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  A familiar voice reassures me, “You’re going to be okay, Charlotte.” My eyes move frantically to meet the kind ones of Clarence.

  “How?” He shakes his head.

  “I saw the accident happen. Can you move?” I gingerly test my limbs and then groan when my head moves suddenly.

  “I think I hit my head.” The rain lashes over me and I shiver.

  “Come on, inside the car. We’ll get your head looked at.”

  He helps me into the backseat of his car, and I don’t understand why he gets in the driver’s seat. My mind isn’t working so great. I am too shell-shocked.

  I glance back at Philip’s totaled car, and see Tim’s unconscious form.

  “W-What about them? We have to help them!” I can’t understand why Clarence is smiling so cheerfully.

  “They’ll be fine. Let’s get you away from here. Why don’t you lie down in the backseat? You’ll feel much better.”

  No. I don’t want to lie down. I want to help Tim and Jim.

  “We have to help them,” I protest, weakly, fumbling for my phone. “Have to call nine-one-one.” Clarence’s eyes harden.

  “Lie down, Charlotte.”

  Why is he calling me Charlotte? He always called me Mrs. McCoy.

  I don’t have my phone, I realize vaguely.

  “Where are we going?” I ask, my haziness slowly leaving me. This area is familiar. This is where my bus goes.

  He is taking me to where I used to live?

  As fear and doubt starts creeping in, I have to force the fogginess away.

  I am in danger.

  My instincts are screaming at me.

  “Detective Clarence, where are you taking me?” I ask, scared now.

  He looks at me from his rearview mirror, and smiles, no hint of that kind look in his eyes.

  “We’re going to go see your stepfather. You remember him?”

  “Nick? What? You know where Nick is?”

  Nothing is making sense here. What does Clarence want with Nick? How does he even know Nick? The throbbing in my head isn’t helping any.

  “It took me a few years, but I managed to dig him out. And now with you here, I’m going to be handing you and him over to a few very unhappy loan sharks.” I must look confused and terrified because he chuckles. “I’m surprised you don’t remember me, Charlotte. I used to be your stepfather’s arresting officer. He was also the one who encouraged my gambling problem.”

  My hand creeps to my bag and I feel the cylindrical shape of the small mace tucked inside. Terror is rampant in me right now.

  “You used to be a small thing back then,” Clarence continues. “Underfed, broken. Maybe it’s not that strange.”

  A dark room. I was tossed on the ground in front of a bunch of men who leered down at me.

  “You were there!” I gasp out, remembering that night. “You stood in the corner, watching me.”

  “Good job, Charlotte!” Clarence seems almost delighted. “It was my idea, you know? To sell you to pay off both of our debts. And it was going great. They liked the look of you. Probably would have sampled you before selling you off. But then you had to go ruin that by running away. And then your father decided to go into hiding, or wherever he went. I was stuck paying off both our debts.”

  He whistles a cheerful tune that is at odds with the atmosphere.

  “Ten years, but I finally found you. Now, you and your father are going to clear my debts, while I can retire peacefully.”

  “I am not some piece of property. I’m a person! You can’t just sell me like I’m like livestock!” My voice shakes in fear and outrage. Clarence shrugs.

  “I feel bad, obviously. But I have to look out for myself, first.”

  When I try to open the zip of my bag, my fingers feel too numb to open it.

  He glances at my lowered head, and sighs.

  “Don’t be so glum. You’ve always been a slippery little thing. Even at the bakery, I was going to set the fire and get you out of there. That particular accelerant is so strong, the entire place would have been razed to the ground. But then, that husband of yours showed up. And you started attacking me like a maniac. Sorry about hitting you. I didn’t have much of a choice.”

  I struggle to open the zip.

  “You’re crazy,” I whisper, hoarsely. “You’re completely insane!”

  I see the main street just as the zipper comes apart. My hand goes onto the mace and I draw it out.

  Alarmed at the sudden movement from behind the bars that separate the first half of the car, Clarence looks towards me, and I spray him in the eyes, making him howl in pain.

