Page 1 of Protection for Asher (Safeguarded By The SEAL #4)

Asher Haller had gone way too deep in her search for her friend. When Grace had gone missing after a night out, the sheriff hadn’t cared. No one seemed to think Grace ditching work and leaving her cat, Jorts, without food was a big deal, but Asher knew Grace wouldn’t leave Jorts behind.

When she’d mentioned that she wanted to look for Grace, her friends at work had told her not to investigate. They told her to mind her own business, but who was minding Grace’s business? Besides, what was she supposed to do? Just give up? Grace was missing, and no one was looking for her.

The sheriff had actually called Grace a runaway. Her friend had nothing to run from. She was an adult, had no children, and wasn’t even in a long-term relationship. Grace was happy with her job and her life. She wouldn’t have left Jorts behind. The cat was near perfect and Grace loved him.

After a few days of asking around, Asher found out that the party Grace had attended had been after hours at the Hoot and Hole.

Asher hadn’t ever been into that bar, so she was a little nervous about going to the after party.

The Hoot and Hole was known as one of the rougher bars around town.

Good times were known to end with the police being called.

She wasn’t into that kind of party scene.

Heck, she wasn’t into any party scene. She liked curling up in her big chair at home and reading a thick book while drinking tea or hot cocoa.

On Friday nights, she would switch to wine, and if she was feeling adventurous, she would fix a cocktail.

The invitation to the after-hours party wasn't hard to get.

She'd dressed up, or thought she had, but she looked dull compared to the other women flitting around the room. Meeting new people was always awkward for her, and alcohol would help relax her, but she was sipping club soda to keep her wits about her. So far, she’d struck out.

After grabbing her second drink, she stood off to the side and let the wall prop her up as she studied the crowd.

Already, not even thirty minutes in, she’d committed some faux pas by asking a woman about Grace.

The weird looks she’d received had been enough to get her to walk away.

The second person she asked had told her to shut up or pay the price.

Asking what price seemed risky, instead she lurked on the outside of the action, trying to determine who she could trust enough to ask about Grace.

Her chance of finding information about Grace didn’t look good.

After she’d been leaning against the wall for about ten minutes, a bulky guy came over with two drinks in his hands. The man didn’t look like someone she wanted to encourage.

He tried to hand her one of the drinks, but she didn’t take it. “What’s a pretty girl like you doing over here by the wall?”

She smiled, though she wanted to tell the guy to go to hell. “Just looking for friends.” The idea of coming here to find information about Grace had sounded great, but the reality of finding Grace was more difficult than she’d imagined.

“I’m your friend. Here.” The guy shoved the drink at her again, forcing it into her hand. She took it so it didn’t drop to the ground. “Drink up.” The guy’s smile sent a shiver down her spine.

“Thank you.” No way would she drink anything some stranger offered her.

The guy leaned in closer, his smile spreading, making him look more evil than happy. “I don’t think you’re here to meet friends. You look like trouble.”

His words caught her attention. Her gaze, which had been on the crowd, flashed to him. “I'm here to meet my friends. I'm not trouble. They're just running late.”

“Is that why you were asking around about your other friend and where she was? You wanted to know if anyone had seen her.” He leaned in closer so his lips were right beside her ear. “You know, it’s not cool to lie.”

She jerked away, worry filling her. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

His smile came back. This time, it was even slicker, almost macabre. “Drink up, sweetheart.”

“I’m not your sweetheart.”

“If you don’t drink that, you won’t be anyone’s sweetheart. Drink now.”

She shook her head, and his hand wrapped around her wrist, forcing her hand holding the drink he'd given her to raise. He was strong, much stronger than her and the drink was at her lips. She should drop the drink.

“I don’t want to drink it.” Speaking had been a mistake. He took advantage of her open mouth and tilted the glass. She had to swallow or choke.

“You want to drink this because the alternative isn't something you want.” He leaned back and met her gaze, giving her a look that made her think he meant business. “Seriously, you need to drink up or else.”

She pretended to drink, but he was watching her, and pretending would only take her so far.

The dude tilted the glass more, and liquid slipped out from the corners of her mouth and ran down her chin to her neck and the front of her shirt.

Her eyes started to water, and she made the choice to let the drink spill on her as she stepped back.

Cold liquid flowed down the front of her shirt, and she let out a yelp that was ignored by others because someone had turned the music up.

This drink was exactly what she hadn't wanted.

Having strong alcohol on board would dull her senses.

Panic flared. Had they put drugs into her drink?

Drugs scared her. She needed to leave and fast.

Asher pushed away from the wall, but the guy stepped in front of her, blocking her path. She glanced up and met his gaze, not liking the menace she saw in his dark eyes. A shiver slid down her back, and she backed away from him. He moved closer, pinning her to the wall.

“Where do you think you are going?”

“I need to use the restroom.” She had to get the liquid, whatever she’d consumed of it, out of her body.

“I don’t think so.”

“But I—” His hand wrapped around her throat, pinning her against the wall, causing her head to slam into the hard surface. Pain flickered but didn't grow as he held her loosely, but not loose enough for her to get away.

“The only place you’re going is with me. You could have made this easy and finished the drink, but you didn’t. Now you’re going to be awake for it all.”

Asher’s chest tightened and she could barely get a breath in.

Fear swirled as she desperately searched for an exit.

She shouldn’t be here. Her friends had been right, she had no business coming to search for Grace.

She should have let the police take care of finding her friend, but she hadn’t trusted them.

Now she was in the same situation Grace had been in, and she knew no one would come looking for her.