AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She grabbed my hand, threading her fingers through mine until we were a perfect fit. I stared at our joined hands. “You have me now. That means we’re a team.”
“Haz—”
“No. We just decided to see where this goes with us. I won’t lose you after finally getting everything I wanted.”
I frowned. “I told you I’d be careful.”
“That’s not what I mean. You still haven’t dealt with the loss of your father. And before you say anything. Yes, grief is lifelong. We never get over losing someone we love, but this revenge is taking more room in your heart than the love you had for him.” She drew in a breath, her thumb rubbing against the back of my hand. “You might think I haven’t noticed, but I can always tell when you’ve been looking into his death and when you didn’t find the answer you sought.”
I kept a tight lid on my emotions, yet somehow Hazel always saw through it all. “How?”
“It’s like a small piece of who you are disappears. You’re the same, yet different. Harder, more calculating, closed off. If I can be there to stop you from losing one more piece, it’s worth it to me.”
I tugged her to me and wrapped my arms around her. “I couldn’t live with myself if something happened to you.”
“What if I promise to stay near the big guys?” she asked, referring to my bodyguards, Tony and Dex. “I’m going to find a way to follow you. I’m safer with you.”
“Fine.” I’d been able to hold my position with fiercer opponents than Hazel, yet she ran right over me. “Stay close.”
She nodded.
“At the first sign of trouble, you get to the car and get out of there. And if I tell you to leave, do not argue with me. Just go.”
“Absolutely. I promise.”
With one arm still wrapped around her, I guided us to where I was meeting the guys. For the first time in years, I said a quick prayer, asking anyone listening to keep Hazel safe. I would burn the world to the ground if anyone harmed a hair on her head.
CHAPTER 20
Hazel
Isat in the back seat of the rental car with Jareth beside me. There was no way I’d tell him my heart was in my throat, and I was terrified of this going sideways. Not after I fought so hard to be here. Doubts crept in, making me wonder if I could handle it if things became dangerous.
Sensing my panic, he reached over and took my hand. The simple skin-to-skin connection helped slow my heart rate.
“You don’t have to do this,” he reminded me.
I scooted closer. “I know. You can’t shake me that easily.” I joked, trying to lighten the mood.
He needed to know I’d keep myself safe so he didn’t have to worry about me. I flicked my gaze to the closed partition with Jareth’s guards stationed in the front seat. “I stay in the car with Tony until you or Dex give me the all-clear. If anyone pulls a gun or shots are fired, I find a way back to the car and… ” I hated saying this part.
“You leave us behind. Say it, Hazel.” His voice took on a flinty edge.
“I leave you all behind.” I wasn’t sure I could go through with it. How do you leave behind someone in danger and only save yourself, especially someone you love?
“You are not trained to defend yourself. If we have to worry about you, we can’t do what needs to be done and get back home safely.”
“I know. And just because I promised to leave doesn’t mean I have to like it.” We didn’t even know what we were walking into, which was the scariest part of this whole thing.
“What’s the cover story we’re going with?” His brisk tone said so much to me.
The moment we left the villa, I saw how he’d shut down. Mentally, I sensed the wall he erected, and physically, his movements were more precise than usual. The feel of him was off. This was the person he thought he had to be, and as hard as it was to admit, part of me wondered if by being here, I’d be able to stop him from doing something he’d regret.
“Hazel.” He gentled his voice.
“We decided to vacation in Bali for Christmas, and Terri said he heard Bill had moved here. We thought it’d be fun to check up on him and say hi.”
He nodded. “We stay as close to the truth as possible.”
