Read Scarlett Red: A Billionaire SEAL Story, Part 2 (In the Shadows) for Free Online Page A

clutch my purse to my side, managing a couple words, but his deep voice rumbles against my temple. “Shut up, T. Just be quiet for now. I need to get you out of here.”
    Why does he sound mad? I try to reason an answer, but my brain just doesn’t have the capacity. When he turns to walk off the porch, some guy behind us calls out, “Hey, is she okay?”
    Bash pauses, his hands cinching around my body as he turns around to face him. “She’s fine.”
    “Does she know you?” another guy says, echoed by a third man’s voice. “She’s half out of it, man.”
    “She knows me,” Bash replies, tightness in his tone. I try to get the guys’ faces to focus, but they’re a blur to me. They sound young, like they’re in college. I mumble and wave my hand to let them know Bash wants to help, but apparently I don’t sound convincing, because the first guy chimes in again, his tone harder, threatening.
    “I think you should just call her a cab.”
    Bash takes a couple steps and sets me down in one of the wicker chairs, then faces the trio. “I’m not leaving here without her, so I suggest you go inside—”
    He’s cut off by one of the guys throwing a punch. Bash dodges the fist, then straightens, his voice taking on a steely tone. “I’m going to warn you three just once not to mess with me—”
    All three guys go after Bash at once, shoes scuffling and fists flying. When I try to stand and tell them to stop, I just end up slithering to my butt on the wooden floor, the wicker chair digging into my back.
    After he slams his fist into one guy’s jaw, sending him stumbling back, Bash grabs another guy in a chokehold, then swings his foot back, catching his last attacker in the ankle with enough force to knock him to the ground.
    Spitting out blood, hobbling forward, and shaking off grogginess, the revved up men go after Bash again. Everything else moves in a blur before Bash scoops me into his arms and steps over the three, who lay on the porch floor, groping various injured body parts.
    As Bash walks down the wooden stairs, my vision starts to dim. After what I just witnessed, I’m pretty sure Bash will keep me safe. Relaxing against him, I stop fighting consciousness and let the encroaching darkness pull me completely under.

 
    I stir the spatula in the runny eggs waiting for them to cook, and just when they start to harden, I reach for the salt in the cabinet above the stove and let out a surprised gasp when a wiry arm appears over my shoulder, grabbing the salt for me. Setting the shaker down on the counter, Hayes bends down from his five-eleven height and says from behind me, “Smells good. Making me lunch?”
    My stomach instantly begins to churn. Since Hayes hadn’t bothered me in months, I thought he had finally given up on his fascination with me. I still have nightmares about him grabbing me and fondling my boob. My first instinct is to run, but our apartment is tiny. I won’t get very far, so I hold my ground, refusing to let him intimidate me.
    My aunt’s working, but I’m so thankful Walt will be home any moment. I swallow the fear that’s scratching my throat raw and force myself to sound tough to the forty-year-old bastard who’s standing too close to me. “The door between our apartments is closed for a reason, Hayes. Walt told you to stay away from me. I heard him.”
    “Why can’t I wish you a Happy Birthday? Happened a couple days ago, right? Happy thirteenth, Talia,” he murmurs against my ear, his smarmy voice and sickly sweet cologne making my skin crawl. “You’re officially a teen now.” Hot breath bathes my bare shoulder next to my tank top’s strap. “Hmmm, a year older and even hotter.”
    “You need to leave now ,” I say through gritted teeth, my death grip on the spatula making my fingers numb. While I quake on the inside, I wrap my left hand around the frying pan’s handle, ready to use it if I need to.
    Hayes moves with lightning speed, snaking an arm around my