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was talking herself into something, and Ryan was struck with the sense this woman was acting far outside her comfort zone, willing herself to move.
    Ryan followed her, watching her drop her phone in a trash can before crossing her arms over her chest. He dipped his hand in and retrieved her phone, pocketing it for Evan later, while he continued following her. She clutched at her purse like it was her last lifeline to reality. It may very well be.
    Ryan’s eyes scanned their surroundings and he noticed a man hanging back, watching Krista. He was slightly older, maybe late-forties, wearing the standard uniform of a police detective: khaki pants, polo shirt, short hair, with the added bonus of cold blue eyes. She was being followed by someone else, most likely a cop. What the hell had this woman gotten herself into?
    Another couple of blocks took them to the bus station. She was easy to follow, never having looked behind her once. But her movements were furtive, almost bird-like. It was like she didn’t want to know if she was being followed. But the way she clutched her purse in front of her—like it was all she had left in the world—showed her fear. That, and he could almost smell it emanating from her pale flesh.
    The protective instincts reared in him again, and the sudden need to embrace her and shield her from danger warred with his sense of duty. He had been hired to return her to Lowe, but he suddenly didn’t want her in the same room with him. And who the hell was this other guy?
    Ryan pulled out his phone and called Simon as he watched her buy a bus ticket.
    “She’s ditched her phone, and now she’s getting a bus ticket. She’s running.” He spoke into the phone, keeping his voice low and his eyes on the woman. “And there’s someone else following her. Looks like a cop, but I can’t be sure.”
    “Is she scared?”
    “Terrified.”
    A long sigh came through the phone. “Bring her in. I want to ask some questions before I hand her over. Try not to be seen.”
    “Roger that.” Ryan hung up the phone and walked up to the woman, girding himself.

Krista knew she was being paranoid. Her skin was prickly, she felt like she was being watched, but she was too scared to look. If she was being watched, she was too tired to do anything about it, anyway. Everything felt so hopeless. She’d done everything she knew to erase all traces of herself—to disappear—but she was hardly a professional at this. She knew it was only a matter of time before Mr. Lowe or that other man found her. Then there was no telling what they would do to her.
    She went into the bathroom to wash her face and use the facilities, hoping to get a flash of brilliance, but as soon as the bathroom door shut behind her, it opened again.
    And a man strode in.
    Krista backed into the corner like a caged animal, and he held up his hands. The gesture of innocence meant nothing to her pounding heart. She realized she knew the man, and that scared her more than anything else.
    “It’s okay,” Eye Candy said. When she remembered seeing him in the office yesterday, talking to Mr. Lowe, flashing his predatory smiles at her, she knew she was done for. They’d found her.
    He pulled off his flannel shirt and draped it around her shoulders. “You’re being followed. Put this on.” His words were clipped and his voice low and rumbly. Diving into her hair, his hands released the bun she kept it in.
    Slapping at him ineffectively, she started to scream, but he pushed her against the wall, clamping a hand over her mouth before a sound came out. Her heart pounded in her throat; she was terrified. His hard body overpowered hers effortlessly, like she was an ant.
    Was he going to rape her? Almost every time she’d seen this man, she’d been with Ed, so he must work for Mr. Lowe. Was he one of his goons? Did Ed Lowe send Eye Candy here to get her and take her back? She tried to fight. Honestly, she did, but her struggles were ineffective; she was so