Page 36 of Nanny for the Bodyguard

I can barely think, my vision a blurry mess of shapes that I can’t put together. But this is bad. Really,reallybad.

Flailing wildly, I try and fail to get my bearings. My head hurts so fucking much, and I can feel my body being dragged down into unconsciousness.

“H-Help…some…”

I can hardly form words, and when I tumble backward, I spot the man responsible for smashing my head into a wall.

He’s a menacing dark figure with his hood pulled up, but the worst is how he’s wearing some dumb Halloween mask over his face.

Words come out of him; I’m sure they do. But I can’t make anything out. All of it sounds like it’s come at me through a wall of water.

There’s nothing in his hands, I don’t think, which makes me feel only slightly better. But the lack of a gun or knife is something, right?

I can’t tell. I don’t know. And I’m slumping further down against this wall as the trail of warmth smears over my eye.

Blinking, I try to hold my hands up in front of me as my attacker crouches down in front of me. All I hear is an amused chuckle, and when my wrist bumps my forehead, it comes away with a red stripe across it.

I’m bleeding.

Shit.

“He says hello, bitch.”

It’s all I can make out before the asshole grabs hold of my shirt, yanking me toward him. The heinous mask is devoid of emotion, a strange doll face that I can’t place, and then I’m only just able to make out the man winding up his fist before it connects with my face.

Everything goes black.

TWELVE

Easton

My phone rings, and I glance over at it, where it sits on the counter. Jade is in the living room in front of me as I sit at the island, working on my computer.

“Huh, who’d be calling so late?”

“Phone!” Jade calls out.

“Yes, sweetie. I know.” I stand up and walk over to answer it. “Hello?”

“Hello, is this Easton Hawke?”

The woman on the other side of the line sounds utterly professional and not familiar in the slightest. My heart rate ticks up as worry builds.

“Yes? What’s going on?”

“Hello, Mr. Hawke. This is Naomi. I’m a nurse here at St. Rose Hospital.” My stomach falls through the floor, and I look back over at Jade, who’s safely on the couch. “EMTs brought in a Hazel Dowd. She’s asked us to call you.”

Invisible breaks screech somewhere in my head.Hazel.

“Is she okay?! What happened?!”

I know I shouldn’t scream at the woman, but I can’t seem to control my volume. Jade sits up straighter on the couch, pausing the TV and walking over.

“Uncle Easton?”

“She’s been attacked. She’s recovering now, but?—”

“I’ll be right there.”