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calm
the hell down and stop acting so cryptic, Cowboy. Besides, it’s in
the trunk.”
    Who does this chick think she is? Does
she have no regard for her life? Doesn’t she know I’m supposed to
be protecting her? She’s acting like I’m some sort of intrusion in
her life, like she didn’t ask for this detail.
    As the small car headed
toward the interstate and began cruising at a comfortable but
boring speed, I thought – maybe she hadn’t asked for this. Maybe she
didn’t want this. But why not? Yes, it’s an intrusion, but if the
government hadn’t intervened, she might already be dead by
now. Dead. That’s
not an option. Glancing at her though the corner of my eye, her
face gazing out of her window, I grew frustrated that I couldn’t
get a good read on her.
    Just talk to her, you
dumbass, my subconscious barked at
me.
    Go fuck yourself, the logical part of my brain rebutted.
    Shaking my head at the ridiculous
internal battle, I slid my hand into my pocket and pulled out my
can of chew. With one hand on the steering wheel, I shoved a big
pinch of the snuff into my bottom lip and smiled as the nicotine
did its job to quell my twitchy withdrawal.

Chapter 8
    Rayanne
     
    My teeth ground together
as I stared out the window. Breathing in deep and then blowing it
out without trying to sound like a drama queen, I watched the
landscape pass in a blur. Ten days,
Rayanne . Ten days
to endure this asshole and this inconvenience and disruption of
your life, and you can go back to it. I’ll
testify against the Watsons and then have a life again. I’ll just
try to ignore this Neanderthal who’s been sent to babysit me. He’ll
be gone as soon as the trial was over.
    I chanced a glance at him as I thought
about his gruff attitude. His right hand was on his thigh and when
I looked closer, I could see him gently massaging the area. I found
this strange, and I became a little bit curious about him. My eyes
traveled up to his belt where a black T-shirt hugged his flat
stomach. The shirt’s arm holes were stretched against his massive
arms, the material looking like it might rip under the strain. His
neck was also muscular, his Adam’s apple the prominent prelude that
led to a strong jaw covered in that dark, sexy beard. I’m not a big
fan of beards but it was just clean enough to where I found my
fingers twitching, wondering what it would feel like beneath my
fingertips. His cheekbones were strong and led to untrusting eyes
that cautiously watched the road. I sort of felt like asking him a
question so he’d look at me and I could see into his eyes again,
but my pride wouldn’t allow me to. I wanted to laugh at my own
ridiculousness.
    A few more minutes passed, and
suddenly he spoke, that infuriatingly low, smoky voice permeating
the car. “Why don’t you tell me about how you got yourself into
this predicament.”
    It wasn’t a question, but rather, a
demand.
    Feeling offended but not sure I really
should be, I huffed and said, “I didn’t do anything. I went to work
and came home every day. Collected a paycheck and did what my
bosses wanted. I didn’t ask for any of this.” I hadn’t bothered to
move my face away from the window, even though I had wanted
to.
    Duke chuckled. “Okay, Blondie. Let me
rephrase. Why do you think you’re under the government’s protection
right now?”
    What the hell kind of question was
that? Did he not know? I answered, sarcasm dripping all over my
tone. “What? You don’t know? Someone’s trying to kill
me.”
    He shot back quickly. “You
mean, someone has allegedly been hired to kill you. There is a huge
difference. You know that, right?”
    I let his words sink in and realized
the bastard was sort of right. “Okay, you have a point. So why are
you here, then?”
    Taking a brown and white paper cup
from the cup holder, he spewed some brown chew into it, and I
wrinkled my nose. “Just in case that coward makes good on his death
threat, sweetheart.”
    I quirked an eyebrow.