Read The Wild Road for Free Online

had gone half a block, heat washed down her back and she glanced over her shoulder in time to see Lannes bearing down on her, massive and silent.
    She stumbled. He caught her. Just for a moment, the briefest of touches. And then his hands disappeared and he stepped back, leaving the glow of the streetlight for the shadows of a tree. He looked menacing, dangerous-and that was only his silhouette.
    The woman steadied herself, mouth dry. “I had to go.”
    “I got that,” he rumbled. “Do you have a place? Somewhere you’re headed?”
    She hesitated. “I can’t stay here.”
    “You didn’t answer the question.”
    The woman turned and started walking, but the pain was worse and she hobbled as though tiptoeing over hot coals, feeling ridiculous and miserable. She glanced over her shoulder. Lannes followed, close enough to touch.
    “Stop,” she said, “please.”
    “You stop. You can’t walk like this.”
    “I believe I’m doing so.”
    “How far? Where are you going?” Lannes stepped in front of her, effectively blocking the sidewalk. He was too large to go around, with cars on one side and an iron fence on the other. “If you have a place in mind, I’ll drive you. I’ll get you there safely. I promise.”
    She felt close to tears, something she was uncertain her pride could handle. “I appreciate what you did for me, but please, why won’t you just leave me alone?”
    “Because I can’t,” he said simply. “Not until I know you’ll be okay.”
    “I threatened you.”
    “I remember.”
    “I could be crazed.”
    “Possibly.”
    “Jesus,” she muttered. “Grow a brain.”
    “Too late,” he replied, a grim smile touching his mouth. “Jiminy Cricket ate it.”
    She covered her face to keep from crying-or laughing. “It’s because I’m a woman, isn’t it? No matter what I’ve done, you refuse to see me as a threat.”
    “Hardly,” he rumbled, bending near. “Women are terrifying. You, I’m sure, spit venom and eat men alive. But I’m offering you help right now, and you can take it or leave it.”
    “I left it,” she told him, peering up into his eyes. “But you followed.”
    “Well.” Lannes hesitated, frowning. “I won’t again. If you mean it.”
    She wanted his help. She wanted it desperately. But it terrified her that she could be misjudging his intentions- or that she might be overestimating her own sanity.
    “For all you know,” she said softly, “I might be a murderer.”
    “And are you?” he asked, just as quiet, with such startling directness, she swayed as though hit. She remembered the scent of blood. Felt sick.
    “I don’t know,” she whispered, trying not to vomit. “I don’t know what happened.”
    Lannes studied her in silence, his gaze unflinching. Then slowly, he took a step back, and she thought, That did it, he’s done with me, which was less of a relief than it should have been. But he stopped after that one step, paused and said, “Are you coming?”
    Her breath left in a rush. “You’re insane. I could be dangerous.”
    “You’ve certainly worked hard enough to convince me of that.”
    She shook her head. “If you want to help, give me your car. I’ll leave it someplace safe. The police will find it. You’ll have it back in days.”
    He ignored that. “Is someone chasing you?”
    She felt ill. “I don’t know.”
    “You don’t know a lot of things.” Lannes took another step, his gaze never leaving her face. “I won’t hurt you.”
    “You expect me to trust that?”
    “As much as I’m trusting you. Just for the night. To rest your feet.”
    One night. A night almost gone by now. She swayed toward him, feeling everything inside her settle quiet as death. “I’d like my gun back.”
    “Okay.” His mouth tilted into another grim smile. “When you’re ready to leave.”
    The woman wanted to say no. She wanted to turn and walk away into the shadows. She wanted to do it and know she would be okay. No matter what. Strong enough,