Olivia didn’t answer. She didn’t know what to say. She appreciated his sincerity but he really didn’t understand the depth of Ethan’s depravity or the danger she was in.
“One way or another I’ll get to the bottom of things,” he added when she remained silent.
His words sounded like a threat and she didn’t want him digging for answers. She knew he was trying to reassure her but she felt even more panicked than before. “You really don’t want to get involved.”
“Maybe I do,” he countered. “Are you hiding something?”
Olivia’s cheeks heated. She didn’t like this line of questioning. “I didn’t do anything illegal, I assure you.”
“Then let me in. I want to help you.”
She shook her head again. “You shouldn’t. It’s safer if we remain strangers. Trust me on that.” She ought to go straight home and pack her things. Already this was too complicated. Unfortunately, she didn’t have enough money for another move.
“Safer for who?” Paul demanded.
“For both of us.”
Her answer didn’t warn him away like she hoped.
“Like I said, I’m not going anywhere, Liv. Bad guys don’t scare me.” Silence grew between them as Olivia digested his words. He was determined, she could tell, and if she offered any more protests he would only dig in deeper. In some ways it was nice knowing he was so stubborn, yet she was also terrified. Ethan would destroy Paul.
Paul wordlessly pulled into the mall’s parking lot. There were a few cars but it was mostly empty. The truck’s engine idled with a low growl. “Which store?”
“This will be fine. I’ll get out here.” She reached over and pressed a quick kiss to his cheek, surprising both of them.
He gave her a sexy grin. “I hope there’s more where that came from.”
“Don’t count on it,” she retorted with an answering smile. She was probably being too impulsive and needed to throttle this back, but his chivalry touched her. “I only wanted to thank you for helping me. You have no idea how much it means to me.”
“I’ll help you however I can, Liv. You can trust me,” he responded seriously. She threw open the door and slid down from the truck. Before she could slam the door he called to her, “Hey, Liv, what time should I pick you up?”
Olivia frowned. She hadn’t considered that. She didn’t know the bus schedules and it was too far to walk. “I get off at four, if you don’t mind –“
“I’ll be here,” he grinned and she felt her heart melt a little bit more.
***
Ethan sat back in his cushy chair and grinned at his computer screen with satisfaction. His eyes were bleary and red-rimmed. His hands were shaky from the caffeine and cocaine cocktail he needed to keep himself going. Soon the buzz would wear off and he'd crash for a couple of days. But for now he was flying high. He'd worked through the night and it had been a productive one. Soon his little butterfly would fly back home. She'd tried to spread her wings and he had to give her credit for effort, but this diversion had to come to an end. She was still fighting her destiny. When would she realize she belonged to him and he wasn't going to share her with anyone? She was created for his pleasure alone.
He reached for the framed photo of her that he kept on his desk next to the monitor. Didn't she realize everything he did was for her? She never fully appreciated him and even now she was testing him, forcing him to prove his loyalty to her. Soon he would test her. As he stared at her photo she seemed to transform before his eyes, turning into a butterfly. Her green eyes mocked him. Her red lips pouted. He reached for her but she fluttered out of his reach. In the back of his mind he knew it was the drugs making him hallucinate but it seemed so real. He watched her dart this way and that. He tried to swipe at her and catch her in his fist but she eluded him. As he snatched at the air she rose higher. “I’ll get you, Olivia!” She was a mere swirl of color refusing to land. Instead, she hovered just out of his grasp. She was about to escape him, his little butterfly, but he wouldn't let her go. He surged to his feet and climbed on his desk. He would capture her. She belonged to him! She hovered a little lower, mocking him, just out of arm’s length. He stretched, knocking his monitor to the floor. He kicked the photo and it landed beside the computer screen. He winced at the sound of sharp glass cracking. The sound entered his head like a a stabbing pain, and then his little butterfly vanished.
He blinked away the vision and realized where he stood. He climbed off the desk and sat back in the chair. With a moan, he held his throbbing head in his hands. His head was pulsing with the same pain he felt in his heart. How could she do this to him? Didn't she know how much he needed her? Why would she want to hurt him, to break his heart? With an anguished cry he slammed his head against the desk. He had to find her. He had to bring her home!
“Boss, you okay?”
Ethan raised his head enough to peer at his hands-on guy, Dirken. Dirken took care of the things Ethan didn't want to do. Sometimes he exerted a little “pressure” when people were uncooperative. Other times he eliminated the distractions entirely. Ethan never felt remorse for ordering Dirken to handle his dirty work. Life was easier without complications. Between Ethan's skill with a computer and Dirken's brute strength, Ethan always got what he wanted.
“My butterfly escaped again, Dirken. I need you to get her back.” He knew he sounded pathetic and of course it was the drugs taking over. Dirken was the only one he allowed to see him like this, besides Olivia. She knew the real man and she'd rejected that man. She would suffer for what she did to him. She would have to prove her loyalty again.
Dirken circled the desk and picked up the monitor and picture of Olivia. At one time Ethan suspected Olivia was having an affair with the guy. He stared up at Dirken, willing him to come into focus. The muscled guy was huge and he had classic Italian looks. He'd been working as a stuntman when Ethan found him. Of course Olivia would be attracted to him. His fist clenched unconsciously as he thought about the two of them together. But had it really happened? Right now he couldn't remember.
