He was nearing the swinging door to the storeroom when he heard the muffled sound of quiet voices. Slowly easing forward, he stopped next to the door, craning his neck to see through the blurry window.
A large figure towered over a smaller one—a man and a woman, he thought, not able to see them clearly enough to make out other details.
He began easing his gun back into his waistband, not wanting to interrupt a lover’s tryst, but still listening to confirm there wasn’t anything suspicious going on. Even if there wasn’t, he was still tempted to break it up. They could fuck around on their own time, not when customers needed assistance.
Stiffening as a deep, menacing voice started speaking, he moved closer to catch the words. “I don’t know what you’re messing around with in there, but whatever it is, it’s gone now. Do as you’re told and walk to my car. Casually, like you’re leaving for the day and nothing’s wrong. If you try to resist or signal to anyone in this backwater town, you’ll live to regret it—but they won’t. I’ll kill anyone that gets in our way. Do you understand, Anastasia? Their death will be on you.”
Well, that sure as fuck didn’t sound like a lover’s tryst to him. Holding the gun at his side, he slowly eased the door open, relieved when the movement didn’t make the hinges squeak. Silently moving inside, he met the terrified blue eyes of the woman, motioning for her to stay quiet.
Eyes flickering in acknowledgment, she looked back at the man, flinching when he reached out to roughly grab her arm. Springing forward, Bolt raised his arm and swung, slamming the butt of his gun against the man’s temple.
The woman, Anastasia he was guessing, jumped back with a cry as the man crumpled to the floor. Slapping a hand to her mouth, she stared down at the unconscious man, and he wondered for a moment if she was going to freak out on him.
But when she met his gaze, her light blue eyes were relieved. “Thank you so much,” she whispered shakily. “I didn’t know how I was going to get away from him.”
He nodded in response, running his eyes over her and trying to ignore the way his body instantly reacted. He wanted to make sure he’d gotten there in time, that she wasn’t hurt, so it seemed the exact wrong time to check her out, but he couldn’t bring himself to look away.
She was tiny, her head barely reaching his shoulder, but he was a big man, so maybe she only seemed small compared to him. Her long hair was black and pulled back in a tight ponytail, with sideswept bangs framing one side of her face.
Her eyes were the color of the sky, set above a pert nose and full, cupid’s bow lips, and she had high cheekbones, and pale, creamy skin. He allowed himself one last sweep of her body, lingering just a split second on the curves her baggy uniform shirt couldn’t conceal, and then he met her eyes again, clearing his throat at her arched eyebrow.
“Did he hurt you?” he asked, his voice coming out gruff, like it’d been years since he used it.
Shaking her head, she wrapped her arms around herself as her gaze darted to the man on the floor and back. “No, you came before he could.”
“That’s good. We better get out of here before he wakes up.”
Her brow furrowed. “But I’m working…” Voice trailing off, she shook her head and bent down, yanking a bag from underneath the unconscious man. “Forget work. You’re right. I need to leave.”
Casting one last look at the bastard who tried to hurt her, he turned and silently followed her out of the store. She rounded the corner and skidded to a stop with a curse. “That son of a bitch.”
Moving around her, he looked at a beat-up old Corolla he assumed was hers, mouth tightening when he saw the flat tires. “I’m guessing that’s the handiwork of the fucker inside.”
“Who else?” she muttered. A moment later, the blood drained from her face. “Shit. He knows where I work, what I drive. I bet he knows where I live too. What am I supposed to do now?”
Making a split-second decision, he pulled his phone out of his pocket and sent a quick text to Blaze, letting his President know he was bringing a human back with him. “Come with me. I’ll take you somewhere safe.”
Her eyebrows rose. “I don’t even know you, and I’m supposed to leave with you?”
“You’d rather stay here and wait for him to wake up while you try to think of a plan? Because I have a feeling that he’ll be even more pissed when he wakes up than he was when I walked in.”
“Good point.” Hesitating, she bit down on her lip before straightening her spine. She was trying to look confident, but she couldn’t quite hide the way her hands were trembling. “I’ll go with you. But just so we’re clear, don’t try any funny business. I know self-defense. I can handle myself if you try anything.”
Lips quirking at the thought of this tiny human trying to take him, a solid two hundred pounds of muscle—and a shifter, at that—down, he nodded as he led her to the gas pumps where his bike was parked. “Duly noted. You have nothing to fear, though.”
She stopped when he did, biting her lip as she studied his leather cut, a hint of fear and a hell of a lot of wariness in her eyes. “I’m not too sure about that. But you did save my life back there, so I’ll try to give you the benefit of the doubt.”
Her words confirmed what he’d thought—the man inside had been dead serious when he threatened her life and that of anyone who tried to stop him. A growl
