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Okay, I didn't need Charlie's help, but the whole thing was harmless. Apparently Mannix didn't see it that way.
"I have a feeling you'll lurk anyway," I said.
He cut me a look as he restarted the engine. "I take good care of what's mine. I might even buy you a pretty little pink car with a pink bow, myself."
I believed him.
"I prefer black," I said.
"I think I'll just drive you around myself for a while." He drove the SUV back out into the main road, but just as wild and reckless as before.
"Fine, but maybe don't kill me with your driving," I said. That would really put a dampener on this…whatever this was. I couldn't deny the attraction but could I handle his intensity? Did I want to try?
For some reason I wasn't even sure of myself, I actually did. As well as being hot, Mannix was fascinating. When he wasn't being an asshole, I felt safe from the world around him. Like…if anyone hurt me, he wouldn't hesitate to protect me from and deal with them.
The question was, who would protect me from him?
Chapter Seven
Kennedy
I was dreaming but I couldn't get myself to wake up. In my dream, several figures started towards me. Three wore black head coverings like they were executioners. A fourth had no face, but his neck was wide open, gaping and shining with blood.
They shuffled towards me. Their hands were by their sides, but at the same time, they seemed to be reaching for me.
"We'll find you, little mouse. There's nowhere you can run and hide from us. Nowhere we can't find you."
I couldn't tell which one of them was speaking. Maybe it was all of them. The words echoed through my mind like they were on feedback, on a continuous loop. Speaking over each other more and more, becoming louder and louder like a crescendo.
Something pinned my wrists to either side of my face. The figures got closer. I writhed and struggled, but couldn't move. They were going to catch me, and when they did, I was dead. If I let them touch me, I would wither and die or turn into dust.
I couldn't let them touch me. Whatever it took, I had to stop that from happening.
I struggled harder. Tipped back my head and screamed.
And screamed.
"Princess. Princess, come on. I've got you. Shhh." Vice-like hands gripped my wrists, holding me tighter.
My eyes snapped open and I found myself in dim light.
My bedroom.
Mannix lay beside me, his fingers hard around my wrists, his face centimetres from mine.
"There you are." His grip relaxed slightly. "Another nightmare?"
"Another…" I blinked a couple of times, still trying to orient myself.
"You've had them every night since I got here." He let go of my wrists and propped himself up on his elbow. "This one sounded worse than the others."
Slowly, I managed to register two facts. First, Mannix was in my bed. Second, he'd come in here to help me when I was having a bad dream.
Wait, there was a third fact—he was naked except for a pair of boxer shorts. It went to show how disturbed I was after the nightmare that I didn't notice that straight away.
He brushed hair off my sweaty brow. "You okay?"
"I— Yeah." I wanted to tell him everything. To get the memory of that night off my chest. I didn't know him well enough to know if I could trust him, so I just said, "Thanks."
