Chapter 10
Two hours later, the adrenaline had finally left her system, and Reese was feeling it in every inch of her body. She was exhausted and ready to sleep for the next three days. She couldn’t believe she’d actually kissed Garrett tonight, but she’d just been so relieved and happy to see him, and the way he was looking at her - she couldn’t see his eyes, but she’d felt the warmth and care of his gaze like a warm blanket wrapped around her. She could argue that she’d momentarily lost her mind, but that wasn’t true. She’d wanted to kiss him since that first day they met when he broke down the door and rescued her like a white knight. The craziest part was that she could swear he’d kissed her back.
“You really should consider protective custody,” Garrett said, turning onto his street. They’d just spent over an hour talking to his friends. She’d told them everything that happened from the moment she’d last texted with Garrett until they found her. It was obvious Russell knew where she was now, so it hadn’t taken Garrett long to convince her to file a police report and press charges on the two men in the van. One of them they now had in custody, but the driver was still out there somewhere.
“It won’t help,” Reese said, fidgeting with her cellphone that had somehow made it through the ordeal unscathed. Caden had found it on the dock, right where she’d left it, when he searched Garrett’s property. He’d surprised her with it while she was giving her statement. He didn’t need to go out of his way to bringit to her, but Reese got the sense that Garrett’s friends were a lot like him. Kind. Caring. Generous. And would do anything for each other and the people they cared about. So different from the man she called her stepbrother. “Russell can get around all that stuff, remember? He’s a cop. Besides, he’s already taken enough from me. He’s not taking my name, my identity, and my life, too. No way.”
“I’m just trying to keep you safe.” Garrett pulled into his driveway, killed the engine, and turned to face her in the dark truck.
This had already been the longest night of Reese’s life, and it wasn’t even close to sunrise yet. “I think I’ve proven that I can keepmyselfsafe.” She’d been terrified the entire time, but she had managed to stay alive and think on her feet. That had to count for something.
“This time.” Garrett’s words hit her like a punch to the gut. “What happens the next time Russell tries to snatch you away from me? What if they decide to shoot first and ask questions never?”
“He’s not going to kill me,” she said with more certainty than she felt.
“How do you know that?”
“Because if he wanted me dead, I think he would’ve already killed me. He doesn’t, Garrett,” she said, placing a hand on his arm. “He already has too many bodies piling up. I have no idea what he wants from me, but whatever it is, he’s obviously not going to just come out and ask me. But I refuse to spend my life looking over my shoulder.”
Garrett let out a long sigh. “I can’t let you stay in the guest house anymore.”
“You’re kicking me out?” She couldn’t believe he would do that to her, and right now of all times. Hadn’t he sent her a text message earlier tonight telling her he wanted her to stay?
“No, of course not. I just mean we’re going to have to make some changes.”
“Like what?”
“I want you to move into the main house. With me.”
Reese’s jaw went slack. She’d never even been inside Garrett’s house and now he was asking her to move in with him. “I…” She had no idea what to say to that.
“And whenever you’re here by yourself, there’s going to be a patrol car parked outside to make sure no one tries to kidnap you or hurt you again.”
She couldn’t really argue with that. But moving in with Garrett… was that really what he wanted? “Okay,” she said, tentatively. Mostly to the second part. “But moving in with you, I’m not sure -”
“Come on,” he said, getting out of the truck. “Actually, stay there, I’ll come around and help you out.” He met her outside her door, carefully lifted her out of her seat and gently placed her on her feet. “Are you hurting?” He asked.
“I’m fine.” Her entire backside was sore and the scrapes on her hands and legs were still stinging, and her head was still throbbing, but she was alive, with Garrett, and that was all that mattered.
Garrett led her to his front door and opened it unceremoniously, as if they’d done this a hundred times before. “I can go to the guest house and grab some of your things after we get you settled in. Are you hungry? I can make you some dinner, or I also have pie in the fridge, and I can brew a fresh pot of coffee - or tea, if you prefer.”
“I - I don’t know.” She was entirely too overwhelmed by how fast everything was moving. Her head was still trying to catch up with everything that had happened tonight. “Do you think Luke and Tanner have figured out that guy’s connection to Russell yet?”
“I don’t know, but he’s locked up tight, so you can rest easy. He won’t be coming back for you, Reese.”
“I know, but the other guy…” She let her voice fade when she realized that Russell probably had a whole army of men he could easily send after her. So, worrying about one guy seemed almost absurd.
Garrett flicked on a light switch, then turned to face her, taking both her hands in his. “Reese, I can’t imagine what was going through your mind tonight while you were alone out in those woods, and I hate that it took me as long as it did to find you. There’s obviously a flaw in the device I gave you because it only works when both of us have access to a cellular signal. I’ll have to look into finding something better. But for now, I want you to know that we will find that second guy, and I will do everything in my power to keep you safe.” He didn’t sound impatient or even upset, just determined, and somehow that actually helped settle her.
No one had ever made a promise like that to her. Reese’s safety had always been her own responsibility, but it felt good to have someone to share that burden with. “Okay,” she said.
“Okay? That’s it?”
Reese nodded. “Yes. Okay. I believe you’ll do everything you can to keep me safe. I mean look at everything you’ve done already. I just hope you know how grateful I am to you and your friends for helping me, for being there for me when I had no one else.”
Garrett took a step closer to her, and for a moment she thought he might kiss her. He hadn’t said a word about the kiss, and while she knew she hadn’t imagined the sparks between them, she did wonder if maybe she’d caught him off guard. She hadn’t planned on kissing him, but he smelled like fresh grass and dirt, and summer picnics in the park. He reminded her of safety and joy, and everything she loved.
“You’re welcome. And I have to admit, I’m completely amazed by you, Reese Graham. What you accomplished tonight… You’re incredible.” Garrett kept his gaze low, studying the small circles his fingers were drawing on her knuckles that were sending little sparks all the way up her arm.
