jumped inside, turned the key and threw the shifter into drive, stomping on the gas. The wheels squealed in protest. The restaurant was only fifteen minutes away, and Jaynee said she had closing work to do. But the thought of something happening to her—he squelched the thought, reminding himself she did this nightly. He really needed to loosen up before he frightened her by being overbearing.
Jaynee stared at the blank display screen on her phone. “What was that all about?” she said aloud, irritably, unconcerned with eyes all around watching her. “I told him I’d meet him at Starbucks. Men! They’re so pushy.”
She finished her closing duties, freshened herself up then headed out the side door toward her car at the rear of the parking lot. She realized now she’d have to wait for Jordan. She should call him back and tell him not to come, that she’d meet him. She fished through her purse for her phone. This was ridiculous.
When she finally found her phone, she realized it wouldn’t work. Jordan was chivalrous. He held doors open, helped her into his truck and even pulled out chairs.
Despite her earlier irritation, Jaynee smiled as she walked through the parking lot. She was thinking about Jordan when she felt hands grab her from behind, pick her up and shove her against her vehicle. The impact with the door knocked the wind out of her, and she gasped for breath. She couldn’t see her attacker but smelled his rancid breath. He ranked of cheap booze. In her peripherals, she caught a glimpse of two men flanking him, but they held their distance. Her heart pounded. What would they do to her? She couldn’t live through this again.
“Did you get the letter, Caycee?” The man pressing her to the car kept his voice muted and guttural, but it sounded vaguely familiar.
“What letter?” She attempted to twist out of his grip, but he wrenched her arm against her back, shoving her harder into her car. Tears flooded her eyes. Brian had sent someone to follow her again. Why wouldn’t he just let her go?
“Consider this your warning.” He let go of her, and she fell to the ground as he hovered over her. He wore his hat drawn low over his eyes. In the shadows of the parking lot, it was hard to make out his features, but she thought she recognized him. “He made it clear what will happen if you date other men. Maybe we should give you an illustration tonight,” he snickered, lowering his body over top of her.
Tires screeched behind them. Her perpetrator turned to look, but it was too late. Jordan had already jumped out of the truck holding something small and black in his hand. He made a beeline for the man hovering over her. Jordan pulled her attacker off her and smashed the cylinder object into the man’s gut. The fiend doubled over, choking. Faster than she could discern how, the second man was on the ground, his leg in an unnatural position under his own body. The third coward escaped the moment his friends collapsed. The first man, still lurched over, started vomiting when the second man’s screams filled the air.
Jordan scooped her up and carried her back to his truck, lifting her quickly inside. After slamming the door behind her, he watched that the would-be assailants remained on the ground.
Jaynee was in a panic. Should she call 911 to report the attack or request an ambulance? Deciding Jordan would do what he thought was best, she remained motionless inside the cab. Adrenalin e rushed through her veins. The only thing she felt was her heart as it nearly pounded through her chest.
Jordan climbed up in the truck and turned to her. His eyes were wide. His look terrified her for a moment. But he was her savior; she had no reason to worry. He’d never hurt her. “Are you okay?” Jordan’s normal serene voice roared louder than she had ever heard. His tone seethed with raw emotion.
“Y…yes…I think so,” she stuttered. She wasn’t. Her body shivered uncontrollably, and she could barely
Jaynee stared at the blank display screen on her phone. “What was that all about?” she said aloud, irritably, unconcerned with eyes all around watching her. “I told him I’d meet him at Starbucks. Men! They’re so pushy.”
She finished her closing duties, freshened herself up then headed out the side door toward her car at the rear of the parking lot. She realized now she’d have to wait for Jordan. She should call him back and tell him not to come, that she’d meet him. She fished through her purse for her phone. This was ridiculous.
When she finally found her phone, she realized it wouldn’t work. Jordan was chivalrous. He held doors open, helped her into his truck and even pulled out chairs.
Despite her earlier irritation, Jaynee smiled as she walked through the parking lot. She was thinking about Jordan when she felt hands grab her from behind, pick her up and shove her against her vehicle. The impact with the door knocked the wind out of her, and she gasped for breath. She couldn’t see her attacker but smelled his rancid breath. He ranked of cheap booze. In her peripherals, she caught a glimpse of two men flanking him, but they held their distance. Her heart pounded. What would they do to her? She couldn’t live through this again.
“Did you get the letter, Caycee?” The man pressing her to the car kept his voice muted and guttural, but it sounded vaguely familiar.
“What letter?” She attempted to twist out of his grip, but he wrenched her arm against her back, shoving her harder into her car. Tears flooded her eyes. Brian had sent someone to follow her again. Why wouldn’t he just let her go?
“Consider this your warning.” He let go of her, and she fell to the ground as he hovered over her. He wore his hat drawn low over his eyes. In the shadows of the parking lot, it was hard to make out his features, but she thought she recognized him. “He made it clear what will happen if you date other men. Maybe we should give you an illustration tonight,” he snickered, lowering his body over top of her.
Tires screeched behind them. Her perpetrator turned to look, but it was too late. Jordan had already jumped out of the truck holding something small and black in his hand. He made a beeline for the man hovering over her. Jordan pulled her attacker off her and smashed the cylinder object into the man’s gut. The fiend doubled over, choking. Faster than she could discern how, the second man was on the ground, his leg in an unnatural position under his own body. The third coward escaped the moment his friends collapsed. The first man, still lurched over, started vomiting when the second man’s screams filled the air.
Jordan scooped her up and carried her back to his truck, lifting her quickly inside. After slamming the door behind her, he watched that the would-be assailants remained on the ground.
Jaynee was in a panic. Should she call 911 to report the attack or request an ambulance? Deciding Jordan would do what he thought was best, she remained motionless inside the cab. Adrenalin e rushed through her veins. The only thing she felt was her heart as it nearly pounded through her chest.
Jordan climbed up in the truck and turned to her. His eyes were wide. His look terrified her for a moment. But he was her savior; she had no reason to worry. He’d never hurt her. “Are you okay?” Jordan’s normal serene voice roared louder than she had ever heard. His tone seethed with raw emotion.
“Y…yes…I think so,” she stuttered. She wasn’t. Her body shivered uncontrollably, and she could barely
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