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“I can’t take any credit.” Stone relaxed, hugging me back, but keeping his hold loose. “But you’re welcome.”

I sensed the man was uncomfortable or simply wasn’t used to anyone thanking him. When I pulled away and glanced at Kage, I realized why Stone had acted that way.

Kage’s expression was one of jealousy.

Was he kidding me?

He’d all but shut me down as if what we’d shared meant absolutely nothing, but he was acting like a green-eyed monster with a good friend? Oh, Jesus. I grabbed the only possession I had, the stupid bag of cheap clothes from Kage’s hand and walked away by a few steps, Tank dutifully following me.

Maybe it really was true that most women preferred the company of dogs to men.

I could certainly see why.

“Where the hell do you think you’re going?” Kage asked, the tone entirely too authoritative for my liking.

“Somewhere away from you.”

He kept pace with me for a few seconds before pulling me to a stop. “We’re still not completely out of danger yet, so you won’t just walk away from me. You’ll tell me where you’re going at all times, even if it’s to the bathroom. You’ll follow my orders and won’t engage with anyone you don’t need to. And under no circumstances do you tell anyone who you are.”

I’d already sucked in my breath while he was barking to keep from lashing out at him. When I blew out the hot air, I used his face as a target.

He was less than amused.

“Is that all, Sergeant at Arms?” I was going to salute him but thought that might cause him to be a pain in the ass companion for the next hundred years. Or however long I had to endure being around him.

“That’s for starters.”

“Fine. Then what’s my name? You know, for the regular folk we might come in contact with, so you don’t need to shout, ‘hey you’ from across the room.”

His eyes initially opened wider, but they fell to the usual dark and dangerous stare in a few seconds. “Very funny.”

“I’m not kidding.”

This time he took off walking. “Just make something up. I don’t care.”

I stood where I was, planting one hand on my hip. “Fine. I will. You won’t like it though.”

“Par for the course. Come on. Let’s hit the road.”

“Are you going to be decent enough to at least tell me where we’re going?” I tried to keep up with his long strides, but it was as if he was purposely testing my leg. Why did I have a feeling he had a cruel streak running through him and if left unchecked could become a pain in my ass?

Wait.

He already was.

He stopped short just after we crossed the road leading to the parking lot holding Enterprise rental cars. “Durango.”

“Where?”

“Colorado. That’s something else. If and when I allow you to talk to anyone you know, you will not tell them where you are. Is that understood?” There was something even more powerful in his tone. The sound was unnerving.

“Even my father?”

“Especially your father.” He took off walking again and I knew at that point it was useless to try to ascertain why. Was there something going on with my father? Had he been hurt? Was he dead? Panic rushed into me.

“Wait. Talk to me. Is my father alright?”

He shrugged.