Chapter 25

JUNE 10 – SATURDAY 4:45 PM

R en

"No, Lizzy. You can't come here, and I can't tell you where I am," I said for the tenth time. My best friend either didn't want to hear me or didn't care if she got killed, but I did.

"Bitch, I swear to God. I'm still having nightmares from hearing that your house was shot up on the news. I thought you were all dead."

"I know, and I'm sorry that I didn't contact you right away so that you knew I was okay. But I just…I was…."

"Zip it. I don't care if you were crawling through a barbwire field filled with landmines and being chased by aliens that wanted to impregnate you." Well, if that wasn't an image. "Do you understand that I love you, and you scared me? That's unacceptable because then I become a needy bitch, and I hate myself, and it's all your fault." I bit my lip to keep from laughing because, at this point, I couldn't tell what would set her off. A squeak slipped out. "Don't you dare snicker at me. You won't have to worry about whoever is trying to kill you ‘cause I will hunt you down if you laugh at me."

That was it. I burst out laughing, and her ranting at me only made it worse. I sobered up quickly when I heard her crying.

"Lizzy, don't cry, please. You know that I love you, and the only reason I can't tell you where I am or give you the number to this special phone Myles gave me is to keep you safe."

"But how will I get a hold of you? And I hardly saw you and may never see you again."

"You are never getting rid of me. I'll call as much as I can, and as soon as I'm safe, I'll find a way to bring you here for a visit. Then you can meet everyone. I miss you already, and I really am sorry that I scared you."

There was a dramatic sigh on the other end of the line. "I know you are, and I know it wasn't your fault, but my heart stopped beating. I swear it did. I don't ever want to feel like that again."

"I love you to bits, and I will call you again soon, but my time is almost up," I said, looking at the stopwatch on my other new phone that Blake's dad got me. It was under his company name. I had to transfer all my contacts, but I wasn't allowed to give anyone the number. Especially anyone who could be put in danger. That list was small, but Lizzy was on it.

"Alright. I'm going to sulk and pout my ass off, but I love you, Boo. I really do."

"I know. I love you, too. Now I have to go."

"Fine, be safe."

"I will. I promise." I hung up before she could think of something else to say that would keep me on the line and then promptly turned the phone off as Myles had instructed. It was supposed to be untraceable, but they wanted to take every precaution.

"Aww, wasn't that sweet. Do all your men know you have a secret lover?" I jumped at the sound of Nash's voice and whipped around to see him casually leaning against a tree.

"How long have you been standing there?"

"Almost the entire time. I was hoping to get some girly dirty talk, but not my lucky day." He smirked, and I glared. That seemed to be our norm.

Walking over to the picnic table, I placed the phones down and tightened the laces on my running shoes.

"What? No snappy comeback today? Has finally getting laid dulled your razor-sharp tongue." I could see his sneakers getting closer, and I was tempted to pick up one of the knives on the table and chuck it at him. I decided that ignoring him was my best line of defense and stood up straight, crossing my arms. "Interesting," he said, and I bit my tongue to avoid responding. "I thought with you choosing to fuck all my guys that you would have more sass, not less." He gave me an arrogant smile, and I clenched my fists. Nash licked his lip, and I could see the wheels turning in his head. "I was pissed at first, but at the rate you're fucking through them, I'll have you before the summer is up. Unless, of course, you'd like to skip to the best right now." He nodded toward the thick trees. "What do you say, Princess? Want me to fuck you hard against one of the trees. It would bring a whole new meaning to getting connected with nature."

My body, annoyingly, flushed hot, but I kept those feelings off my face. "Are you going to train me or try to get in my pants the entire time? If so, I'll go back to the cabin and annoy you further by fucking Myles instead."

"Ouch. That wasn't very nice, Princess."

He shook his head as he walked around the table, and with each step, I fought off the urge to step away. He made everything go crazy in my body. Racing heart, heat spreading wildly as my stomach flipped and my brain froze. He was the human version of a cellphone signal scrambler. His blue eyes seemed to stare right into my soul as he stepped in close enough that I could feel the heat radiating from his body.

