“Ah, I’d choose the same. Enjoy your night with her, Bridge. Tomorrow night she might be mine.” Ramsey walked away, chuckling.
Bridger’s jaw clenched. He would never let Ramsey have his way with Avalyn. He’d die first.
The men released him, and he hurried to Avalyn. She sat up as he approached, and the blanket slid down on her shoulders. Her clothes and hair were plastered to her. “Bridger?” she whispered, gazing up at him with her beautiful dark eyes, looking much too uncertain and afraid.
His chest tightened. He’d almost lost her today. How could he get her far away from Ramsey? He couldn’t imagine the gauntlet of activities Ramsey had planned. The man claimed he wouldn’t hurt Avalyn, but she could’ve easily died today, and doing any of the extreme sports they usually did could result in death or serious injury. Especially if she was tied up.
He bent low and swept her into his arms. Having her close was settling, though anger at Ramsey still traced through him.
The men stood back out of their way, except for Mike, the baldy who’d met him at the airport. “Her room is this way, sir.”
Bridger jerked his chin up at him and followed the man through the spacious living area and kitchen and down one of the hallways. Mike pushed open a door, and Bridger strode inside, slamming the door closed behind him and securing the lock with one hand as he clung to Avalyn with the other. It was silly, as the men could bust in here at any moment. No lock could keep Avalyn safe.
Despair overwhelmed him. How was he going to protect her every day? What if Ramsey won and she was forced to spend the night with that slimeball? What if neither of them won and she died in one of these stupid adventures? Bridger had been an extreme athlete for years now, but he suddenly had no stomach for adventure or thrills. He wanted to be tucked away in a quiet house in Long Island with Avalyn cuddled in his arms. Their parents just down the road. Maybe a baby on the way. If that dream could come true, he would give up all this insanity.
Sadly, it was a dream that he couldn’t make come true. Even if they escaped, Avalyn had made it abundantly clear on Christmas Eve that she didn’t want him. He held her close. At least she was in his arms and safe … for the moment.
ChapterNine
Avalyn couldn’t stop shivering. A coughing spell racked her body. When it settled, she stared up at Bridger’s handsome face. She was alive. Had Bridger saved her? He must have, or else she’d be in the horrid Ramsey’s arms. A shudder passed through her.
Bridger’s brow furrowed. “Oh, Ava Baby. I’m so sorry.”
She pushed out a breath, and her gaze settled on his bare chest. She let herself lean her cheek against the smooth skin and muscle, too spent to pretend she didn’t want him to simply hold her close until all the fear went away. “You’re sorry,” she muttered. “Because you saved me?” She glanced up at him.
A muscle worked in Bridger’s jaw. “Ramsey only brought you here because of me.”
Avalyn’s breath caught. This Ramsey guy really thought Bridger loved her? Maybe in this twisted world these people lived in, Bridger’s version of love ’em and leave ’em would be considered devotion. That wasn’t her world. How was she going to get out of here? Her chest tightened and she started coughing again. Her head hurt worse than it had when she’d awoken from being drugged earlier.
Bridger carried her through the room into the attached bath. He set her on her feet and pulled open the glass shower door, pulling the shower knob out. “We’ve got to get you warm.”
Warm sounded wonderful. The ocean hadn’t been cold when she’d first fallen in, but maybe a near drowning just made you feel cold all over. Bridger tested the water with his hand and then turned to her. He grasped the edges of her shirt and started to lift it.
“Bridger!” Avalyn cried out, pushing his hands away.
“What?” His dark eyes were confused as he focused on her face.
“You aren’t undressing me,” she said sharply. Did he undress women regularly? The mere thought of it consumed her with jealousy.
“Oh!” Bridger was close enough that she could feel the heat radiating from his body. His hands settled on her waist. “I … was just trying to help.”
“Well, I don’t need your help.”
Bridger stared down at her. His eyes were so full of concern and worry for her, it about broke her resolve to keep him at arm’s length. “I don’t want to leave you,” he murmured, his gaze traveling over her face.
Avalyn pushed out an unsteady laugh. The worry over other women was pushed far away as she basked in Bridger staring at her as if she were something special to him. “Yeah, well, you’re going to have to,” she murmured. “At least so I can shower.”
Bridger stepped back, and Avalyn felt like she could breathe again. How could she have all these romantic thoughts when she’d almost died and Ramsey was going to try to kill her again tomorrow? Bridger was only this attentive to her because she had nearly drowned and there were no models and actresses around to compete for his affection.
“You’ll be okay?” Bridger asked, averting his gaze from her.
“Yes, thank you.”
He nodded. “Wait a second. I’ll grab your suitcase.” He hurried from the bathroom and returned with her suitcase. Without another word, he set it down next to the vanity, then stepped back out of the bathroom and shut the door tight.
Avalyn pulled in a slow breath, her hands still trembling from cold or shock, she wasn’t sure. She peeled off her wet, salt-water-caked clothes and hung them over the glass shower door to drip-dry. She retrieved some shampoo, conditioner, and body wash from her suitcase. It was surreal to do something as normal as showering when they were in this horrific situation, but as she stepped into the warm water, she couldn’t help but send up a prayer of gratitude. They had survived, and Bridger was here with her. For some reason, he gave her strength to think she could face tomorrow.
* * *