Page 36

Juliette

Insufferable.

Grouchy.

Downright mean.

Kage was all those things and much more, but I couldn’t lie about how I felt safer than I had during any times in my life. He was big and broody, but he certainly knew how to handle protection. Maybe too well.

How strange I felt complete security since we were stuck in a motel with no certainty about when we could leave. Or if we’d make it out alive. Maybe he knew more and he wasn’t telling me. Hopefully, he at least had a plan. The thought of spending significant time stuck with him was beyond irritating.

Even if he was decent to look at.

In the almost full day of being cooped up in the motel, he’d left the room a few times, mostly to allow Tank a chance to usethe bathroom and to make phone calls. I’d heard his deep, gruff voice through the thin walls, fighting with myself to keep from pressing my ear to the door.

He’d said little after I’d challenged or maybe chastised him about my father. With crappy television and no phone, I was starting to go stir crazy.

We were almost out of food and water, something he hadn’t seemed too concerned about. On top of that, my leg was throbbing, the stiffness making it difficult to walk. I’d tried to pretend I was fine but would need to rip the bandage off at some point.

He was outside once again, his muffled voice causing me to pace the floor. Tank was staring at me, his tail thumping every few seconds. The boy had rhythm. I laughed and moved toward the dresser, staring at myself in the mirror. I looked horrible. No makeup. No hairstyle. Ugly clothes.

And I was feeling sorry for myself.

I was alive. I was safe. I was…

My camera caught my eye and I could still see Tank’s reflection in the mirror. I grabbed the Nikon, making certain everything worked. When I turned to face him, the sweet boy lifted his head. “That’s it, buddy. Just look at me. Right here.” I snapped a few pictures, surprised he remained right where he was like a good boy.

Inching closer, I crouched down on the floor, wincing as soon as I did. That startled the pup and he crawled closer.

“No, it’s okay. It’s just my knee. Let me take a few more.” The close-ups were fantastic even if the light was shit. I could adjust that in the finish processing.

He huffed and laid his head down on his paws, but his big brown eyes were staring at me with incredible love in them. I wondered why I’d never allowed myself to break the fear I’d had since I was a child.

“Beautiful, boy. Just like that. Who knows. Maybe I’ll make you a star. I can see you on a doggie calendar.” I took several more until I felt a hulking mass behind me and heard his labored breathing.

“You can’t do that!”

The vehemence in his voice was followed by the big man ripping the camera from my hands.

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” The force caught me off guard and I fell back on my butt.

“No pictures.”

“Of your dog. Why?”

“People’s lives could be at stake.” He shifted his glare from me to the camera and finally to some unknown spot in the room.

Another grimace formed on my face since my knee didn’t want to cooperate. I pushed my hand on the bed, struggling to stand. Not that the surly, big he-man offered to help. “That’s alright, Mr. Superhero to the rescue. Trust me. I wasn’t going to take any photographs of you. Your picture would terrify people.”

I snatched the camera from his hands and immediately caught the look in his eyes. Had I hurt his feelings? Wait. Did hehave any feelings? Yes, my thoughts were rude, but everything about the man dragged out the nastiest side of me. “Why? Are you worried someone can cross reference the photograph with a location?”

His response seemed to take forever. “That’s one situational problem.”

“Situational problem. Wow. Such language.”

He was still angry when he turned toward me. “You have no clue how good certain criminals are. They can find out almost anything about you from seeing simple clues that you wouldn’t even think of. With Tank, it’s possible he could be traced to where I live. At that point, the rescue organization could be hacked and my address found. That’s all it would take to discover my former life, which could provide the enemy with an edge.”

“Enemy. You make this sound like a war.”