  The car swerves, and as he claws at his eyes, my slim hand reaches the side of his seat and pressed the unlock button.

  Hearing the doors on each side of me unlock with a loud click, I don’t hesitate, pushing the closest one open and throwing myself out of the moving car. I roll out, my hands around my head in a protective movement.

  When I come to a stop, I ignore the way the ground seems to move, and I ignore the thousands of cuts and bruises on me.

  I just run towards the main road.

  Hearing Clarence shouting after me, I push my feet harder, tears of desperation in my eyes.

  Oh, God! Let somebody recognize me!

  I hear his feet splash in the water as he gains on me. The rain has me drenched and I am just praying and hoping with fervor that I reach the road.

  Hearing the sound of him slipping behind me, I pick up pace and burst into the middle of the road.

  Cars honk at me, people swear, a few cars stop. A man opens his door.

  “Hey, get out of the road, lady!”

  “Help me!” I scream at him over the rain. “He’s going to kill me!” The man blinks and then takes in my face.

  “What? Don’t I know you from somewhere?”

  “Charlotte!” I hear Clarence shouting my name.

  “Please call my husband, the police, anyone!” I beg the man. “That man wants to kill me! Don’t let him take me!”

  The stranger starts to look worried and takes me to a corner of the road.

  “What’s your husband’s name? I’ll call him.”

  “Philip. McCoy. Philip McCoy.” The man gapes at me.

  “You’re the woman from the news.” I see Clarence walking towards me from across the road, and I grip the stranger’s wrist.

  “Don’t let him take me! Please!”

  He gives me an uncertain look, but he too must have seen how maniacal Clarence looks, because he pushes me behind him.

  “Look, man. Let’s just call the police and we can—”

  I see Clarence lift his gun and I push the man out of the way as the gun goes off.

  The burn in my arm tells me that it grazed me.

  My hand is on my mace when Clarence rips it from my hands and grabs me by my injured arm menacingly.

  “You’re coming with me.”

  “No, I’m not!” I struggle in his hold.

  “I’m calling the police,” the good Samaritan yells out as he gets up. “Leave that woman alone!”

  Taking advantage of Clarence’s distraction, I knee him in the balls and watch him drop to the ground groaning.

  Taking a step back, I break into a run, almost hitting a black Mercedes that stops just an inch away from me.

  The man who emerges from the car, makes my knees weaken with relief.

  I am wrapped in familiar arms as Philip dashes over to me.

  “You’re okay! You’re okay. You’re fine. I’ve got you.” I shake my head.

  “It’s Clarence. He—”

  “We know,” came another familiar voice, and suddenly me and Philip are no longer being drenched by the rain. Zayn looks at me.

  “Are you hurt?”

  “My head. I think I hit it when the car totaled. I feel dizzy,” I mumble. Zayn glances at Philip.

  “Maybe you should take her to a hospital. We’ll take care of the rest.” Philip nods, and herds me into the car,
his movements quick but gentle as he buckles me in. As he leans back, I grab his sleeve.

  “Tim and Jim. They’re still there!” Philip brushes my cheek with the back of his fingers, a gentle caress.

  “They’re fine. Ian’s with them.” He quickly slides behind the wheel after making sure I am secured, and drives off.

  We drive in silence for a while, before I mumble, “I was so scared. He was going to give me to those loan sharks.”

  Philip doesn’t take his eyes off the road, his hands tightening on the wheel until his knuckles are white.

  “I did some checking up on Clarence. He’s up to his neck in debt. It wasn’t hard to find the paper trail he left behind. His links to the loan sharks and your stepfather weren’t that hard to uncover once we knew what we were looking for. We have enough evidence to lock him away for a very long time. And once this whole thing is done, you and I are going to take a long vacation to somewhere with a private beach.”

  I purse my lips, trying not to cry.

  “I thought I would never see you again.”

