Rhys took another hesitant step toward her, and that was apparently enough to make up her mind. She pushed away from the wall and ran.
At least she tried to. She didn’t make it more than a stride before her legs gave out under her.
Rhys rushed forward, catching her before she could do any more damage to herself. She struggled in his arms. He could tell she was using every last bit of strength that she had, but it wasn’t much.
“I’m not going to hurt you,” he said, trying to calm her thrashing. “I’m going to get you out of here.”
She stopped squirming in his arms long enough to lift her face to his. Rhys found himself staring down into a pair of wide hazel eyes. They were strangely sharp and clear for how banged up her body was. He saw fear in their depths, plenty of pain too, but more than that, he saw resolve.
“Why?” Her voice cracked.
“Because I’m not a monster.”
She eyed him skeptically, but, after a long beat, she nodded.
Rhys pulled his jacket off and wrapped it around her slim shoulders before tucking her next to his side. Her body might have been slight, but she was no fragile bird. This woman was a fighter.
And she was going to have to be. His car might be just outside the front door, but Rhys knew there was still a hell of a long way to go until she was safe.
Chapter Two
“Can you walk or do you need me to carry you?”
Tessa Rosenthal looked into the eyes of the man at her side. They were the clearest blue that she’d ever seen—the color of deep glacial ice, or an alpine lake. They gave nothing away.
She had no idea who he was, or what he was doing in Anders’ house. All she knew was that he wasn’t dragging her back to Dylan. It wasn’t much, but it would have to be enough.
It seemed that climbing the stairs out of Anders’ basement had sapped all of her energy. Tessa feared she’d taken herself as far as she could under her own power. As much as she hated to admit it, if she was going to get out of this house, she was going to need some help.
And it looked like this stone-faced stranger was the only volunteer. So, she would have to take the risk of trusting him…for now, at least. There didn’t seem to be any other choice.
But it looked like she’d taken too long to tell him so. He bent down, swinging his arm under her knees, ready to lift her up.
“I can walk,” Tessa said, in a rush. She stumbled backwards a step and out of his reach. She wasn’t sure her words were true, but wasn’t about to let him believe she was totally helpless.
“Okay,” the stranger said. He wrapped his arm around her back, taking care not to touch her shoulder.
Tessa hated that she had to lean on him for support as they stepped through the glass doors and out into Anders’ meticulously manicured garden.
Her gaze darted around the edges of the lawn. She knew Anders had packed the house full of guards. It was only a matter of time before they were spotted.
Her mystery savior seemed to know it too. He kept her on the inside of the path, close to the protective cover of the wall. His steps were slow, but deliberate. They weren’t making great time, but they were steadily inching toward the front of the house.
They made it all the way to the corner before he stopped. He swiveled her around so that her shoulders were propped up against the wall, before peering around it. His lips were pressed together tight when he pulled back.
Tessa didn’t have to ask what that meant. There were still guards at the door. They’d probably been given their orders not to step away from the moment that Dylan had dragged her into the house two days ago.
The stranger locked eyes with her before lifting a finger to his lips.
Tessa shook her head vehemently.
What the hell was he thinking? That he was just going to be able to face two of Boyd’s personal security team on his own? Was he crazy? Or maybe just stupid?
She opened her mouth to ask him which, but he disappeared around the corner before she could get the words out.
Crap.
She knew from first-hand experience what those men were capable of. And with two of them against him, Tessa knew her blue-eyed stranger didn’t stand a chance.
Tessa let her head fall back against the stone facade of the mansion. There went her only hope of getting off of Boyd’s property and back to San Jose. She’d known that escape was a long shot, but it was a risk that she had to take.
She lifted her head and looked across the lawn. There was a whole lot of open green between her and the line of trees in the distance, but if she could make it there maybe she could limp the rest of the way to freedom.
Of course, that was one hell of an if.
But she hadn’t come this far to give up now. There was no other choice. She’d crawl if she had to.
Tessa took a hesitant step away from the wall. Her right leg took her weight just fine, so she risked another. But the second her left leg hit the ground, her knee crumpled beneath her. Tessa closed her eyes and threw her hands out in front of her as the ground rushed up to meet her.
But Tessa never touched it.
At the last second, what felt like an iron band wrapped around her middle, lifting her up. Tessa opened her eyes as she regained her footing and looked into the face of her mystery man.
“You’re alive,” she said, not bothering to hide her amazement.
“And you lied,” he said, locking his arm under her knees and swooping her up. “You can’t walk.”
“I-I’m just a little shaky,” she said.
“How did you get past the guards?” she asked.
“They were no trouble,” he said.
He moved faster now that he was carrying her. He didn’t waste any time turning around the corner and striding across Boyd’s driveway. He seemed to be headed for a black Mercedes that was parked in the center of the driveway.
A bolt of alarm traveled through Tessa at the thought of being trapped in another confined space with a stranger. She drew in a deep breath, trying to tamp it down.
How else did she think that he was going to get her out of here? It wasn’t like she could hike her way out.
