As I run past the guest room, I vaguely feel the door fly open, and I shriek again, certain I’m about to be snatched by another, maybe this man’s partner.
Instead, though, I hear a heavy crash behind me followed by the sound of a struggle. A man shouts in surprise, and I hear thatsnap and crackle of his stun gun again. Daring to stop and turn around, I see Burke straddling the man in black, the stun gun pressed to the side of his neck, pressing the button with a vicious snarl on his face.
Burke keeps pressing the button until the man beneath him goes limp. Only then does he stand up. Still snarling, he gives the unconscious man a vicious kick then turns to me. My entire body is quaking, my legs so watery, I feel like they may give out beneath me.
Moving coolly and smoothly, as if he’s done this a thousand times, Burke pulls a plastic zip tie out of his back pocket then rolls the guy over. He uses the zip tie to bind the man’s hands behind his back tightly, then gets up and turns to me again.
“Are you okay?” Burke asks, his voice deep and gruff.
I nod. “Yeah. I—how did you?—”
“I’m a light sleeper,” he explains. “Heard him coming in. Fucking amateurs. Gave me a chance to get ready though.”
“Burke, what’s happening?”
“This is one of Cole’s men?—”
“How’d they know I was here?”
“Probably been watching since you didn’t turn up at home. I’m figuring they picked us up when we stopped by your place to pick up your things,” he says with a shrug. “They were good. Or just lucky. I never saw the tail, and I was watching for one.”
“Oh my God,” I say, putting my fingertips to my lips as fear surges through me. “What are we going to do?”
“You are going to go get dressed and pack a bag,” he tells me. “I’m going to go call my cop friend and have him come pick up this piece of shit.”
“Pack a bag? Where are we going?”
“Somewhere safe.”
“If we weren’t safe here, how are we safe anywhere?”
“Because I’m taking you to my cabin,” he says. “It’s not in my name, so nobody knows it exists. And trust that I’ll be watching for tails more closely.”
“Burke—”
“Go get dressed and packed,” he insists. “Now.”
His tone leaves no room for argument, and I find myself turning and rushing back to the bedroom to do as he says. This makes twice that he’s saved me from a fate I’d rather die than be forced into. As grateful as I am, though, I’m ten times more terrified. A hundred times. I can’t stay with him for eternity.
He can’t protect me forever.
And what’s going to happen to me then?
9
CHAPTER 9
BURKE
We climb out of my SUV, and I take a moment to breathe in the aroma of pine trees, sap, and the musky, earthy scent of the forest around us. I turn my face up and let the sun’s rays, spearing down through the canopy, warm me. Almost immediately, I feel the sense of peace and calm this place always inspires wrap around me like a comfortable sweater. This is my home away from home. The place I retreat to when the noise of the world gets to be too much.
Brynn steps around the vehicle and gives me an uncertain smile. “What is this place?”
“This is where I come when I want to get away.”
“It’s beautiful.”
In a clearing surrounded by soaring pines is the two-story log cabin I designed and had built about five years ago. It has an old-fashioned aesthetic but has all the modern conveniences. It’s also deep in the forest and somewhat isolated. Town is down the hill a few miles away and my nearest neighbor is at least halfa mile away. My security system is top-notch, and the place is practically impregnable. It’s a fortress. Just as I designed it to be.
