Page 12 of Her Bossy Bodyguards

“An obsession with what?”

“It’s kind of the next step up, right?” Kelly continued. “Natalie Hanson, you and I both know that you could have any guy that you want on this campus. All you have to do is ask. But those guys? The ones who look like they could eat the guys on this campus forbreakfast? You might have to try a little harder than usual.”

Kelly scooted a bit closer to me. “All I’m saying is that you should consider that the reason you want them so much is because you want something a little more high-effort. Hell, maybe youwouldn’teven like them anymore if they actually made a move on you.”

“Maybe you’re right.” I flashed her a light smile. “Maybe I’m just trying so hard because I’ve never had to try so hard before.”

“And they told me I was never going to do anything with my psych degree.” Kelly laughed. “Seriously, Natalie. Everything’s going to be fine—”

That was the last thing Kelly said before something suddenly hit the side of her head, knocking her out cold.

“Kelly? Kelly!” I screamed as I reached for her, my hands going up to either side of her neck, quickly checking for a pulse.

Thank God.

She was still breathing.

“Kelly, I’m going to call 911, okay? I’m going to—” I didn’t get a chance to finish my sentence before a bag was forced over my head. The next thing I felt was a set of muscular arms wrapping around my waist as they dragged me through the quad, my feet struggling for purchase but never being able to sink far enough into the ground.

I tried to scream, but the bag was wrapped so tight around my face that I couldn’t get out a single sound. And when I tried to kick or scream, I felt someone’s hand wrap around my hair and pull it tight, so rough that there were tears burning behind my eyes.

Oh God.

Oh my God.

Was I going to die?

My tears flowed down my cheeks as I thought about never seeing my dad again, never seeing Kelly, never seeing the sun. And as I struggled to take in another gasp of air, oxygen barely getting through the bag’s material, I could tell that someone was trying to stuff me into the back of a car, their palms forcing me into what felt like a trunk.

But just as my knee was pressed against leather, I heard what sounded like two gunshots going off in rapid succession.

And then I was free, the black bag slipping away from my skin. I pushed away from the trunk and spotted the dead man who now lay at my feet. His expression was twisted with surprise, his eyes wide as two fresh holes decorated his face, one in his forehead and one in his cheek.

Kelly.

I need to go back for Kelly.

I started to dash back toward the quad, but before I could even make it onto the grass, Zeke was standing right in front of me.

“We need to go. Now!” Zeke bellowed as he started to push me back toward the would-be kidnapper’s black SUV.

“I can’t! I need to make sure Kelly is safe—”

“Kelly is going to be fine,” Kingston added, suddenly standing on my other side. “We’ve already alerted the authorities, and we’ll have one of our guys stay with her until the ambulance comes.”

“Wait! Wait!” I shouted, digging my feet into the ground. “What the hell? Do you really expect me to just leave my friend? I’m not going anywhere until I make sure she’s safe!”

“You’re going with us to a safe location, Ms. Hanson,” Kingston interrupted. “Now, we can either do this the easy way or the hard way, but either way, you’re leaving this campus right now. It’s not safe for you.”

“So make it safe!” I yelled. “That’s your job, isn’t it? To keep me safe? Figure something out until the ambulance gets here for Kelly.”

“That’s not going to work for us, Ms. Hanson,” Kingston interrupted me again.

“Well, tough shit.” I stood my ground, my arms folded across my chest. “Because I’m not going anywhere with you.”

Zeke and Kingston shared a look, not a word coming out of either of their mouths, their eyes seeming to exchange information without a single sound.

And then their arms were on me, pulling me away from the ground, holding up either side of my frame as they forcefully carried me back to the black SUV.

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