“Five hundred thousand dollars.”
I gasp. “I’m a college professor. I don’t have that kind of money.”
He tilts the gun to the side, but it’s still pointing right at me. I can feel the sweat pooling at my back, and I swear there’s a roaring sound inside my head. I grasp the desk, even though he told me not to move. It’s either that or pass out.
“You may not have it, but when I kill you, I’ll have it.”
He’s not making sense. What does that even mean? I’m trying to remain calm, but nothing he’s saying is making sense. The sound of the door opening is my saving grace, and I duck down behind my desk. I look at the man that just come running through the door and watch as he aims his gun and fires it. The shot of the gun is not loud like I would imagine it would be, but the sound of the other man falling is. I scoot to the edge of the desk on my knees to peek around and sure enough, I was right, Colt Stone just walked in the door. The man that broke my heart, the man I can’t stop thinking about, the man that told me that he could never date me, just walked in the door... and killed someone.
I raise to my feet and look at the limp body of the man lying there. Blood is pouring from his head. He’s dead. There’s no doubt about it. As if finally coming to my senses, I let out a blood-curdling scream that has Colt shaking his head and running toward me. He puts one arm around my waist and the other to my mouth. “No.”
I stop and quietly stare back at him.
“I’m going to remove my hand, but you have to be quiet.”
I nod, because what else can I do?
He’s nodding his head as he takes his hand off my mouth. He leaves his arm around my waist, and I tilt my head back to look at him. “What is going on? Who is that? Why are you here? Colt, he was going to kill me.”
I grab the front of his shirt in my fist. He makes a soothing sound and brushes the hair from my face. “But he didn’t.”
I lean forward and rest my head on his chest. I take a deep breath, and his sexy, subtle outdoorsy, masculine smell fills my nostrils. He strokes his hand down my back, and I shiver. “We have to go. But I need to do something first. Stay right here.”
I reluctantly let my hold on him go, and I stand and watch him walk over to the body. He takes his phone out and takes a picture of the dead man and then dials a number. I have no idea who he calls. “Hey. I ran into a snag. I need a clean-up. Kinsley’s classroom.”
He waits for just a second and then thanks whoever he’s talking to before he hangs up.
He holds his hand out to me. “C’mon, let’s go.”
I almost walk toward him but catch myself. “We can’t leave. We need to call the cops. And what do you mean clean-up?”
He shakes his head. He spots my purse and puts it over his shoulder. “There’s no time. Let’s go, Kinsley.”
Now that the shock is wearing off, I tip my head at him. “I’m not going anywhere with you.”
“Fuck, Kins. I know we got a lot to work out, but you’re leaving with me. You’re in danger, and I’m not leaving you behind.”
“Go Colt. I’m not in danger anymore. I won’t tell them who you are.”
He stomps over to me. “This is not some random theft or whatever you think this is. There is a hit on you. There are people that have been hired to kill you. Now you’re coming with me, whether you like it or not.”
I start to argue, but before I can even get a word out, I’m upside down, hanging over Colt’s shoulder.
He walks out into the hallway. “Where is everyone?”
“Kick-off was fifteen minutes ago. They’re all at the game by now. Put me down, Colt. I’ll go with you, but put me down.”
He walks down the hall, all the while I’m begging for him to put me down. We get out the front door, and finally he puts me on my feet. “Stay close.”
He grabs my hand and pulls me toward the edge of the building. “Where’s your car?”
I point to the parking lot, and we start walking. We get ten feet from where I’m parked and see a man standing at the foot of my car. Colt spots him first and pulls me behind him.
“Who are you?” the man asks Colt.
3
Colt
Kinsley puts her hands to my back, and I can feel the fear vibrating off her. I want to comfort her, but there’s no way I can turn my back on this guy. I have no doubt why he’s here and standing in a dark, empty parking lot. “I’m your worst fuckin’ nightmare,” I answer him. No doubt these men thought this hit would be easy, and that shit pisses me off.