Tessa told herself she didn’t care. Sure, she didn’t know the man, but he’d been good to his word so far. As long as he could get her out of here and closer to San Jose, she didn’t care who the hell he was.
Tessa turned her head as he opened the passenger door. She looked up at the front porch. At first, she didn’t see the guards…not until she looked down. Both men were sprawled across the cold stone entrance. Neither one was moving.
The blood rushed from Tessa’s face.
That was his idea of no trouble?
Her breathing started to speed up. Was she just trading one bad situation for another? Maybe even a worse one?
No. That wasn’t possible. Nothing was worse than what she’d just been through.
Nothing.
And she’s found a way to escape half a dozen of Boyd’s thugs. Surely, when the time came, she could figure out how to get away from one guy. Once she was far away from here. Once she was certain she could make it to San Jose.
Tessa had a hard time turning her eyes away from the men on the porch. Her gaze stayed glued to them as the stranger tucked her into her seat and closed the door. She couldn’t stop staring as he got into the driver’s seat and started the engine.
“Are they dead?” she asked as he started down the drive.
Tessa tried telling herself that the answer didn’t matter. That if they were, it was no less than they deserved. But, no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t seem to convince herself that it was true.
The stranger’s whole body stiffened at her question. His gaze slid her way for a fraction of a second, just long enough for Tessa to see that his eyes had hardened, becoming as brilliant as faceted sapphires.
“No,” he said.
Tessa let out a breath she hadn’t realized that she was holding. Something close to relief was
hed over her. It was still too soon to relax, but at least there was some comfort in knowing she hadn’t thrown her lot in with a killer.
Maybe he’d told her the truth. Maybe he wasn’t a monster.
Of course, history had shown what a fabulous judge of character she was. She’d trusted Boyd when he’d sworn that her work would never be corrupted for evil purposes. She’d believed him when he’d told her that the extra security in her lab was only to keep her safe. She’d even been fooled into believing that Dylan Murtry was her friend. Right up to the point that he’d strapped her to a chair in a concrete basement and…
Tessa forced the images out of her head. She couldn’t think about it. Not now.
Maybe sometime she would deal with the trauma of what had happened to her back in that house. Once she was far away from here. Once she’d survived to do what she had to.
Tessa sighed as the Mercedes slowly pulled up to the closed gate at the end of the drive. They were trapped. The thing was twelve feet high and made of solid metal. There was no way they could crash through it. Not unless there were rockets hidden under the car.
The stranger un-clicked his seat belt as he threw the car into park.
“I’ll be right back,” he said, before leaving her alone.
Tessa watched as he walked over to the gate’s control box and pried off the cover. He pulled a pocket knife from his pants and cut some wires, twisting them together.
Tessa checked the rearview mirror as he worked, certain that at any moment she was going to see a dozen of Boyd’s guards come storming down the hill. But everything was quiet. Obviously, Anders didn’t believe that she could make it out this far.
And he was right. She couldn’t. Not on her own.
Of course, everything would all change the second someone found the guards on the doorstep. They were running out of time.
A moment later, the gate swung open.
It looked like she was being rescued by MacGyver. If she’d had two functioning arms she would have clapped. Was there anything this guy couldn’t do?
But her mystery man didn’t seem all that impressed with his own work. His face remained a frozen mask as he walked back to the car. He didn’t say a word as he put it in gear and pulled out onto the public road.
Tessa kept her eyes on him for a minute as he drove. She figured there couldn’t be any harm in watching him so openly. It wasn’t as if the man was paying any attention to her. His hands curled tight around the steering wheel. His eyes were focused straight ahead, his jaw tight.
There was something about his coloring, the dark blond hair and sharp blue eyes, that was simultaneously attractive and frightening. Add that to the sharp line of his cheekbones, and Tessa was having a hell of a time figuring out if this guy was fighting on the side of good or evil.
His flat expression wasn’t helping anything either. He appeared to be so wrapped up in his own thoughts that he had forgotten about her entirely. Tessa could only pray that was a good sign. Hopefully, it meant that he was as desperate to get rid of her as she was to get away.
Because now that the adrenaline was starting to fade, Tessa wasn’t sure she could win another battle.
Who was she trying to kid? She wasn’t even sure how she was going to manage to haul her ass the nearly thirty miles to downtown San Jose. She only knew that she didn’t have a choice.
Fear wasn’t important. Pain wasn’t important. Not even her life was important anymore. The only thing that mattered was getting to that damned storage facility.
Tessa slid in her seat as the car made the sharp turn off the side street and onto the main drag. She instinctively put her hand out to brace herself, letting go of her left arm. It fell limply at her side.
Tessa bit into her lip, but it wasn’t enough to keep the little cry of pain inside. She quickly gathered up her arm and cradled it protectively against her body again, but not before she saw her mystery man’s gaze slide her way. The line of his mouth tightened.
She didn’t know what to make of the expression. Was he annoyed? Angry?
Maybe she was better off not knowing. Tessa took it as her cue.
“You can let me out here,” she said, glancing out her window.
