Page 99 of Under His Guard

“Just go, Mr. Shaw. Go and don’t look back. We’ll go our separate ways and be done with all of this. It’s easier that way.”

“What?”

His voice is small, but I’m not letting some realization that he’ll have to face the consequences of his actions deter me.

He’s a big boy. He can deal with it.

“Go back to your brother. Go back home and stop worrying about me.”

Chapter 32

Luke

Two punches to the gut after a fucking hell of a night is not how I thought this day would go.

Clara is so obviously freaked out that even I can’t find the humor in it, and she’s completely cutting herself off from the one person who can help her.

I know that her friend just died, but this? This fucking ridiculous.

“You can’t possibly be serious right now. You won’t be safe without?—”

“I’ll be as safe as anyone can be.” Clara’s tone is flat. “Just…go. Go away and leave me alone.”

My heart is still beating, and I’m not sure why. It doesn’t seem right that it is, considering Clara just ripped it out of my chest.

How the fuck did we get here? This is so beyond messed up, and I can’t even think of how it happened.

The world is tilted on its axis, and I’m struggling to keep my footing.

“You can’t just…” Except, she very much can, and it’s my fault we’re in this situation. “Where are you going to stay?”

“I…” Clara scoffs, rolling her eyes up to the sky. “I don’t know. Some random hotel. Just don’t follow me. You may have gotten away with it once, but I swear to God, if you show up this time…Just don’t.”

She turns on her heel, and I call out after her, but Clara isn’t stopping.

“Goodbye.” Her voice rings out as she walks across the parking lot. “Mr. Shaw.”

And at that, I’m left alone, standing in front of the main door to the hospital. Utterly fucking alone.

“Dammit.”

I clench my fists and eyes closed as the one woman I’ve ever thought about a future with just walks away.

I do want to go chasing after her, but I can tell it wouldn’t benefit my case. Not that I have a solid one to begin with.

The doorway in front of me slides open, the hiss of the automatic release shoving me out of my thoughts.

Whipping my head up, I’m suddenly aware of the very public setting where our argument just occurred. Did anyone fucking see that? See my life being completely upended?

It’s such a dumb reaction, but I can’t stop it.

Heat hits my cheeks, and I have to get out of there.

I spin and make a beeline for my car, but not before bumping into the person who just came out the door.

“Sorry, I wasn’t watching where I was going.”

I’m treated to a generic smile and nod by the smaller man heading in the opposite direction.

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