Under His Protection (Protect and Defend 1)

No kidding. Blake was silently berating herself for the same exact thing. “So you were in cahoots with this guy—your husband to bring me over here so you could get money?”

“I tried to escape from him once already. He’s crazy. Abusive, a drug user, a loser, I couldn’t stay with him anymore. I was afraid he was going to kill me.” A sob escaped her and she shook her head. “So I faked my own death, reinvented myself and came out here.”

It sounded like a damn movie. Talk about surreal.

“So he found you.” Blake turned to find Suzanne crying, tears streaking down her face. She couldn’t believe Suzanne went to such lengths as to fake her own death just to leave the guy.

It must’ve been really bad. Terrible.

“He found me.” Suzanne sniffed and wiped at her nose. “I didn’t think he would bother looking for me. I mean, he thought I was dead. But I guess something came up with an insurance policy he had on me I didn’t even know about. They never found my body and when they became suspicious, he got suspicious, too. I guess he’s smarter than I gave him credit for.”

That was saying something, since Blake thought he was the stupidest man she’d ever met. “So why bring me into this? I thought we were friends.” Despite the hardened shell she was trying to display to protect herself, it still hurt, Suzanne’s betrayal.

It hurt a lot.

“I know. And I’m so sorry.” She did look sorry. Though Blake figured she could also be a really great actress.

“He started raving how I owed him because he didn’t get to cash in on the insurance. How I deceived him and broke his heart and he wanted payback. I panicked. It was bad enough I had him in front of me after I thought I’d gotten rid of him forever.” Suzanne paused, taking a deep breath before she further explained.

“I didn’t know what else to do, so I talked about you. And I only mentioned you because I knew you always had a tail. Rich was stupid enough to call you, saying all those weird things to you but I told him that was a huge mistake.”

Blake remained silent. So it had been Rich who called her, not Suzanne. Or whatever her name was. Close enough…

“I figured I’d ask you to come here, the agent would follow and he’d come right in and take over. I’d have Rich arrested and then everything would be fine. Back to normal.”

“It didn’t quite work out that way.” Blake stared at the closed door, wishing she could just barrel through it and tell the asshole to go screw himself.

But Suzanne had warned her when he shoved them into the bedroom he was armed and not afraid to use whatever means necessary to get what he wanted. She’d caught the glinting flash of silver in the waistband of his jeans when he left the bedroom and she knew Suzanne wasn’t kidding.

No way would she confront a lunatic with a gun. He’d shoot her for sure.

“He’s coming to find me. Mason.” She knew this, had faith in it, in him. Not only because he kept watch over her but because he cared about her. He’d be worried.

And mad for letting her slip from his watch. It was entirely her fault but he’d feel guilty.

Sadness rose within her and she tried to tamp it down. She hated that she did this to him. That she did this to herself. She should’ve never left the house, should’ve begged off visiting Suzanne and blame the weather.

If she’d done that, she’d still be at home, with Mason. Just the thought of him made her skin warm, her heart rate kick up a notch.

She missed him. She needed him. She loved him. Oh, how she wished she’d told him that last night.

“I hope you’re right,” Suzanne said.

“Absolutely, I’m right.” Blake nodded. “He’ll be here soon. Trust me. It’s his job to follow me.”

“He didn’t do a very good job today,” Suzanne muttered.

Blake shot her a dirty look. “It’s my fault. I didn’t tell him where I went.”

“Where was he that he didn’t realize you’d left?”

She didn’t want to tell. Did she?

No. Suzanne wasn’t a confidant any longer. She couldn’t trust her. Instead of answering, Blake ignored the question completely. She stared out the window and watched the rain fall, flooding out the small backyard.

This little house was awful, downright depressing. And so was the jerk Suzanne had married. Made Blake realize her life wasn’t so bad. She had parents who might not always support her, but at least they loved her. And she could do whatever she chose to with her life, her future. Like her paintings. And making Mason hers.

Yes, she definitely wanted to make Mason hers. She was madly in love with him.