Page 151 of Forbidden Forget-Me-Not

And for the first time in my life, I felt true fear. What the hell had he done?

Chapter

Thirty-Nine

GORAN

The officers didn’t question me further. A few minutes after Dimitri left, two patrolmen arrived and escorted me outside. They put me in the back of a basic sedan and drove away.

No cuffs. No explanation.

When the vehicle entered the showgrounds, my heart raced. The driver stopped near Kaylani’s trailer. The officer in the passenger seat handed me a plastic bag with my phone, wallet, and gun inside.

“Don’t ever come back to Las Vegas. Or next time, you won’t be so lucky.”

I snatched the bag and didn’t wait to be told to exit. I jumped out, sprinted for the trailer, yanked the door open, and leaped inside.

Kaylani spun around, arms full of clothes that she held to her chest like a shield. Her small suitcase sat open, half-packed. She dropped the clothes, relief filling her eyes. She reminded me of a caged animal. Her hair tumbled loose and wild around her shoulders, her jaw was tight, and her hands shook before she clenched them into fists.

“Jesus, Goran, you scared me.”

I crossed the short distance between us, and we collided in a hug that was desperate.

Kaylani took a deep breath and then lifted her eyes to mine.

“You knew this would happen,” she said with a hint of betrayal in her tone.

“I knew your father put out the warrant, but I didn’t know officers were coming. Or that he knew where we were.”

Her laugh was sharp, harsh.

“Why didn’t you warn me?”

The trailer suddenly felt too small for both of us. I’d known she would be upset when I kept the secret, even for a day. But I never envisioned her finding out like this.

“Lani, I couldn’t. I’d just found out, and there was no way I was ruining this show for you. You would’ve been distracted, and you deserved to win without all the worry.”

Her eyes narrowed into thin slits, and she crossed her arms over her chest, waiting me out.

“Do you think I wanted this?”

“I think you made a decision without me. I hate being kept in the dark.”

“I was going to tell you as soon as Atlas was back in his stall.”

Her eyes blazed.

“This wasn’t your burden to bear alone. God, Goran.”

She stepped back, but the way she avoided my eyes made me search her face. She was hiding something.

“What did he say to you?”

“Who?”

“Don’t do that. I know Dimitri was at the jail. What did he say to you?”

She turned and walked away. My heart rate spiked with fear as I waited for her answer.