  Philip puts his hand on my lap, his silence speaking volumes. His jaw is taut as he says, “It was Zayn’s idea to put tracking chips in your bags. Just a precaution.”

  I stare at the bag that still hangs across my body.

  “There’s a tracking chip in this?” Philip nods.

  “You take this everywhere. Even your phone has a tracking chip. We didn’t know where the danger was going to come from so we covered all our tracks.” He grips my hand. “I was this close to losing you tonight, Charlotte. I don’t think I’ll be letting you out of my sight for quite a long time.”

  I hold his hand, my body shivering. My voice hoarse as I say, “I can see it.” He gives me a startled look.

  “What?”

  “Us being married in five years. I can see it. I want that. I don’t want to be separated from you again, Philip.” Philip’s hand grips mine tightly.

  “We won’t be. I won’t leave your side. Ever.”

  As my world spins, I find darkness descending upon me.

  When my eyes open, I feel warm and cozy. Vaguely, I wonder where I am, before realizing that I am staring a man’s chest.

  Looking up, I see Philip sleeping, his arm around my waist, one leg tossed over mine, completely entwined with me. I move slowly, and the movement is enough to jolt him awake.

  “You’re up.” He stares at me with relief in his eyes. There are fresh aches and pains on my body, but I feel more like myself.

  “How long was I out?” He settles his hand on my stomach.

  “Just over twelve hours. You passed out in the car. Thankfully, you didn’t have a concussion, but you were banged up bad so the doctor treated your scrapes and prescribed a day’s rest.”

  I am silent for a moment, and then ask, “What happened? With Clarence. Did you get him?” Philip runs his fingers through my hair.

  “Him, the loan sharks, they’re all in jail. Madison’s in jail. Your ex-fiancé is in jail.”

  “What?” I blink at the last part. “Why are they in jail?” Philip just shakes his head.

  “it’s a long and complicated story. I’ll tell you once we get up. But, meanwhile, I have something for you.” I stare at him as he rolls over and picks up something from the nightstand. “Give me your hand,” he tells me, and I hold out my left hand.

  He takes it and then removes the ring from it.

  I feel something cold roll in me, and I ask hesitantly, “Philip?”

  He holds out a box to me, and open it, showing me a simpler, more stunning ring.

  “That one wasn’t from me. This one is. It’s our wedding ring. It’s my promise to you to love you forever, till my dying breath. This ring is also the one that I will put on your finger again when we get remarried, which we will on a date of your choosing.” I hold out my hand, my eyes brimming with tears.

  “You can’t ditch me this time.” He slides the ring on, and then cocks his head.

  “I was more scared of you ditching me.” I lean over and press a kiss to his lips.

  “I love you, Philip. Thank you for loving me.”

  He stares at me, and I could swear I see a sheen in his eyes, before he ducks his head and buries his face in my neck, murmuring, “My heart is yours now, Charlotte. Now and forever.”

  I feel a happy sigh escape my lips, contentment filling my soul.

  “By the way,” he says, looking up at me, “We can’t have unprotected sex anymore.” I blink.

  “Huh?” He nods, a wide grin on his face.

  “Brenda called. She told me you were very much fertile. And are capable of giving me very beautiful babies. In fact, she insisted on it.” Amidst the warmth blooming in my chest, I can’t help but laugh.

  “Brenda insisted on it, did she?” I feel his hands move along my body suggestively.

  “I think we shouldn’t disappoint.” I laugh as he kisses me and then drags me close to hold me in his arms.

  I hadn’t thought I would ever be this happy, but as this man teases me and keeps affirming his love for me, I let myself sink into the warmth that is him.

  UNEXPECTED PROTECTOR

  BOOK 2

  1

  Fergus

  “Sir, Mr. Wolfe is in the back alley. He wants to have a word.”

  I look up from where I am mixing the cocktail and blink. “Tell him to come inside. What’s he doing out in the cold?”

  The nervous-looking server glances at the young woman who is sitting a few seats away, frowning down into her phone as her fingers move faster than one can see.

