Page 39 of Fighting for Scarlett

“Why aren't we waiting for the cops?”

“Because I don’t want you arrested.”

“Afraid they won't be hard enough on me?” she mocked because one thing she was sure of was that Tate Laurier wanted her to suffer. Why? She wasn’t sure. It was fine he hadn't felt the connection she had, but he seemed to hate her. Like actually hate her, and that made zero sense.

“You took a bullet for me,” he said, sounding shocked by the idea.

“Of course. I wasn’t going to let them kill you.”

“Why?”

“What do you mean why? I'm not a killer.” Did he have to keep offending her? Thinking she was a traitor was bad enough, but now he thought she was okay with cold-blooded murder?

“What are you then?” This one time he seemed to be genuinely seeking an answer.

“Doesn’t matter what I say, you’ve already made up your mind.” Suddenly bone weary, Scarlett let her head fall back against the seat. “You know what? I think I'd rather wait for the cops.”

If she didn't know better, Scarlett would have been certain that his growl was possessive. “You're coming to my place.”

She didn't get this man at all. “Why?”

For a long moment the only sound was of the ruined car creaking and groaning its way down the street. Then his quiet, anger-free, almost confused voice answered, “I don’t know.”

January 15th

3:19 A.M.

She’d taken a bullet for him.

A bullet.

Scarlett was currently sitting in the passenger seat of his car bleeding all over the place because she had thrown herself in front of a bullet meant for him.

Meant to end his life.

Tate knew he wouldn’t have been able to stop it from happening. He’d woken up just to hear a man’s voice saying he was going to kill the man and take the girl. By the time the words had registered through his throbbing head, and he’d gathered enough strength to reach for his weapon, the crack of a gunshot had already sliced through the night.

In that split second, he had been prepared to die.

While he hadn't wanted to leave his dad behind, or his team, he was at peace with death if it was his time. You didn't live the kind of life he did, have the kind of job he did, and then be surprised when death came for you at a young age.

But tonight, he had quite literally dodged a bullet.

Because of the woman sitting silently beside him.

Her question continued to echo in his mind as he somehow managed to get his mangled truck to drive the short distance to his house, only three miles away from Scarlett’s.

Why?

Why was he taking her to his place?

The answer that rang through his mind was one he wasn’t willing to acknowledge.

Not yet.

Maybe not ever.

At the very least, not until this whole mess was sorted out.

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