Page 21 of Claimed in the Dark

“You are leaving with me. It is logical to realize that you need to be moved to a safer place.”

“And you decide that?” She backed up again.

“I am now. I’m deciding that you need to be relocated to a safe place.”

She opened and closed her mouth, struggling to reply. “I don’t even know who you are! Or why you’re here or what is going on.”

“Like you told him. I can be a ‘friend,’” I said, dragging the other man out of sight.

She grimaced at the trail of blood in his wake, staining the carpet.

“You can tell him that I’m a friend and you’re coming to stay near me while my… investigation continues.”

“Investigation?” She whipped her head up, her eyes opened wide with fear once more. “You’re— you’re a cop?”

Why does she sound so scared of that?

Is she expecting the law to come after her?

What have you done to be so panicked about a cop?

“No. I am most definitely not a cop.”

She winced slowly. “Just a hitman. Who wants first dibs at me.”

Oh, don’t tempt me, sweetheart. I wanted first dibs with her, all right. If she kept this innocent act up, I’d want her all to myself no matter what.

“I want to move you to a safe location. Now. Where I can control the possibility of more danger.”

“But you’re dangerous, too,” she insisted, a defeated worry clear on her fair-skinned and expressive face.

I couldn’t lie and claim that I wasn’t. “You’re more vulnerable to danger if you don’t take your chances on me.”

That seemed to click in her head.

After a long moment that felt like an hour, she searched my face and frowned.

“Go,” I ordered. “Get your son and⁠—”

“How did you know his name? How did you know those men would be coming here and that they would try to kill me?” She licked her lips, frantic again.

“Get your son,” I repeated instead of answering. “We need to leave now.”

Again, she opened and closed her mouth, hesitant.

“Louisa, now. I will personally oversee your protection.”

“But who are you?” she begged. “I can’t just… I can’t blindly trust a stranger who shows up out of nowhere and⁠—”

“Kills to save you?” I finished for her curtly.

That sobered her up. She stiffened and eyed me like I was the devil, asking her to give her soul to me. I wouldn’t mind her trust, but that seemed like a challenging starting point.

“Get a few things and tell him that you’ll be visiting a friend.”

She raised her brows. “You?”

I huffed. “Who the fuck else?” I quipped.