Dirken loomed over him. “You can count on me; I'll bring her home. Just tell me where to go and this time I’ll be more careful not to alert her. We’ll have her back soon.”
Ethan reached for the photo and stared at it morosely. The glass was broken. He traced his finger down her face and pricked himself on a sharp edge. He stared in fascination as blood welled on the tip of his finger then ran down the side. She caused this. She made him bleed, both inside and out. “She had help escaping me, you know,” he muttered darkly. His head was pounding but he was beginning to think more clearly. “I tapped into the security cameras. There was another woman who sneaked in and talked to Olivia. I don’t know who she was but I’ll figure it out eventually. Her face was hidden by a hood. There was also the senator's aide. I knew he was trouble. I knew Olivia was lying when she said he meant nothing to her. I've already taken steps with him. It was fun crushing the little weasel.” He shared Dirken's knowing smile. That's what happened when you messed with Ethan's woman. “Since then I’ve tracked her to six different places. She’s very predictable, usually. But this time she’s giving me some trouble.”
“But you have new leads?” Dirken asked, peering over Ethan's shoulder at the computer screen. The guy was a moron. The screen was blank because he had to reboot the system. Did Dirken think he could stare at the black monitor and the answer would magically appear? Maybe he did. The answers always came but Ethan was the one who made the magic happen.
“I don't know yet but I'm getting close. I have a few hunches I need to check. Soon she'll be back where she belongs and I'll make sure she never gets away again.”
FOUR
Olivia stood outside the mall, shivering in her thin coat. She needed heavier clothing if she planned to stay in Colorado. She liked Denver. The mountains cast a beautiful backdrop to the city and soon snow would blanket everything. It was a big change from California. If only her career options were bette
r, she thought with a sigh.
Thank goodness the work day was over.
The hours seemed to creep by as she sprayed people with perfume and tried to get them to buy overpriced fragrances. Her mind hadn’t been on her work. She was constantly trying to solve the problem of what to do with Paul Justice. She never reached a solution because her mind always snagged on how attractive he was. It was stupid really. She’d never had silly crushes, even as a teen. And now she was mooning over this guy while Ethan was still tracking her. Talk about misplaced priorities. Thankfully Ethan hadn’t caught up with her yet, but she had only been in Denver a little over a week. She knew her fake ID would slow him down. This wasn’t the first one she’d had but it was the best one. The first one was done by an industrious teen in his parents’ basement. She’d learned quickly that Ethan could track a bad ID faster than it took the ink to dry on her new driver’s license. This ID was much better, handled by professionals on the wrong side of the law. She’d been so impressed with their work that she bought a second ID to help with the next move, which completely wiped out her savings. She hoped Paul never asked to see her license. She needed to stop drooling over the guy before he learned how much she’d falsified – her name, her social security number, her driver’s license. She had a fake birth certificate too. Being an ex-cop, she was sure he would recognize the lies and she didn’t need a trip to the police station. Telling the truth, even to the police, would bring Ethan down on her head in a matter of hours. All they had to do was type her name into the computer. She shuddered at the thought. Not even Paul and all his police force friends could protect her once Ethan realized where she’d hidden.
She heard Paul’s loud truck before he pulled into the mall parking lot. She watched the big black beast lumber through the lot then come to a stop a few feet away from her. Before she reached the passenger door Paul hopped out and circled around to her.
His boyish grin made her heart skip a beat. “Hey! Have a good day? Wow, you smell great.” He jerked open the door then quickly scooped her up. Rather than depositing her in the seat quickly, this time he held her against his chest a few seconds.
“Paul?” She eyed him questioningly as a slow sexy smile curved his lips. She sucked in her breath.
“Can you blame me for hanging on a little longer? Here, up you go.” He set her carefully in the seat like she was a fragile doll then tugged on the seatbelt so she would fasten it. She watched him circle to the driver’s side and climb in. If she wasn’t careful, Paul would worm his way into her heart without a single protest from her. She needed to get the bus schedules, maybe find a closer job. She couldn’t keep relying on him.
As he drove, Paul peppered her with harmless questions about her day. At first she felt stiff and wary but he assured her he was only trying to be friendly, not probe for national secrets. “Unless you’re an undercover agent? Maybe working for the Russians?” His blue eyes twinkled when he teased her.
“I’m no spy,” she retorted with a laugh. “I’ve traveled a little but mostly I focused on my career since I was a little girl.”
“Ballet?” he asked with a glance, then turned back to the road. “You must be really good if you’ve danced since you were a kid.”
“Uh –“ She wasn’t sure how to answer. She didn’t want him knowing everything about her yet it seemed impossible to keep secrets from him. She felt compelled to tell him. He was the first person to get this close since Ethan.
He threw her a sympathetic look. “It’s okay, Liv. I pay attention to people and their details. It’s the training and was my job for so long. But I promise I won’t use the info against you, unless you did something illegal. Even then I’ll help you out. You can trust me.”