I was ready for anything. When it came to Nash, you just never knew what he would do next, but I hadn't been prepared for him to reach out and pick up the long leather strap with knives. His eyes never left mine as he stepped around me and walked toward the targets that Myles and Blake had set up earlier. I sucked in a shuddering breath. Jerk.

"The first thing you need to learn, Princess, is never let someone know they're getting to you. You're fighting how much you want me. Your eyes tell me all I need to know."

I spun around to face him, but he wasn't even looking at me. It was people like him that made someone snap.

"You coming over here to learn, or do I have to yell needlessly at you the entire time?"

"I'm scared that I'll take the blade and stab you with it," I said but marched over.

His gaze flicked to mine. "You're welcome to try. But you won't like the outcome, or maybe you will. Fifty-fifty chance." Nash held out a knife to me, and I took a deep breath. This may be the stupidest thing I'd ever agreed to.

"I wasn't looking at you like I wanted you. That's called anger. See, this is the problem with you. You think that anger is sexual." All the hair stood on the back of my neck as he stepped around so that he was directly behind me.

"That's because it is between us." I shivered when his finger brushed my skin as he moved strands of loose hair away from the side of my neck. "I make you wet. I know I do, but you're stubborn. You may actually be more stubborn than I am, which is impressive." I ground my teeth together. Nash's hand gripped my hip, and I stiffened, trying to keep myself from falling under whatever pull it was that he used on me. It felt like he was searing my skin through the tight workout pants, and I swallowed the lump that formed in my throat. I almost jumped away as he ran his nose up the side of my neck. "Fuck, what is it with you? Do you bathe in pheromones or something?"

Holding the knife tighter, I turned just enough to get the tip under his chin. "Back off, Nash. I mean it."

Nash looked at my hand and then my eyes. I screeched when he moved quickly, spinning me away before yanking back in like we were in a dance. Nash wrapped my ponytail in his hand, disarmed me, and hauled me against his body with the knife to my throat. All the air froze in my chest as my heart galloped a million miles an hour.

"Rule number two, Princess. Don't get cute or think you have someone pinned just because you hold a weapon. Cockiness will get you killed."

"Then shouldn't you already be dead," I said and then closed my eyes, waiting for him to slit my throat for not keeping my mouth shut.

"I'm not cocky." His breath fanned against my ear. "I'm just that good." Nash removed the knife from my throat, and I opened my eyes to see him twirl the blade in his hand before offering me the handle once more. I could still feel it against my pulse, and I wrapped my hand around my neck as if that would stop the prickling sensation along my skin. "If that bothered you, then you won't last very long with training."

Dropping my hand, I rolled out my shoulders and took the knife from him. "Don't do that. Don't act like I'm weak and can't cut it. Not only do you know better, but I'll do whatever it takes to learn. Well, anything except get on my knees for you. That doesn't make me weak. It makes me smart." I turned toward the target.

Nash stepped up beside me and picked up a knife. "Never turn your back on your enemy. I could've snapped your neck," he said, flipping the knife in the air, catching it, and throwing it. The blade hit the middle of the red, spray-painted target.

"I didn't know we were enemies," I said as he held out the knife to show me how to hold it.

"That's the point, Princess. You never know who your enemies are in this world. Myles could only be fucking you for information. How do you really know what is in someone's mind?" Nash adjusted the knife. "I'm not saying he is, just giving you an example."

"If you hate me, why are you helping me?"

"I don't hate you." Our eyes locked, and even though it only lasted a moment, there was a glint of vulnerability. When he blinked, it was gone. He stepped away and pointed at the target. "Would be nice if you said thank you, Nash, for letting me stay at your cabin and hide out from people trying to kill me. But I don't hate you."

"Did the Nash Collier just sulk?"

He glared at me. "Just throw the knife, Princess." All the sexual teasing was gone from his tone, and I wanted to scream and smack myself as the disappointment filled me.

"Thanks for letting me stay here, Nash," I said, meaning it, and his lip twitched.

Forget my family trying to kill me. Dealing with Nash Collier was going to do me in long before they ever got to me.