Page 44 of Her Three Rangers

“Come on, Grace,” he said, his lip curling up as he held me there in place. “Don’t make this hard on yourself. All I want is one little kiss—ah, fuck.”

He staggered backward, holding his groin with both hands where my knee had just connected.

“You bitch!”

He lunged at me and stumbled, falling to his knees as I turned and ran back to my truck. I knew I wouldn’t have long. Just a few seconds to get the hell out of there. I prayed I wouldn’t need any longer than that.

By the time I got the truck started, he was on his feet again and moving toward me, yelling.

“Get your ass back here, Grace. This isn’t over. I mean it, Grace. Grace.”

I threw the truck into reverse and backed up enough to get around his little makeshift road block, then shifted into drive and floored it, coming just inches away from hitting him as he stepped out into the road.

For a brief second, I actually thought about what might have happened if I had hit him, whether the police would believe that it really had been an accident, given what had just happened between us.

Of course, he knew every officer in Grey Ridge, so the chances of them taking my word over his were slim to none.

Especially now, with all the rumors about me going around town.

I was shaking, and driving so fast that it was a wonder I got myself and Bailey back to the clinic in one piece.

Somehow, I managed to hold it together long enough to get Bailey out of the truck and set up in the recovery room.

Walking back into my office, I pressed the intercom to Jenny’s desk. “Can you please keep an eye on Baily for a while?”

“Sure, but… are you okay? Your voice is shaking. Are you crying?”

I wasn’t, but only by sheer force of will. Still, I knew it wouldn’t be long until I couldn’t hold it in any longer. I was probably just in shock or… something.

“I’m fine,” I lied. “When is my next appointment?”

“Fifteen minutes. Just a check-up, then a rabies vaccination thirty minutes after that.”

“Can you take care of those for me, too?” I asked. “Please? I need to go back to the house.”

“Of course, but...” She paused. “Grace, you don’t sound good. Are you sure you’re going to be okay?”

“Yeah. I’m fine. Just call me at the house if you need anything.”

This time, I didn’t wait for her to answer. I walked out of my office, shut the door behind me, and headed home.

I almost even made it all the way up the driveway before the tears started to fall.

“Grace!”

Jaeger’s voice woke me up, a startled noise escaping the back of my throat as I sat up in bed.

He was pounding so hard on the door that the windows were rattling.

“Grace, I know you’re in there. I need to talk to you.”

I stood up from my bed, and for a moment all I could do was stand there in the middle of my room, paralyzed with fear.

Not that I was scared of Jaeger—or either of the other two guys, for that matter—but just the way he was yelling my name made me remember how Garrick had been chasing after me and yelling just a little while before.

My eyes filled with a fresh wave of tears as I rushed to the door. Scared or not, I was going to have to talk to him and Ty and Cody eventually.

“Where in the hell have you been?” he asked as soon as I opened the door. “I’ve been worried sick—oh.” He stopped ranting, his eyebrows knitting together as he reached out and wiped a tear from my cheek. “I’m sorry,” he said, his tone immediately softer. “I didn’t mean to yell. I was just… just so worried about you, Grace. We all were.”

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