Happily Never After Read Free Page B

Every creeper movie she'd ever seen came back in vivid detail. The serial killer always drove a van, right? Beginning to hyperventilate, her breathing became stilted.
    No one stepped from the van as seconds dragged by like minutes. She twisted the key in the ignition and the little car’s engine purred. A flat tire or not, if Son of Satan got out of that vehicle, she was going to peel rubber and get the heck out here.
    Right before her nerves reached their breaking point, the van rolled next to her car. Dents and scratches covered the rusted side of a van that had once been painted white. The dark silhouette sitting in the driver’s seat swiveled toward her while it drove past. She could feel eyes boring into her. The driver punched the gas and roared down the road.
    Hysterical laughter burst forth and she laid her head back against the seat. Her heart still beat like hummingbird wings against her chest. She wiped away tears of relief with the heels of her hands. He must have decided the white knight routine wasn’t his thing.
    Her legs still shook a little when she opened her door and got out. Changing a tire wouldn’t be a problem. Before David taught her to drive, he made sure she learned all the ins and outs of car ownership. In five minutes, she’d be back on the road and in thirty, soaking in a tub full of bubbles.
    She sat back on her heels and cursed. There always had to be one lug nut that refused to loosen. A mammoth truck parked behind her car. The bright lights blinded her. She jumped up, shielding her eyes with one hand, as sheer black fright swept through her. The weight of the tire iron in her grip was comforting as a large figure emerged.
    A man stopped a few feet from where she waited. “Need any help?”
    “No, thanks. I’ve got it handled.”
    He snorted as the uneven ground made her teeter on the high heels she wore. “Doing a bang-up job, too. Think you’ll be finished anytime soon?”
    She didn’t fail to catch the note of sarcasm, and it got her back up when she recognized him.
    “C’mon, remember me? Bode Taggert. I met you at David’s office this morning. You’re his little sister. Let me get the spare out and change it for you.” With one hand held out for the tire iron, an air of command exuded from him.
    Her breath was released in a whoosh. She gave him a forced smile and a nod of compliance. There was no sense arguing with the man if it meant putting an end to this exhausting day.
    He stepped to her open trunk and peered inside. “Your spare is flat.”
    “No, it’s not.” She came around to the back of the car to inspect it herself. Her shoulders sagged in defeat. “I can call David—”
    “It’s late. Let me give you a ride and you can get someone out here tomorrow to fix both tires.”
    Too exhausted to argue she locked her car and got into his oversized SUV. Wary, she angled her head to keep him in her side vision. His profile spoke of strength and determination. He wore his black hair longer than most of the lawmen she was used to working around. The vibe that radiated from him practically screamed don’t screw with me .
    They drove in silence to the hotel she’d indicated. Instead of pulling through the drop-off, he stopped in a marked space.
    A tiny wrinkle formed on her forehead. “Listen, you don’t need to park.”
    “I just got off work and a jolt of caffeine would hit the spot. Today has been an incredibly long day. You look like you could use a little something too. How about you take pity and join me?”
    As much as she hated to admit it, even to herself, she wasn’t quite ready to enter an empty room after the unsettling events of the day. “Okay, I guess one cup of coffee wouldn’t hurt anything.”
    They entered the lobby bar, and she all but collapsed in the chair he offered. Bode joined her and motioned for the waitress. After receiving their orders, he waited for her to speak with disquieting patience.
    She narrowed her eyes in a defensive manner.