“I’m taking you to my home,” he finally says. “You’ll be safe there. I’ll make sure of that.”
I look up at the side of his face as my breath quickens. His place?
My gut should be filled with uneasiness right now. It should be screaming in alarm. I got kidnapped and held by unknown men and now I’m in a similar situation.
Is this guy even a cop?
Instead of keeping the evidence and calling backup, he burnt down the crime scene and took me away. That is not the actions of a Sheriff. It’s not the actions of a sane man either.
But even knowing all this, I find myself nodding.
“Okay,” I say with my heart strumming in my chest. “I’ll go to your place.”
There’s something about him that I can’t put my finger on. I feel almost pulled to him. Like now that I know he exists, I can’t live without him.
“You can call your parents from my place,” he says. “Let them know you’re okay.”
“All right,” I say as a bad taste hits my mouth. The uneasiness hits my stomach when I picture them. I think they’re involved in this somehow.
A little while later, Austin pulls into his driveway and I shift in my seat when I see his trailer home.
“It’s not much,” he says, looking embarrassed.
“It’s great,” I say with a genuine smile. It’s adorable and on a private lot with the beautiful mountains visible in the background. I love it.
“It’s not,” he says with a shake of his head. “I wanted to give you mo—”
I put my hand on his arm and he turns to me.
“It’s perfect,” I say.
He smiles in appreciation and then gets out of the car. I follow him out and breathe in the crisp mountain air. We’re on the border of seasons where the days dance between the end of summer and early fall, unable to make up their mind.
I smile when I look at the trees with a couple of early bird leaves that have already changed color. I’m sure this place is going to be gorgeous when the trees are all vibrant orange, yellow, and reds. I hope I’m still hanging around here to see it.
“Are you hungry?” he asks as he looks me up and down. His eyes darken a little when his eyes roam over my large hips.
“Starving,” I say as my stomach growls. The guys kept me fed, but it was with granola bars and cookies. I would kill for a hot meal right now.
“I’ll cook you something nice while you take a shower,” he says as he walks to the front door. “Do you want to call your parents first?”
I hesitate and he sees it.
“What is it?”
He’s on full alert as if he’s attuned to every feeling I have. I watch him with my stomach churning as he comes over and takes my hands in his.
“You’re upset.”
I shake my head. “Just nervous. My parents…”
He patiently waits for me to finish, but how can I tell him that I think my parents are behind my kidnapping? What kind of family would he think I come from? What kind of person would he think I am if my parents would do that to me?
But the tender look in his soft blue eyes undoes me and I find myself spilling my soul and telling him everything.
“I think it was my parents,” I finally say, “who set me up.”
His face drops.
“About three weeks ago, I was in my father’s office and I saw a paper on his desk with my name on it. My parents had taken out a kidnapping insurance policy on me. Five million dollars was available for ransom.”
His face hardens as he listens.
“Wasn’t that exactly what the Copeland Lions were asking for?”
He nods as his eyes darken. “Yeah. Exactly that amount.”
I drop my eyes in embarrassment, but he gently touches my chin and lifts my head back up until I’m looking into his eyes once again.
“We’ll save the phone call for later.”
I nod, thankful that he’s being so understanding.
“Shower and food first.”
I grin. “Hot shower and hot food. Sounds amazing.”
He smiles as he wraps his big arm around my shoulders.
“Then let’s not wait another second.”
I feel ah-ma-zing after a hot shower and with Austin’s clothes draped over my naked body. He leant me a t-shirt that’s tight on him, but goes to my knees. I have a nice warm housecoat over it that his daughter Kinsley left when she moved out with her mate Damon.
“How is it?” he asks as he watches me eat.
I’m sitting at his table and shoving a BLT into my mouth as fast as I can.
“So good,” I say as I lick a bit of mayo off the corner of my lips. He lets out a low groan as he watches my tongue dart out.
“I’ll make you another one,” he says as he turns around to the stove.