Page 33 of Wicked Rush

“I don’t know what to do…I…” she gulped back the tears. Wiping her face, she shook her head. “I have to get out of here. I have to go to the office. I have to…”

“Brae, please. I’ve got you.” Lars sighed as she fell into his outstretched arms. He embraced her small form, cursing the bastards who’d this done to her.

“I’m leaving San Diego,” she confessed.

“What?” Lars asked, his hands stroking her hair.

“I’m leaving. I can’t stay here.” Braelynn clung to him, her palms pressed to his chest.

Hot tears burned through his shirt as the vibration of her shivering broke his heart. Whatever was happening in her life scared the hell out of her. He glanced over to a wall full of photographs of different locations across the world. He recognized the waters of Bali, Mexico as well as several from southern California and Florida. Braelynn’s bright smile made him wonder what evil could have crushed her spirit.

“I don’t know what happened here. I don’t even need you to tell me right now. But Braelynn…look at me,” he told her, cupping her chin with his hand. She blinked up at him, and he wiped away a tear with his thumb. “I meant what I said. I know we don’t know each other very well. But you can trust me. Whatever we just shared back in the pool, that was real. And even if there wasn’t anything between us, you could still trust me. That day on the beach…we both could have died. Things like that have a tendency to bring people together. I know you’re hiding something. Something bad. And I have no reason to trust you either…especially after you tried to get in my house. But none of this makes any sense to me. You can’t tell me that someone who goes through all you’ve been through to earn your spot in this industry as a leading biologist throws it all away for nothing.”

“I told you I can’t tell…”

“You can tell me. But you won’t. Because you’re scared.”

“Lars…you don’t know these people. I can’t ask you to get involved,” she began.

“You didn’t ask. The asshole who shot a hole through you that day on the beach? That guy asked me to get involved. I tried to let it go after the hospital. I really did. But I kept seeing you lying there in the sand. Hearing the bullets. Whoever did this is still out there. He can do it to someone else.”

“You can’t catch them. They…” Her lips tightened as she went silent.

“See, that’s where you’re wrong, sweetheart. The bad guys are going to end up in jail or dead. And when this ends, I prefer the latter.” Lars had long considered that perhaps Dean had bought into her act of denial all too easily and that was why he hadn’t pursued her attackers. But whatever trouble she was in ran far deeper than the incident on the beach. And he suspected that whatever she planned with the key could get her killed.

“I have to go to work,” she protested, attempting to pull out of his arms.

“You’re in shock,” Lars told her.

“I have to get it over with. You don’t understand. He expects me.”

“Who expects you?”

“My un…Mr. Giordano,” she corrected.

“You seriously think you’re going back to work for him? Sorry, sweetheart but I’ve got news for you. You’re quitting.”

“No, I’ve got…there’s something I need.”

“You’re not leaving San Diego either,” he told her.

“But I can’t live here. I can’t work here. I just told you…”

“I know what you told me, but I’m putting an end to this circus.”

“I have things…things in the office I need,” she persisted.

“We’ll have your things sent for.”

“No, I need to get them myself. I’m not safe.”

“Braelynn. I know you don’t know me very well but I have a feeling whoever was involved with the shooting has something to do with Giordano. Your lip.” He brushed his finger over it and she winced. “Look what he did here.”

“I don’t want to leave, but I have no choice. I have to get my things,” she pressed.

Disgusted with the situation, Lars shook his head as he glanced to the entombed bundle, and back to the broken woman before him. Braelynn was in some serious shit. He wished he could turn her over to the police. Whatever answers he thought she’d give him were far from forthcoming. He reasoned he could go back to enjoying his life, riding waves at dawn and women riding him at night. But both the strength and vulnerability inside Braelynn drew him to her. Saving her twice wasn’t enough, and he wondered if he’d ever be able to let her go.

“Lars,” Braelynn said, breaking his contemplation. “Please, you have to know that I don’t want to lie to you. But some things…I can’t talk about them. You know this is true. You are in the business. We can’t say everything.”