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Why should I care if this guy treated her well or not? She’s just a delivery. Nothing more.

“He didn’t care about me, and the more he didn’t care the more I wanted him to. I think I was just scared of being alone. But after the last six months, I don’t think that’s going to be a problem anymore. I do fine on my own.”

“Really? You had one can of green beans in your kitchen. You think that was doing fine?”

“I had to save every dollar I earned to send home. I ate at the diner when I had a shift and at the bar. I was doing fine.” It seems important to her that she believe that. “I had things handled.”

“Right.” I laugh. “That’s why I’m here.”

She sobers for a moment, like she’s almost forgotten her best friend was left behind with the monster she was running from.

“Is Megan okay? For real. Has Marco gotten her involved in something bad?” She rolls to her side, facing me.

“She’s fine as far as I know. I can’t get a hold of Alexander, though. In the morning, I’ll call his brother. He should have some information for me.”

“Maybe if I call her on my phone, the one I had before I left home, she’ll pick up. It’s probably charged by now.” She starts to roll back over to scoot to her end of the bed, but I stop her with a hand on her hip.

“No. Don’t turn it on yet.” I warn her. “If that detective is looking for you, he might be watching your cell. He can see if it pings a cell tower. Let me get in touch with Alexander’s brother in the morning, and if that doesn’t get us any information, we can use your phone later.”

Like after I deal with the prick holed up in a cabin out in the woods. Why do people think they can’t be found in the woods? Especially when they own the property they’re hiding on.

“So, this is what you do? You hunt down people for a living?” She pulls the blankets back up to her chin, suddenly aware of the fact she’d had them pushed down to her waist.

“Among other things.” I wrap my arm over her stomach and pull her closer to me.

My cock is hard and without anything covering her ass, it easily fits between her asscheeks. She must realize it too because she goes stiff.

“We can talk about it in the morning, time to sleep,” I emphasize through gritted teeth.

“I’m not having any more nightmares; you don’t need to hold me like this.” She tries to wiggle free of my arm, but I’ve gotten comfortable with her like this.

“Just in case.” I squeeze her a little. “Go to sleep, Mira, unless you want a repeat of the lesson from earlier?”

The car jostles me awake.

It’s late afternoon and Rurik has been driving for over six hours. The sun is already starting to get that pretty orange color as it gets ready to slink out of the sky.

Blinking the sleep away, I sit up, looking out the window. We should be getting closer to civilization.

Yet we’re surrounded by trees on a narrow road.

“Rurik.” I swallow, trying to wet my throat that’s gone dry.

Because he’s driving me through the woods. The forest floor is covered with dried, dead leaves. Maybe he’s planning to put me beneaththem.

“Where are we?” I turn to him, hoping for some explanation that doesn’t end with someone being buried out here in the woods.

I’m so fucking stupid. So stupid! “You said you were taking me home.”

Never have I been right about a man. Not one single fucking time. And this time it’s going to get me killed.

“I told you this morning, I have to make a stop.” He slows the car as his phone rings through the dashboard.

He had mentioned something about needing to do something for work on the way. What he failed to mention was that it involved slinking through the woods like the beginning of my very own horror movie.

“He’s fine. It’s been a rough few days, but they’re okay.” A familiar voice comes through the phone. “I’ll let him know you’re on your way. When do you think?”

“Tomorrow night. I have to take care of something first, so we’re delayed.” Rurik says, pulling the car to a full stop on the side of the road.