Page 8 of Shadows of Nightshade
Which, of course, made the knot in my stomach tighten.
I knew it. I saw right through him. No one that beautiful was capable of anything less than murder. It was just how things worked, the way of natural selection. This must be how he distracted his victims: he dazzled them. I was certain of thisbecause, despite his good-natured appearance, something about this guy screameddanger.
“This isn’t the safest place to be wandering around by yourself.” His large green eyes twinkled as he grinned, showing off adorable dimples. It was his teeth, however, that captured my attention.
Why did they look so sharp?
“Do you need any help?” he asked.
Despite his friendly words, my breath caught. A familiar warning rang in the back of my mind.
Yes, unless I did something drastic, I probably would end up dead. I couldn’t let a lumberjack kill me. That would just be ridiculous.
“It’s fine,” I somehow managed to say. I couldn’t look at him anymore. I’d had just about enough strangers, and I hadn’t even made it to my destination. I needed to conserve my energy.
I had no choice but to move forward. Maybe if I ignored him, he’d go away.
“Where’s your chaperone?” His sultry voice drifted after me like a caress. I took the risk to glance back again—trying to ignore the ‘chaperone’ comment—and almost fell to the gravel.
He had gotten off his bike and was pushing it with him as he strolled after me.
Was this for real?
I could probably outrun him. I was fast, but I hated to run. Plus, despite his bizarre attractiveness, he didn’t look like he could afford much. He wouldn’t be stupid enough to abandon this expensive-looking bike just to chase me through the woods.
But there was also the possibility that I was wrong. Perhaps he was a good Samaritan—albeit a misguided, socially-unaware, persistent one. If he were going to hurt me, wouldn’t he have done so already?
I slowed down and gave him a wary look. He couldn’t follow me the whole way, could he?
He grinned, realizing that he had regained my attention. “I’m just surprised. I rarely see your kind alone around here,” he pointed out. “But this place can be dangerous. There’s nothing around for miles except private residences and trees. It’d be a shame if something happened to you.”
My anxiety rose as I fought to maintain composure.
Why was he smiling? There was no reason for him to smile. He was totally preying on me. And his words…‘my kind?’ What did that mean? Wasn’t he basically implying that no one would find my mutilated body?
I had to do something. I pulled my purse forward as I continued walking. My pulse was racing as he followed after me, and I discreetly searched through my bag until I held my weapon. I was ready. If this guy tried anything, he’d never know what hit him.
“Don’t worry, princess,” he continued, somehow managing to become more persistent. “I’ll walk with you.”
I stopped—I certainly couldn’t show up at Damen’s with this interloper in tow.
“I’m fine.” I tried to reassure him in my nicest voice. I had to show no fear. “Please don’t bother. Besides, I don’t even know who you are.”
“It’s not a bother.” He smiled again as a shiver radiated down my back. “My name is Titus Ducharme. You might have heard of me. They call me Jin. I own Jinshu Security.”
Jin, Jin…
Why did that sound vaguely familiar?
He continued speaking, and I pursed my lips, barely paying any attention to his ramblings. I was even more suspicious now. I doubted he was the owner of a respectable corporation; hebelonged more on the other side of the law.
Titus—if that was his real name—picked up on my doubt. “If you really don’t believe me, I can call my assistant. She’ll help.”
I raised a brow, unable to come up with a response. What was wrong with him?
And how would some random woman assure me?
“Let me guess, you’re headed…” He pointed in the same direction that I had been walking. “…that way. What a coincidence! I’m going that way too, so we can go together.”
