Chapter 4

Why is my pillow so lumpy? And why does it smell so good?

Trish's nose twitched as she tried to pummel the pillow back into shape. A muffled grunt made her eyes fly open. Holdar was scowling down at her and she belatedly realized that she'd just jammed her fist into his balls. Not a pillow after all.

Why is my head in his lap?

She quickly tried to sit up and he grunted again as she accidentally shoved her hand against a very large erection. Under any other circumstances that would have captured her attention, but as soon as she started to move her stomach churned and her head began to pound.

"Ow," she moaned, clutching her temples.

"Ditto," he muttered, somewhat gingerly adjusting his position. "How are you feeling?"

"Bad," she admitted.

"I'm not surprised. What did Danny give you?"

"Just some drink. A pink one. He said it was his special recipe." Special recipe. How could she have been so stupid? "He drugged it, didn't he?"

She tried to think of something that might help him identify the drug, but her mind was still too fuzzy to think clearly. His scowl intensified.

"Yes. And you drank it."

"I only had a few sips," she said defensively, then sighed. "But only because I didn't like it. It just never occurred to me that he would do something like that. I thought I was safe with him."

He glared at her and she winced, sure he was going to rake her over the coals. Instead he shook his head and she decided the glare was for Danny, not for her.

"It was still incredibly foolish to sneak out like that, but you should have been able to trust one of your father's security guards. He should never have betrayed your trust like that."

"Why -" She broke off as she finally noticed that it was daylight and that they were driving into a town she'd never seen before. "Wait a minute. Where are we? Why didn't you take me home?"

Had Holdar betrayed her too? No. Maybe it was incredibly naive after the events of the previous night, but she trusted him. Wherever they were, there had to be a reason.

"You're safe with me," he said quickly and she rolled her eyes at him.

"I know that, but it doesn't answer my question."

"You know?"

He'd yet to don his usual sunglasses and she could clearly see the surprise in those amber eyes. Even though the movement made her head pound, she leaned over and placed her hand on a huge muscular arm. God, she loved touching him. Forcing her attention back to the matter at hand, she smiled up at him.

"Of course I do. I trust you. But stop changing the subject and tell me where we are."

"We're in the foothills of the Blue Ridge and this is Fairhaven Falls."

The Blue Ridge? No wonder it was daylight. They had to be at least five hours away from home.

"I don't understand. Why are we here? We're not eloping are we?"

Her heart did a funny little jump at the idea, but then reality set in. He hadn't even kissed her; he certainly wasn't going to marry her. Something gleamed in his eyes before he shook his head, but his cheeks darkened slightly and his voice was gruff when he answered.

"No. I need a safe place to keep you while I figure out what's going on."

"Safe from what? You don't think that Danny is going to come after me again, do you?"

The thought made her shudder, and he placed a big hand briefly over hers where it still rested on his arm.

"I will make sure he never bothers you again."

She squeezed his arm - or tried to - and gave him a tremulous smile.

"I believe you. But then why are we here?"

"Your father has enemies."

"Yes, I know," she said impatiently. "That's why I have a bodyguard. A big, grumpy, sexy one."

He shot her another look she couldn't read, then turned down an alley behind a row of old-fashioned, two-story brick buildings and parked the truck behind one that smelled like a bakery.

"Your father was attacked last night," he said gently. "He made me promise to hide you away until he can resolve the situation."

Panic immediately streaked through her. She'd lost her mother years ago. Her father was all she had left.

"Daddy's hurt? We have to go back."

"Your father is going to be fine, but we can't go back."

Ignoring him, she fumbled for her phone, then realized it must still be in her purse at the club.

"I'm not staying here when he's injured. Give me your phone so I can call him."

"No." There was a hint of sympathy in his eyes but the hard face was implacable. "He told me to take you away and keep you safe. That's exactly what I intend to do."

"It can't hurt just to call him."

"Whoever is after him was able to get into the house. There's a chance they could also be monitoring his calls."

"Into the house?" She gave him a horrified look as her body started to shake. "It's my fault, isn't it? Danny said he was going to fix the monitor so I could get out. That's how they got in, wasn't it?"

How could I have been so stupid?

"Danny said that?" He frowned, but then that hard face softened a fraction. "It's not your fault, princess. I think this has been in the works for some time."

His words helped relieve a little of her guilt, but they didn't remove the urge to go back.

"If Daddy's in trouble, I should be there."

"‘You'd only make it worse. That came out wrong," he added hastily when she flinched. "I just meant that if you're there he'll be worrying about you instead of concentrating on what he needs to do. The best way you can help him is to stay safe."

As much as she hated to admit it, he was probably right. She sighed and looked around. The town he'd brought her too certainly seemed peaceful enough. Neat little houses with pretty gardens backed onto the other side of the alley, and she caught a glimpse of a wide river at the bottom of the hill. When she took a deep breath, she could smell roses mixed with the delicious smells emerging from the building next to them.

Her stomach growled as the nausea ebbed and was replaced by hunger.

"Are you hungry?" he asked immediately, reaching behind the seat and digging around in a big carryall.

He emerged with a protein bar - one of the healthy ones with no sugar and no taste - and she gave him a mournful look.

"Do you really expect me to eat that? Couldn't we go into that bakery instead?"

He ignored her and tore open the wrapper, then broke the bar into smaller pieces.

"Eat this slowly. Do you want some water?"

"I suppose," she said reluctantly as she took a piece of the unappealing brown bar.

The bar tasted as bad as it looked and she choked before grabbing the bottle of water he handed her and chugging half of it. At least the water tasted fine. She shook her head when he tried to hand her another piece.

"I think I'd rather go hungry."

"You will not go hungry while I'm taking care of you," he said fiercely, and she gave him a startled look.

Why did he seem so upset?

"Honestly, I'm fine." She patted her hip and gave him a teasing smile. "I have plenty of reserves."

He followed the movement, the amber in his eyes intensifying. Now he was the one who looked hungry. Her entire body responded to that fiery look, heat spreading through her as her nipples tightened.

"Don't you think so?" she whispered, making a little circle with her hand.

She waited breathlessly as he started to lean towards her - and then the door in the building behind them flew open and another orc stomped out. He was just as large as Holdar and even with his hair up on his head and a white apron over his massive chest, he looked almost as intimidating. She gulped nervously and tried to slide closer to Holdar.

"Who's that?"

He sighed and gave her an absent-minded pat on the hip he'd been studying so avidly.

"That, princess, is my cousin Grondar." His lips quirked into what was almost a smile. "Saved by the baker. Come on. I suppose I'd better introduce you."