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My heart slams in my chest. I abandon my current position mid-surveillance and peel away from the curb. I text her back and before I hit send, I’m already racing down the street. No hesitation. No second guessing. I don’t care if this whole operation goes up in flames. She’s in danger and nothing else matters.
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Me:On my way
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I park down the road and walk up, peering through the window. My phone vibrates and I answer it. As soon as I hear the voices on the other end, I mute. She managed to call me. I hold the phone to my ear. She stands behind the counter, terrified. She presses her arms into her sides to hide the way her hands are shaking, shrinking back from the two men across from her. One is obviously the muscle, bigger and bulkier than the slimeball next to him. Based on the fear in her eyes this is the guy. I take in his features, committing them to memory. It takes every ounce of self control I have not to rush in there and make him payfor hurting her. For now, I wait. I let her try it her way. I know she will never get the kind of information she’s after or be able to count on local law enforcement to do anything with what she does manage to scrape up. But I have to earn her trust somehow.
“You think this is a fucking game?” the shithead snaps. “We told you how this is gonna work.”
A muffled thump echoes from the speaker and a duffel bag lands in front of her. He grabs her wrist, yanking her forward. My body goes solid and the growl that rumbles in my throat isn’t a sound I’ve heard myself make before. She flinches and I have to stop myself from moving.
Her voice is strained. “I can’t move that much that fast—”
“You think we care about that? We own you now, sweetheart,” he says, cutting her off. “Maybe you need anotherlesson.”
I see fucking red. Every nerve ending in my body is on fire with the need to go in there and make him remove his filthy hand from her. The only thing stopping me is the thought of blowing my cover. And the knowledge that she wants to handle things. But the idea of letting her go through anything like what happened to her yesterday makes my gut churn. And I can’t do a damn thing about it. At least not yet.
“No, no, please. I don’t bring in enough money to move that much.” Her voice shakes. “I need more—”
A sharp smack cuts through the line the same time her head whips to the side.
“You don’t get to negotiate!”
My vision tunnels. Like a caged predator snapping its chains, I’m moving without thinking. The bell above the door rings violently as I slam inside. Their heads whip around at the sound. He’s gripping her wrist and the other guy goes for his piece. I move. My fist smashes into his nose before he clears his holster. He crumples to the floor with a choked gargle. The fucker wholaid his hands on her, again, gets my pistol jammed up under his chin before he can do so much as twitch.
“Touch her again,” I snarl, my voice like molten rage, “and I start removin’ body parts.”
The air in the shop crackles with barely contained violence. He goes deathly still. His eyes are wide, dropping her wrist like it burned him.
“Duffel bag,” I order. I flick my gaze to her long enough to make sure she’s alright. “Take it.”
He hesitates. I cock the hammer back with a click. He swallows hard and reaches for it, shaking as he grabs the straps.
“Now walk out that door. And if either of you so much as look at this street again, I won’t be so polite.”
He drags his bleeding buddy upright and they both stagger to the door like whipped dogs. The bell jingles again. It’s only when their footsteps fully fade that I lower my weapon and turn to her. I scan her for injuries, lingering on her face where he hit her.
“You alright?” I tuck my gun back in its holster and step closer, gently prying her hand from her cheek.
“What have you done?” She’s not looking at me but at the door.
“What I did...” My fingers graze over her soft skin where it’s already starting to bruise. “Was keep those pricks from hurtin’ you more. What did they do?”
“He only hit me.” Her eyes narrow. “But you just ruined the whole plan. I’m never going to be free of them now. And he’s going to do so much worse when he comes back...” Moisture gathers in her eyes. “They’re going to kill us both,” she whispers.
I catch a tear with my thumb before it can fall. The mark on her cheekbone makes something dark and vicious coil in my chest. But I force it down. She doesn’t need more of my anger right now. I cup her face in my hands, brushing lightly over herskin. I relish the feel of her and something hot flows through me. My eyes lock on hers.
“They won’t hurt you again.” There’s a raw intensity to my voice that surprises me. “You have my word. I will protect you.” I resist the urge to pull her into my chest, knowing she won’t want that kind of contact from me. “Those bastards hurt you anywhere else?” I ask, worried they did more to her before I got here.
“No,” she replies, rubbing her wrist. She tilts her head to the side and shifts her weight. “Why are you doing this?”
I reach out before I can help myself and gently grasp her arm. Turning her palm over, I check for more bruises. Hesitating, I let go and rest my hands on her shoulders. “Does it really matter why?”
“I don’t understand why you’re here. I get helping when you found me last night. But why stay? Why come back?”
