“I think we’ll get along just fine,” Trenton said as he stuck out his hand. Chad felt like he’d passed some kind of test he didn’t know he was taking until it was over. He shook the man’s hand, then they all sat down and gave Chad the details on where Bree was and what to expect once he got there.
He knew she was going to be a handful but he was suddenly anticipating his babysitting duty. She wasn’t hard on the eyes and he was curious about the fire he knew was just below her uptight surface. He may actually find the next few months enjoyable.
As if Trenton could read Chad’s thoughts, his eyes narrowed for a moment. The two men stared at each other before Lucas said something and broke the moment.
Chad had always liked a challenge and it seemed two were being placed before him. First he had to somehow tame the princess, and secondly, her brothers didn’t want him near her. He fought back the smile wanting to stretch across his face. He didn’t need to make the situation any more tense right then.
Chapter Two
Bree felt like someone was watching her. She looked around and didn’t see anyone, but she could feel the little hairs on her neck rising. Something wasn’t right – it felt like someone was out there – staring a hole into her. It was dark and she was uncomfortable walking to her car alone. Normally, she never thought twice about it. She was in a small town, virtually no crime to speak of, and she knew she had nothing to worry about.
But still…
She picked up her steps, moving faster toward the parking lot. Reaching into her purse, she frantically searched for her keys. She’d feel better once she was locked inside her car. The only reason she was paranoid was the frustrating phone conversation she’d had with her father earlier in the evening.
He’d tried to demand she return home immediately, saying her safety was in jeopardy. She knew it was purely her family overreacting, once again. She was sick of the babying. She was a grown woman and would prove to them she could make it on her own. They’d get a hoot out of the fact she was shaking as she approached her vehicle.
Bree turned her head again and looked around, then laughed inwardly at her own paranoia. No one was there – the boogeyman wasn’t after her. She looked down and searched through her over-sized purse – muttering under her breath that first thing in the morning she’d finally purchase a clip so she could attach her keys to the handle. She always took an hour to find the dang things.
After several frustrating minutes, she realized her car keys weren’t in her bag. She must’ve left them on her desk, grabbing her office keys instead. She’d done that too often to keep letting it happen. She sighed and turned to walk back inside. Her employment was mindless work, but it gave her a paycheck and she didn’t have to spend from her trust fund. She was determined to live on her own dollar – not her family money.
Though she knew she was being ridiculous, her hand closed around her purse. She knew it wasn’t a weapon, but it held enough items that if she hit someone over the head with it, she’d probably stun them long enough to get away. She was irritated at how paranoid she was acting. Her father’s call must’ve spooked her more than she realized.
She slowly made her way back to the office, trying to act as normal as possible. She wished at least a few other people were out so she wasn’t totally alone. Though her heart raced, she held her head high and stepped around the back of the building, to the employee entrance. She looked around at the two-story structure, seeming to spot shadows shifting in every corner. She pulled out her phone and pushed a button on the side so the screen lit up. It made her feel better to have a trace of light. She needed to talk to the manager about fixing the exterior lighting. It wasn’t safe for employees to be going in and out of the alley at night in pitch black.
Just as she was about to turn the corner a cat screeched, then rushed past her legs, its hair brushing against her bare calves. She must have jumped five feet in the air. The sound could’ve been bottled and used in a horror flick.
She realized the humor in the situation and immediately started laughing out loud uncontrollably. She had to stop being so paranoid. She finally pulled herself together and turned around the back of the building - and slammed into something solid.
Trying to get her breath back and move at the same time, she realized it wasn’t a wall she’d collided against. Arms were tightening around her in a death grip and her vision blurred as all the air left her body. She was momentarily paralyzed with fear. She knew she needed to scream, kick, bite, do anything other than stand there. People were still inside the office building. If she could get their attention she’d stand half a chance.
Bree finally managed to drag in a lungful of air and opened her mouth wide to let out a scream. As if he knew what she was doing, his hand clamped quickly over her mouth, further escalating her panic. She couldn’t die in an alleyway behind a crappy office. She pushed against his hand and bit down, pleased when she managed to get her teeth around some of the flesh of his palm.
“Crap! Stop that. I’m not trying to hurt you,” the man growled. His voice wasn’t reassuring. She also wasn’t a stupid teenage girl who believed her assailant only wanted to talk.
She continued twisting her body, but it was like struggling against the bars of a roller coaster car. He wasn’t budging an inch. The more she struggled, the stronger his hold became. Managing to lift up her foot, she slammed her three-inch heel down on top of his. He let out a yelp and released his grasp.
She didn’t take time to turn, but started running for the street. She only made it a few steps when his hands grasped her arm and she was pulled up tight against him again. This time he lifted her clean off the ground. She continued to struggle, knowing she only needed one good shot at his body. If she could get away a second time, she was ditching the shoes and running for all her life was worth.
“If you calm down I’ll let you go,” he commanded. Yeah, right. She wasn’t buying that either.
She managed to swing her elbow backward and connected with his rock-hard abs. She immediately whimpered as pain shot through her arm. She may as well have slammed her elbow into a brick wall.
“Damn, your dad could’ve told me you were hell on wheels,” he muttered as he took a few steps toward the wall, then flipped her body around so she was facing him. His words took some of the wind from her sails. What did he have to do with her father? She’d heard about kidnappers saying a family member was sick to get you to go with them – that had to be what it was.