Define illegal, she thought with a grimace as she thought of the fake ID in her wallet. It wasn’t easy remembering she was now Chelsey Reynolds when he kept calling her Liv. Pretty soon she’d divulge everything. It would be nice if she could. “You keep saying that, that I can trust you.”
“Yeah, and I mean it. Were you any good?”
“At ballet?” she asked, knowing she was allowing him to lead her with these questions. “I was okay,” she answered softly. “But please don’t do any searches with a computer. Don’t look for me.”
“Why? Because something bad happened?”
Or will happen. She nodded. “I’d like to keep it in the past. I’ve already told you more than I’m comfortable sharing.”
The look he gave her was short but penetrating and she was afraid he could see much deeper than she wanted. “You’ve got to realize your evasiveness only makes me more curious.”
Olivia shifted uneasily in her seat. “Yes, but you said I could trust you and I need to believe you’ll comply with my wishes and not do a search on me. I can’t be found. You have to understand – at least try to.”
The rest of the ride was made in silence. She knew Paul was digesting the little bit of information she’d allowed and was problem solving, or least trying to decipher it. It didn’t really matter what conclusion he came to as long as neither the police nor Ethan showed up on her doorstep. It terrified her that he would go straight to his computer and start running searches. It wouldn’t be hard to find information on her, but then Ethan would know. He would arrive within twenty-four hours. “Please Paul, no searches. I know I’m asking a lot but it’s really important.”
He eyed her grimly for a moment then reluctantly nodded.
She released the breath she’d been holding. “Good. Thank you. And thank you for the ride.” She offered him a small smile as she unlatched her seatbelt.
“Hold on, Liv. Let me help you.”
“Oh no, I can manage.” Her protest fell on deaf ears. Before she could open her door and climb down from the passenger seat, Paul was there to assist her. His hands slipped around her waist and guided her easily to the ground. Her body slid down his and she knew it was a deliberate move on his part. Every nerve in her body seemed to catch fire. She’d experienced a similar move hundreds of times with ballet partners as they lowered her from overhead lifts, but none felt as sensual as this.
Color filled her cheeks as her feet finally touched the ground. Paul still held her around the waist, and he didn’t seem inclined to release her. If she leaned in just a little, they would be pressed together, chest, hips and thighs. She would feel the hard wall of his body again and his arms would encircle her. Did she want that? She shouldn’t, but yes she wanted it.
She felt vulnerable and shaken and she didn’t like these raw emotions that jumped to the surface because of this guy. She lifted her chin stubbornly. “You shouldn’t do that.”
“What? Help you down?” he asked innocently but she raised a brow, making his grin turn sheepish. “Yeah, I know,” he admitted but he didn’t sound repentant. “Can I help it if I find you attractive? You’ve been on my mind every moment since you moved in next door. But whenever I try to get to know you, you brush me off. You’ve become mystery number one and I plan to uncover every last one of your secrets. I figure I should give you fair warning. You won’t be able to brush me off so easily.”
Olivia felt secure in his arms until she heard those words. She didn’t want to be the center of his attention. It meant he planned to investigate her like a cop would, and he wouldn’t leave any stone unturned until he led Ethan directly to her. “No, you can’t! You don’t know what you’ll unearth. You can’t do this!” She struggled to be free but his hands tightened at her waist and she couldn’t move. Feeling trapped made her fear grow. “Please, Paul. Don’t do anything.” She couldn’t breathe. This was her worst nightmare. Ethan would find her and she’d be trapped. He would kill her.
Paul didn’t seem to understand her growing panic. “Just tell me the truth. I will help you but you have to tell me everything.” He bent lower so he could gaze into her eyes. His expression was open and honest and she truly believed he wasn’t trying to frighten her. But her fear wasn’t rational. She was starting to feel ove
rwhelmed.
“I can’t!” she retorted. She fought against him again and she knew real panic when he refused to let her go. It reminded her of all the times Ethan had trapped her then abused her. Bile rose in her throat. Her heart pounded in her chest and she feared she might black out. “Let me go! Let me go now!” She demanded hoarsely as she pushed against him. His chest felt like a wall of steel but she fought him until he reluctantly released her.
As soon as she was free she started running. It didn’t matter where she went but she knew she had to get away. Her condo offered no protection since she couldn’t get her dumb door unlocked - especially before Paul reached her again. How could she be so stupid to trust him? He was no different than Ethan. Maybe he worked for Ethan! With a choking gasp she pushed herself to move faster. He shouted her name but she didn’t care and she certainly didn’t stop.
She didn’t even make it to the end of the complex before she heard his steps pounding after her. A sob caught in her throat as the panic drove her onward. She couldn’t outrun him, not with her injured hip, but she had to try. She had to get away.
“Stop! Please! Don’t run from me! I’m sorry! Wait!”
Thankfully he didn’t shout out her name. Even so they drew too much attention. She imagined every neighbor peering out their window. She wasn’t safe here. She pushed herself harder and faster but her leg wouldn’t comply. She could hear Paul behind her. No! She had to escape. She had to stay free. If he caught her she would never escape again.
“Stop, please!”
Keep Me Safe Page 4