Christmas Justice (Carder Texas Connections #7)(62)

She kicked and wiggled. His grip was too tight.

It surprised her that a nerdy work-at-home radiologist knew how to counteract her martial arts moves. He also knew the back of the bakery well enough to navigate in the dark. She couldn’t even do that without bumping into something and she’d worked there for a year.

Fighting was no use. She would bide her time and break free the second the opportunity presented.

“I’ll go back for him. Once you’re safe in the truck,” he said. “Trust me.”

She snorted. “Why? Because I know so much about you?”

“I can explain everything. Once you’re out of danger.”

Bright Christmas lights lit a cloudless sky. Once they were out of the building, she could see. Nick’s expression was that of soldier on the front line.

He tucked her in the truck and then closed the door. The lock clicked. Trust him?

The door handle didn’t work. She rammed the door. All that did was hurt her shoulder. Try again and there’d be a nasty bruise. There had to be another way. She banged on the window. “Hey!”

She tried to pop the lock. Nothing.

Spinning onto her back, she used a front kick to drive the heel of her foot into the door, praying she could find the sweet spot. No good.

She scrambled to the front seat. By the time she gripped the handle, she heard a horrific boom from the alley. The bakery caught fire. She couldn’t catch her breath enough to scream.

The world closed in around her, and her stomach wrenched. Boomer!

Shattered glass littered the sidewalk. Thick black smoke bellowed from every opening.

What was left of the front door kicked open and out strode Nick, coughing, with her hundred-pound mutt in his arms.

As soon as she got a good look at him saving her dog, her heart squeezed and a voice inside her head warned, Uh-oh.

Out of the ashes and burning timber, he moved toward her, carrying her dog as if Boomer weighed nothing. Nick opened the back door of the truck and gently placed the dog on the seat.

“What’s going on? Who are you really?”

There was something about his compassion with the animal, something nonthreatening about him that kept Sadie’s nerves a notch below panic.

His face was stoic. His jaw set. Determination creased his forehead now dark with ash. “You’re in serious trouble.”

Icy tendrils closed around her chest. “What are you doing here showing up out of nowhere like that? Who was coming in the back door?”

He started the ignition.

“Start talking or I’m going to scream.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “Or, better yet, take me home.”

“No can do. And you needed help.”

“Dammit, Nick, you’re creeping me out. You have to give me something more.”

His determination was written all over his squared jaw. He had obviously saved her life. He wasn’t there to hurt her. She didn’t know why he’d shown up. Nothing made sense. “At least tell me where you’re taking me. I deserve to know what’s happening.”

He kept one eye trained on the rearview mirror as he reached in his pocket and pulled out a badge. “I’m a U.S. Marshal.”

Her brain scrambled. Where was Charlie? He was her handler. And what did Nick mean he was a U.S. Marshal? All those times he’d stopped in the bakery and led her to believe he was flirting with her caused a red blush to crawl up her neck. A piece of her had enjoyed his attention, too. What an idiot. Was he monitoring her situation the whole time? She needed to call Charlie and find out what was going on. For now, it was best to ignore her embarrassment and play dumb. “You’re a radiologist.”

His lips parted in a dry crack of a smile. “You don’t believe me.”

“Why didn’t you mention this before?”

“It would’ve blown my cover.”

*

ANGER FLASHED IN Sadie’s big green eyes as her gaze darted around the vehicle. Her phone was her only connection to her handler, and it was just as lost as she looked. She turned her attention to him, glaring as if this was all his fault.

“Sorry about your cell.” He pulled a new one from the dash and handed it to her. The movement called attention to the bruise she’d put on the inside of his forearm when she’d tried to kick out of his grasp earlier. The memory of her slim figure and sweet bottom pressed against him stirred an inappropriate sexual reaction. Her flour-dotted pale pink V-neck sweater and jeans fit like a second skin over a toned, feminine body. Her fresh-baked-bread-and-lily scent filled the cab. “I didn’t have time to retrieve your purse.”

She looked at the phone as if it was a hot grenade. “Why should I trust you?”

Nick couldn’t blame her. Her world was about to be turned upside down again, and he sensed she knew on some level. “You don’t have a choice. I apologize for that.”

She recoiled, most likely remembering being forced away from the only life she’d known in Chicago two years ago. His surveillance told him she’d made a home in Creek Bend and a friend in her new boss. The two had become close. Claire and her baby were a surrogate family to Sadie. He didn’t like taking it all away again. He bit back frustration.

“Where are you taking me?” The fear in her voice was like a sucker punch to his solar plexus.

“Somewhere safe. Charlie’s dead.”