Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 82973 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 415(@200wpm)___ 332(@250wpm)___ 277(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82973 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 415(@200wpm)___ 332(@250wpm)___ 277(@300wpm)
No kid would…unless there was trouble.
Matt unlocked the window and raised it a fraction, aware of his gun a mere split second from his grasp.
“Yeah?”
“Matt?”
That trembling voice. Not a boy at all. Definitely a woman.
One he knew.
No, that was impossible. It couldn’t be… But a second glance had him reconsidering his assessment.
Holy shit.
His heart crashed inside his chest. “Madison?”
She gave him a shaky nod, then looked behind her as if she expected the bogeyman to jump her. “I’m sorry to barge in—”
“You’re not.” He threw the window wide open, cursing the screen between them. If she was here, hiding in his bushes and disguising herself to approach his house late at night in the rain, something was terribly wrong. “What’s going on?”
“I-I need help, and I didn’t know anyone else I could trust.” She swallowed, and he saw the abject terror on her face. “My husband is trying to kill me.”
She meant that figuratively, right? Like he was pissed off and struggling to keep his mouth in check?
If they were merely having a spat, why would a woman who hasn’t spoken to you in three years be at your window hours after nightfall, looking terrified?
So her husband was literally trying to off her. Every muscle in Matt’s body tensed as he scanned the dark street around her. It looked empty, but he didn’t like it. “I’m going to kill the porch light. Once I do, shimmy through the bushes, close to the door.”
She gave him a shaky nod, and he backed away from the window, loath to take his stare off of her. But her safety was way more important than his anxiety.
Cursing, Matt wrenched his phone from his pocket, launched the app that controlled the house lights, then darkened the porch and front rooms. He yanked open the door and found Madison in shadow, tucked between the bushes and his house. Despite the July heat, she trembled like a leaf. A wretched relief that she hadn’t slipped through his fingers again filled him.
When he stepped onto the porch, warm rain pelted his back as he pretended to retrieve his mail from the box affixed to the house. “Slip in front of me.”
She did, looking up at him with scared blue eyes. Despite the time, distance, and betrayal, she still captivated him. One glance, and his whole body pinged, lighting up in a way he hadn’t felt since he’d last touched her.
“Get inside.” He nudged Madison into the house, then locked the door behind him and armed his security system before facing her. How fucking surreal that, after nearly three years of total silence between them, she stood in his entryway looking at him like he was her savior. “Did you see anyone follow you?”
“No. But I’m still worried.”
Obviously. Madison was pale and twitchy, her eyes dilated, her body tense. Her survival instinct had kicked in, flooding her with a fuck-ton of adrenaline.
“And I-I know this is unexpected,” she whispered. “You’re probably shocked I’m here.”
A huge understatement, but first things first. “Are you hurt?”
“No.”
“Good.” Matt eyed the wide straps of her backpack with their dangling charms weighing down her slender shoulders. When he reached out to take the heavy load from her, she did the one thing guaranteed to make him back away.
She flinched.
Slowly, he drew his hands back. “I just wanted to take your backpack before you fall over.”
“Good thought.” She shrugged out of it, grimacing when it dripped all over his tile floor. “Sorry.”
He shook his head as he took the pack from her and set it aside. “This place is a rental, and the floor will dry. You going to tell me what’s going on?”
Madison hesitated. “I hate to drag you into my problem—”
Since she’d come here, her apology was moot—not that he wanted it. “You’re in danger. What happened?”
“L-last night, Todd chased me through an apartment building with a knife.”
Matt clenched his fingers into fists and tried to hold in his rage. He was known for being calm, easy-tempered, even affable. Right now, if Todd Pershing were here, he’d kill the motherfucker—no questions asked. “Why?”
She hesitated. “If you can’t help me, I shouldn’t tell you. I don’t want to put you at risk any more than I have. Point me in another direction and—”
“I’m going to help you.” Did she fucking think he was too bitter to save her life? Yeah, probably. He’d been hurt as fuck when she’d left him behind and traded up three years ago. Hell, deep down he still hurt. A part of him would love to say I told you so about Todd Pershing. On the other hand, Matt wasn’t good for her, either.
“Are you sure? It’s going to get dangerous.”
He snorted. “You know what I do for a living.”
“This won’t be a normal bodyguarding situation. The Pershings have resources and friends in very high places. They’re capable of almost anything.”