Page 6 of Bounty Hunter's Obsession

I’m a sucker for a violent gentleman. Hayden is the first person to make someone apologize to me for being disrespectful. Men like him aren’t supposed to exist. They’re the ones you watch in those sappy rom-coms. But, there’s nothing funny about what’s happening to me.

“Do you want to stop by your place to pick up a few things?” he asks, standing between our cars.

I nod and look at both vehicles, wondering how this is going to work.

It’s as if he’s reading my mind when he says, “You can follow me to my place and put your car in my garage. We don’t want it on the street in case Tony’s still looking for you.”

A shiver runs down my spine. Tony never gave me a reason to fear him until after the raid. Hearing him bang on my front door, trying to kick it off the hinges, lives vibrantly in my memories.

“Are you okay to drive?” Hayden asks, his voice a beacon of calmness amongst my chaotic thoughts.

“Yeah, lead the way.”

He opens the driver-side door for me to get into my car, and it doesn’t take long before we’re pulling up to a property on the edge of town. There aren’t any neighbors for a good ten minutes in either direction.

The home’s a single-story ranch with a long porch in the front. Trees line the perimeter of the homestead and it makes me wonder if he has any animals with so much open space.

The garage is cleaner than any I’ve ever seen and the sound of his car pulling in behind mine makes me turn to see he’s stopping just outside the door. In the light of the garage, Hayden could be seen as menacing, but the only thing I see is a wall of muscle looking to protect me, to help me.

I want to run my fingers through his hair as he kisses me again. I wonder when’s the next time that will happen. Kisses will have to wait as he opens the door to his car, and before I know it, we’re turning up the street I live on.

The ease with which someone can get my address is insane, but I don’t want to dwell on that. In Hayden’s line of work, I’m sure getting an address is one of the easiest things he can do.

As we approach my front door, I can see the tape is still in place, undisturbed, but Hayden reaches behind him to put his hand against my stomach, forcing me to stop. He holds a finger up to his mouth and puts his ear against the door.

“You got another way in?” he whispers.

I nod and tell him, “Yeah, around back. Is there something wrong?”

His eyes narrow as if squinting is going to make him hear better. Still, that handsomely chiseled face is scrunching up with so much intensity, it makes me want to be quiet. My heart races because what if someone’s inside? What if Tony’s waiting there for me?

“Let’s go,” he says quietly.

“What about my stuff?” I huff out a breath and look at the house, hoping he changes his mind.

“I’ll buy you new stuff.” Hayden wraps his hand around mine and leads me back to his car, where I check the time. It’s almost midnight. There aren’t any places open right now. I need a shower and a bed.

“What about tonight?” I ask him.

We begin to drive away when he slows down to peer out of his window. I can’t tell what’s got his attention, but I focus on the second floor. When the curtains sway from behind the window, I sink down into the seat.

“My windows are tinted, baby girl. They don’t know who’s in this car, yet.” Hayden’s voice is deep, his tone daring and my body wants him to use that tone with me. I want him to tell me things I never knew I wanted to hear.

“What if they get your plate and look up your address?” I ask him. That’s something criminals do in movies.

He chuckles softly. “They can try that if they want. Don’t worry, Halo. I’m not going to let anything happen to you. Let’s get some food in ya.”

My stomach growls right on cue as we head down the street. My mind is racing and I have a dozen questions.

“Why would anyone want to break into my crummy old house? My Nan never kept anything valuable there.”

“Except you,” he adds nonchalantly.

I shake my head from side to side. “I’m not valuable. I’m just her granddaughter, someone thrown into her lap because my momma didn’t want me.”

He pulls the car to a stop in the middle of the street, throwing the gear shift into park and facing me. “Don’t talk about yourself like that. Your mom may not have been there, but she knew well enough to leave you with someone whocouldtake care of you. Your grandmother knew how special you were when she chose to take care of you. Look at me.”

I don’t want to, fearing my stinging eyes will release tears. I manage to keep my composure, saying, “I see you. You’re an incredibly caring person for someone who looks so intimidating. I don’t know how I got so lucky to have you here when your actual job is to bring me to jail.”

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