AllFreeNovel
Share Us
If he had been standing in front of me, I might have smacked the guy upside the head. He’d spoken with me at great length over the last several weeks. That would have been a great opportunity for him to tell me what he did for a living. Then again, I’m not sure it would have mattered, because I didn’t have any information that he might have been seeking.
Not wanting him to catch on to what I was doing now, I didn’t think it was wise to turn him down. So, I replied, “Sure. When and where?”
“How about you give me your address and I’ll pick you up tonight around six?” he offered.
I had to wonder if he already knew where I lived.
“No offense, Eric, but you just said it yourself,” I started. “We’re going to be getting to know one another. I’m not sure I’m ready to give you my address. I’m happy to meet you somewhere, though.”
A soft chuckle came through the line, and I thought I might find it endearing in any other situation. In this one, I didn’t.
“Fair enough. I can’t fault a woman for taking steps to keep herself safe, even if I know I’m not a threat,” he said. “Does six o’clock at The Crab House work for you?”
He was a threat.
He was absolutely a threat.
He just didn’t realize how.
“That’s perfect. I’ll see you then,” I lied.
“Sounds great. I’ll talk to you later, Sawyer.”
“Bye.”
With that, I disconnected the call and got back to what I was doing. When I’d gathered up everything that was worth something to me, I went back to my car and got on the road. I didn’t look back.
Not when Adriana called me, asking me to meet up with her for lunch that afternoon.
And certainly not when Eric called after I’d stood him up for dinner that evening.
ONE
Sawyer
Fifteen Years Earlier
Strong protective arms wrapped around me and held on tightly. There was no place on Earth that felt safer than in the arms of my dad. Nothing could calm fear or anxiety better than my father’s embrace. It was a hug from my dad that could always remind me of what genuine love felt like.
“This never gets easier,” I said, my voice quiet and shaky.
His arms tightened around me. “I know, darling. I feel the same as you do.”
“I wish you could stay,” I confessed, knowing it wasn’t going to make this any easier on him. I couldn’t help it. I wanted him to know how much I loved him and how hard it was when he had to leave.
After giving me a gentle squeeze, my dad loosened his hold on me and assured me, “I’ll be back before you know it.”
Nodding my understanding, I replied, “As long as you promise to come back.”
He tipped his head to the side and allowed his eyes to search my face. “You know there’s nothing more important to me than getting back home to you and your mom.”
It was.
I knew it was.
Kent McKinney was nothing if not a family man. My dad loved us. He adored me, and he worshipped his wife. He had me convinced that my mom and I were the luckiest women in the world.
“I’m afraid,” I admitted. “It’s so scary, Dad.”
