When Rivals Love (Bayshore Rivals 3)

I need him to stop so I can make a run for it. Deja vu settles in my mind, that was my plan the last time I got kidnapped. Didn’t work out that great then, but what else can I do? It’s not like I stand a chance fighting a man who is twice my size and works as a bodyguard, but I’m not going to let this happen without, at least, fighting back, the stakes are too high.

We drive on the two-lane highway for a while longer until Milton suddenly puts his turn signal on and switches lanes to take the exit. I perk up, my eyes catching on the rest stop sign in the beam of the headlights.

Keeping my lips firmly together, even though I have a ton to say, I wait for the car to stop. With enough adrenaline pumping through my veins, I reach for the handle just as the car comes to a stop. But all my plans change in an instant because before I even touch the handle, the door opens for me.

The cool night air rushes into the car. On instinct, I jerk back at the large dark figure that’s magically appeared in front of me, blocking the exit.

A tiny squeak slips past my lips when he bends down and starts to climb into the back seat. Oh, hell, no.

Lifting my foot, I’m about to kick this bastard in the face when my eyes catch on a familiar pair of chocolate brown ones. Oliver.

“Oliver…” I gasp as I lean back in the seat. I’m caught between wanting to hug him, and throat punch him all at once. When I see his trademark smirk that usually makes my insides tingle, anger wins out. All I’m feeling right now is simmering rage.

“Were you in on this?”

He had better not be, though, I’m certain he was.

“In on it? Baby, it was my idea,” he chuckles.

Yup, definitely want to punch him now.

“You didn’t actually think we were going to let you marry that asshat Matt, did you?”

“It’s not your choice, and you don’t know the danger you’re putting all of us in by doing this… again.” My heart starts to break all over again. Every time I think I’m moving forward, learning to let go of the feelings I have for the Bishop brothers, one of them decides to reappear in my life.

“Drive,” Oliver orders when he is in the car.

Milton throws the car into drive and pulls out into traffic. Oliver reaches for me, his fingers interlace with my own, and I can’t bring myself to disconnect from him. I need his touch, need the warmth of his skin. It’s like it gives me strength.

“We have evidence against your father. Leverage. You don’t have to marry that prick to protect anyone. You aren’t under your father’s thumb anymore.”

My face falls, my eyes move to where our fingers are joined. I don’t understand how. I couldn’t find any evidence, nothing to stop my father from hurting the Bishops. If I don’t go back now…

“Stop thinking, I can see all the thoughts running through your head. You’re safe, we’re safe, nothing is going to happen.”

Looking up into his brown eyes, I ask, “How can you be sure?”

Even in the dark, I can feel his eyes burning a path over my skin.

“I thought you would be happy to get away from him,” he whispers in defeat.

Moving closer to him, I lift a hand and force him to look at me. “I am, but I’m scared. I don’t want my father to lash out at you or your brothers for this. I can’t let anything happen to any of you.”

“And we can’t let anything happen to you either. Besides the whole scam marriage thing, you weren’t safe there. Someone is trying to hurt you.” The pain in his voice cuts through me like razor blades, and all I can think about is making him feel better. Crawling into his lap, I wrap my arms around his neck and bury my face into his neck. He immediately wraps his arms around me, crushing me to his chest. All I can hear is the heavy thump of his heart in my ear as it beats against his chest, his intoxicating scent filling my nostrils.

I spend the rest of the drive cradled in Oliver’s arms, forgetting that Milton’s in the car completely. I’m so content that the exhaustion wins out, and I don’t even realize that I fall asleep until Oliver wakes me up with a gentle kiss to my forehead, we’ve pulled up in front of a hotel.

“We are here,” he murmurs into my hair as I stretch my arms.

“Where is here?”

“We’ll stay in this hotel, for now, there is security everywhere, and no one would expect us to be here. It’s safe,” Oliver promises. He takes my hand and helps me out of the car. We close the car door, and Milton drives off to who knows where. Right now, I’m too tired to care. Oliver leads me inside, and only then do I realize I’m wearing pajamas. Luckily, there is no one in the lobby when we pass through. I’m not sure what time it is, but it’s still dark outside, so it must be very early in the morning.