to keep open.

The last thing I do before the darkness takes me is sigh in relief.

Chapter Four

Arnie

What the hell am I doing?

I must have asked myself that a hundred times in the last half hour.

But my stupid, pragmatic instincts have just kept me going along with it anyway.

Leaving a crime scene discreetly is one thing.

Leaving a crime scene with the unconscious body of one of the mob’s most wanted thrown over your shoulder, is another thing entirely.

---