Page 45 of Betrayed

“He is. He gave his statement to the campus PD, and is on his way back to the office. We’ll give our statements via a video call later.”

My statement wouldn’t help much. I didn’t see anything until AJ turned to stop the guy, and everything after that was a blur.

Oh my God. Did Jack hear me freak out?

“Did he hear me have my panic attack?” I didn’t know why it mattered, but it did. I didn’t want him thinking I was weak.

“No, I shut the mic off until it was over.”

He did? Really?AJ continued to surprise me. Maybe he wasn’t an ogre, like I’d originally thought. Even if he did choke that guy. Would he get in trouble for it? Did they arrest Jack, since he stayed behind?

My chest tightened as panic threatened to take over again. Remembering AJ’s earlier breathing technique, I took a deep breath and released it slowly.

“Do you have a code name?” I asked, needing to occupy my mind, so I didn’t panic again.

“I do. Sierra Four.”

“What does it mean?”

“Sierra is the military phonetic for the letter S, and we each have a number. Sierra Three has been with us all day.”

So Jack was Sierra Three.

“How’d you pick your numbers?”

“They’re based on the order we signed our contracts. I was the fourth.”

I asked AJ if he minded me asking questions. He said he didn’t, so I kept asking. It was interesting to hear about what he did, and it helped keep me from freaking out.

We were about fifteen minutes from the office when AJ signaled he was listening to Jack.

“Copy that. See you in a few,” he said, then turned to me. “Change of plans; we’re not going to the office, we’re going to Snow’s Castle.”

I laughed. Not a little feminine laugh, but a cackle. What was it with these people and their princess references?

“Snow’s Castle.” I asked, “Seriously?” My voice thick with loathing.

“Yup,” he answered. “What do you have against princesses?”

“Nothing, I just don’t think it’s something girls should aspire to. Why do we encourage young girls to think they need a man to save them?” I realized the irony of my statement as soon as it came out of my mouth.

AJ raised an eyebrow and grinned. I waited for him to call me out on my hypocrisy, but he didn’t. He let his expression do the talking.

I'd needed a man had to save me.

And keep me from having a panic attack.

Defending my position, I said, “What happened today isn’t normal. Most girls won’t need a bodyguard at college. Or ever.”

“If you say so.” The humor in his voice annoyed me. I planned to tell him just that, but before I could come up with a clever comeback, he said, “Five minutes out.”

“What?” I asked before realizing he must be talking to Jack.

Chapter 23

AJ

Blake stayed silent for the rest of the drive. Which was good, since I had to focus on not reacting to Jack’s continuous stream of updates while watching Blake for signs of another panic attack.

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