El Camino Real wasn’t very busy this time of night. She might have to wait until morning to catch a bus out of town, but at least there would be plenty of places to hide from Boyd until then.
Tessa turned away from the window when the car didn’t slow.
“I said, you can—”
“I heard you,” he said, his eyes never leaving the road as he continued driving. “But that’s not going to happen.”
Oh God.
Not again. Panic swelled inside Tessa. She refused to trade one hell for another. She yanked on the door handle, but it didn’t budge. She fumbled for the lock with her good hand, but struggled to find it in the dark.
Out of the corner of her eye, Tessa saw his head snap her way. The car slowed as he pulled over to the curb.
Tessa spun around toward him, pressing her back into the door as the car came to a stop.
“Don’t touch me,” she shouted, hating that she could hear more fear than anger in her voice.
His blue eyes were steady on her, but the muscles around them relaxed the longer he stared. “I’m not going to hurt you,” he said.
“Then let me out.”
His lips tightened. “I can’t do that. You’re hurt.”
“I’ll be fine,” Tessa said. She felt hot tears sting her eyes and suddenly she wasn’t sure which one of them she was trying to convince anymore.
“You will be.” His voice dropped, becoming softer, more reassuring. “After a few days of rest.”
She didn’t have a few days. She needed to get to the city now.
“I can’t…I don’t…” Tessa stuttered, desperate to get her emotions back under control. She’d managed to hold herself together all through Dylan’s interrogation, so why were all of her defenses suddenly crumbling before her eyes?
Maybe because this stranger was offering solace after what had seemed like an eternity of pain.
Unfortunately, that was the one thing that Tessa couldn’t accept. Not now. Maybe not ever again.
She drew in a few long, shaky breaths, then raised her gaze to meet the man who had carried her out of Boyd’s house of horrors.
“I’m sorry. I don’t mean to sound ungrateful,” she started. Her voice still shook but she was more in control of her words. “I really appreciate everything you did back there, but Boyd is going to come looking for me, and I don’t want you to get stuck in the middle of this.”
It was a good lie. Halfway believable even. Probably because it was so steeped in truth. Boyd was undoubtedly coming for her, and Tessa couldn’t imagine anything worse than someone getting hurt—or worse—over her. Wasn’t that, at its core, why she was doing all of this anyway?
The stranger didn’t look away. “I’m already involved.”
“Boyd won’t waste his time on you,” Tessa said, shaking her head. “All he wants is me. There’s lots of time for you to run.”
A muscle ticked in the man’s jaw, and Tessa had the feeling her words had offended him somehow. She wasn’t sure why. Couldn’t he see that she was offering him a way out? If he was the kind of man she thought he was—and after seeing his handiwork back at the house, what other kind could he be?—then he had to know just how dangerous Boyd was.
“And where will you run to?” he asked. His voice was calm and even. “To the police? To the hospital? Boyd will find you, and with his money you won’t be safe in those places for long.”
Tessa’s gaze slid to the side. She didn’t need the reminder. She knew all of these things.
The legal system was a joke to a man like Boyd. Even if she could afford to go after him through legal channels, her word would count for nothing. Less than nothing. In the end she would be the one ripped apart—first figuratively by Boyd’s lawyers, then quite literally by his henchmen.
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But the man across from her wasn’t done.
“You’re in worse shape than you realize. You have a dislocated shoulder. You’re bleeding. You can barely hold yourself upright, and I’m not entirely certain that you’re not about to slip into shock. If I let you out of this car, you won’t make it down the sidewalk,” he said.
Tessa felt tears slip down her cheeks. Damn it. She couldn’t even wipe them away because she needed to cradle her arm.
“Let me take you somewhere you can rest and heal,” he said. There was no aggression in his voice. No anger. He sounded so reasonable. And Tessa hated it.
“I-I can’t.” Her throat was tight. She could barely squeeze out the words.
He looked at her for a long moment. Tessa looked for a flicker of any emotion in his eyes but saw nothing. After another second, he nodded.
“All right,” he said, and Tessa felt a wave of relief wash over her. “But let me take care of your dislocated shoulder first.”
Tessa glanced down at her useless limb, and back up at his face. “You know how to set it back in the socket?”
“I do,” he said without hesitation. “It’s going to hurt though.”
Tessa bit into her lip. Of course, it would. It hadn’t felt all that great coming out, but now her shoulder was so swollen and tender that the slightest touch made her want to howl in pain.
But he was right. It wasn’t going to get any better on its own. And she couldn’t go to the hospital. They would demand answers. And that wasn’t something she could give anyone.
Better to suffer through the pain now and be done with it.
“Okay,” she agreed, giving him a terse nod.
“I can give you something for the pain,” he offered.
Tessa narrowed her eyes. “You just happen to have pain meds in your car?”
“You would be surprised how often things like this happen.”
Maybe a couple of days ago she would have been, but today Tessa doubted that anything could surprise her.
Not that it mattered. She wasn’t about to take candy, or sketchy drugs, from strangers.
“I’ll pass,” she said.
“Your choice.” He reached out and touched her upper arm.
Rhys Page 2