  Is Zayn hiding from Agatha?

  I run a hand through my shaggy brown hair and pat the pockets of my black pants for my cigarettes and lighter. “I’ll go see him. Tell Felix to take over.”

  When my best friend’s younger sister looks up at me leaving, she asks, “Where are you going?”

  I shrug. “Got to do something in the back. Felix is coming.”

  When a smile grows on her face, I reach over and tug her blonde braid in reprimand. “Don’t flirt with him. I don’t want to have to fire another bartender because you decided to sleep with him.”

  Agatha scowls. “Why can’t you be more like Philip and not care about my sex life?”

  I give her a cheerful grin. “Because.”

  The answer annoys her, and she rolls her eyes at me before returning to the phone to continue her conversation with whichever client she is trying to snare at the moment.

  I nod to the tall German guy who is taking over. “The blonde’s my sister. Make eye contact for more than two seconds, and I’ll kick your ass.”

  The man blinks at me uneasily, not knowing whether I am joking or serious, but I notice how he stays at the opposite end of the bar from Agatha.

  Smart man.

  As I move through the kitchen, I hear one of the staff talking in Gaelic, and I grin at hearing my mother tongue.

  Twenty years away from Ireland did nothing to smother my thick accent.

  Not that I even tried.

  The ladies are always fascinated by the accent.

  Slipping out through the back door, I see Zayn leaning against the wall, the dull red of the end of his cigarette gleaming in the darkness of the night.

  “So, why’re you hiding from Agatha?” I ask as I take out a cigarette and light it.

  Taking a drag, I wait for an answer.

  Zayn looks vaguely annoyed. “She won’t stop harping on me about quitting smoking. I had to run by her office for some documents today, and she handed me some fucking pamphlets about my liver.”

  I wince. “Ouch. What’d you do?”

  He gives me a satisfied grin. “Tore them up right in front of her.”

  Then his tone sours. “She didn’t even blink. Just emailed the fucking information to me.”

  I laugh. “She’s worried about you.”

  Zayn lets out a stream of smoke and scowls. “I’ve dropped down to a pack a day, haven’t I? What
more does she want?”

  I shrug my broad shoulders. “Don’t ask me. I’m not getting dragged into this.”

  Zayn glares at me. “I’m telling you, she’s taken an oath to make my life miserable. If it’s not smoking, it’s my tattoos.”

  I check the new one on the side of his neck and admit, “Well, you do have a lot of them.”

  When he gives me an icy look, I grin. “Not that I’m complaining.”

  As he stews in silence, I can’t help but notice one of the anti-smoking pamphlets sticking out of Zayn’s back pocket.

  “If she stops annoying you with these things, you’ll get bored and start missing her. You two are more like siblings than her and Philip.”

  When Zayn bares his teeth at me, I remind him, “Just last week, you two started fighting over the TV remote. That’s classic sibling syndrome.”

  His icy blue eyes are faintly annoyed. “I was watching the match first.”

  “It was her house.”

  Zayn doesn’t get a chance to respond because the same server who came to tell me about his arrival opens the back door and informs me, “A fight broke out at the bar. Should we call the police or do you want to handle it?”

  “Agatha’s at the bar.”

  Zayn is right behind me as I rush inside.

  Reaching the front end of the bar, I take a breath of relief to see Agatha standing with her phone in her hand, eyeing the two men fighting with disgust in her eyes.

  I glance at Zayn, who jerks his chin towards her, telling me to get her out of the way while he deals with this.

  Nodding, I grab Agatha and pull her to a safe distance. But before I can go and help Zayn out, I see him throw a punch at one of the hefty guys, who stumbles backward into the startled-looking woman two tables down from me.

  I jump to her rescue, but the man falls into her, knocking her down.

  She cries out, startled, and her face hits the side of the table as she goes down.

  Picking up the unconscious man, I toss him aside and rush over to the dazed woman. She groans with pain, and I help her sit up, kneeling by her side. As I help her up, her hair brushes the side of my face.