Ultimate Courage (True Heroes #2)(25)

She risked a glance back over at the creepy guy. He was looking directly at her.

The martial arts school, and Gary and Greg, were closer.

Swallowing hard, she started walking toward Revolution MMA. The cold air burned as she breathed in through her nose and out through her mouth, trying not to betray how utterly freaked out she was.

Turning her head slightly, she saw the man push away from the wall and step in her direction.

Oh no.

She picked up her pace, suddenly regretting having left the school at all.

As she passed the next store she could see only his feet in the reflection from the storefront glass because of the decals on the windows. But he was following and closing the distance.

Keep walking. Keep moving. Almost there.

The next storefront had broad, clean windows. She caught sight of him in the reflection as he took his hands out of his pockets and lengthened his stride.

He was almost on her.

She dropped her coffee and bolted for the front of Revolution MMA, yanking the door open and blundering straight into another man.

Elisa screamed.

“Hey!” The voice was low, urgent, and familiar. “Hey, Elisa. It’s okay. Come inside. You’re safe.”

The terse words cut through her blind terror. Her heart was going to pound a hole in her chest, but strong hands steadied her and released her. Alex gave her space and stepped over to the front door, shielding her from whomever was out there.

Gary and Greg were suddenly at her side, too, flanking her.

These people were here, ready to help, making sure she was safe. They’d dropped everything. She wrapped her arms across her chest, trying to pull herself together, literally.

Then Alex barked out an angry curse. “Cannon! What the f*ck?”

Cannon? So they knew him? Elisa leaned to one side to peer around Alex, abruptly conscious again of how imposing the man was. It was a weird kind of comfort to have him standing between her and the rest of the world. The man she’d seen earlier was standing a few feet from the door with his hands held out to his sides and spread wide. A sheepish grin split his unshaven face.

“Sorry, man!” Cannon called to them. “I was just hanging out waiting for her to come out of the donut place.”

Gary and Greg instantly relaxed. Gary muttered a quieter curse of his own. “I sent Cannon to keep an eye out for Elisa since I was on the phone. He came in to pick up some gear he left last night and I figured it couldn’t hurt to keep a pair of eyes on her. I didn’t think he’d be a thug about it.”

*



Elisa still considered hopping in her car and driving until she ran out of gas a valid option. Even as she stepped into the reception area of Hope’s Crossing Kennels at eight a.m., sharp.

She hated herself for it.

Of course, Alex had driven her here to the kennels since she’d been a complete mess after freaking them all out this morning. So she’d have to ask for a ride back in order to make her escape. Not exactly practical. And she still wasn’t sure it was what she wanted to do.

She was off balance, shaken, and embarrassed.

Indecision hadn’t been one of her shortcomings once upon a time. She’d always prided herself on being able to consider all the options she might have and making the best decision possible. She’d been a detailed, thorough person with enough intuition to make the mental leap to fill in gaps when there might not be sufficient information. Once she’d committed to a course of action, she’d never had regrets.

That was before she’d gotten involved with Joseph.

Elisa stopped in her tracks. Joseph Corbin, Jr. Even internally, she hadn’t let herself say his name since she’d first left. She didn’t want to give him space inside her head—not him and not the shady business he’d had planned. Instead of the anticipated dread—speaking of the devil and all—she experienced a tiny spike of elation. Triumph. She could finally think of him without having his name terrify her.

Looking around the reception area with its hardwood benches and flooring, deep blue walls, and naturally homey feel, the twisting in her gut eased. She’d agreed to let Alex drive her here because this was the last place she’d felt calm and capable. It’d given her back a measure of pride. She’d done work efficiently and set up processes, however small, to make things better than they had been when she’d arrived.

It was a far cry from the corporate offices and conference rooms she’d worked in as a project manager and so much more personable than the sterile walls of Joseph’s house. There were good people here, ready to lend a hand or jump to her defense, and this morning Alex had proven it. What’s more, he’d asked her right afterward what she wanted to do next.

So she made a decision. She’d stay and give this a try.

Because something about this place and these people was different. Or maybe enough time had passed. Or maybe it was because she’d gotten her first chance at an interesting job and her first good night’s sleep. Could be any number of things, but they all added up to her coming back here to see what else might change. For the better.

“Welcome back.” Alex entered from the hallway leading back to the kennel run.

Her heart jumped up into her throat, and she resisted the urge to beam happily at him like an idiot. “You drove me here.”

He shrugged. “Still seems like a good thing to say.”