Page 67 of Retaliation

“I’m sorry,” he uttered, his voice trailing off uncertainly. “It looked like you needed help.”

She shook her head as a fit of hysteric laughter erupted from her chest. She couldn’t believe she attacked the man who had just saved her life. Scorpion would have killed her if he hadn’t shown up, and here she was, being ungrateful.

When she could breathe again, she looked down at Scorpion, his body limp, and mumbled: “Oh, yeah… Thank you.”

She smiled at the stranger and, to her surprise, found his hand stretched out to help her. She took his hand, and his heat melted her frozen fingers. For a moment, she stared at the contact and then snapped her hand back, busying herself with dusting herself off. She couldn’t help but notice how attractive he was, with shaggy brown hair and piercing blue eyes even in the dim light.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” the stranger asked, sounding concerned.

She couldn’t meet those earnest eyes, so she nodded and kept picking at the grass and leaves on her clothes.

“Why did he try to hurt you?”

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the worry on his face. Who was this man? His gaze made her uncomfortable in a way she hadn’t been before. She had just met him, and already he must think she was rude and weak—a damsel in distress, needing saving. She hated it, so she flipped the switch on her emotions, opting for nonchalance.

“Long story,” she shrugged and bent down to straighten Scorpion’s limp body. “He’s just knocked out,” she announced to no one in particular.

She allowed her fingertips to caress his cheek before she stood and turned to the stranger watching her.

“Would you please help me take him to a safe place?” she asked, even though she knew she had no right to expect that from him.

But the stranger gave her a big wolfish grin.

“Let me get this straight,” he chuckled. “He tried to kill you, and you’re going to take his sorry ass home? I’d leave him to the wolves.”

He shook his head before bending down, placing his bat over Scorpion’s stomach, and hooking his hands under Scorpion’s arms.

“Some lovers’ quarrel this is,” he laughed again, and it was the most genuine sound she had ever heard. “But sure, grab his legs. I’ll help you.”

She had no idea who this guy was, and she knew not to trust a stranger walking in the dark with a bat, but he made her feel safe for some reason.

“I should probably be running for the hills,” he laughed as he adjusted his grip on Scorpion’s arms. “But my mother always said I was too curious for my own good.”

“Why are you helping me?” She couldn’t help the question slipping out.

“It’s my duty,” he said with a shrug. When she stopped and gave him a suspicious look, he continued. “Helping a woman in need. It’s the gentleman thing to do.”

She scoffed and they carried Scorpion to a gate leading out of the park, and she was grateful that the cops didn’t bother to snoop around that neighborhood—they were the picture of suspicion carrying a body in the middle of the night.

Outside the gate, she hesitated and looked at the stranger, who was walking with a grin on his face.

“I’m going to have a hard time getting him anywhere on my bike,” she admitted, not seeing how she could drive with him being unconscious.

“My Jeep is just around the corner,” he answered, jerking his head in the direction he meant.

Grateful, she nodded, and they walked around the corner to a khaki Jeep. The stranger opened the back door, and they heaved Scorpion into the back seat.

Instead of closing the door, the guy pulled a small toolbox from beneath the seat, pulled out a few cable ties, and held it out to her.

“In case he wakes up,” he shrugged when she just stared at him.

Nodding, she took the cable ties from him and fastened Scorpion’s hands behind his back before closing the door.

“Where’s your bike?” he asked as he held open the passenger door for her, and she tried not to swoon over the chivalry.

“It’s in the alley next to Danny’s Diner. Do you know where that is?” she asked as she got into the Jeep.

“I do,” he answered and took her seatbelt.

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