Page 18 of Auctioned to the Billionaire Bodyguard

I stumbled a little but caught myself on Skeeter’s rock-hard chest. He grabbed me again and started pushing me towards the door. “Comeon, Jess!”

“Can I hug my mom?” I asked, making my eyes big and sticking my lower lip out. I’d never been a good actress at all, but I’d known these things to work before. I had to try. It was clear something was going on with him.

I’d managed to pull the note from under my dress while I was talking to Mom and he was looking around, bored. She’d seen me, and her eyes widened. I just gave her a tiny shake of my head.

“Hurry,” he said and practically pushed me towards her.

“Love you, Mom,” I said and grabbed her in a tight hug. I surreptitiously slipped the note in the deep pocket of her cardigan and then tugged lightly on it to let her know to check it. Hopefully she understood what I was doing.

She’d read and written murder mysteries her entire life, so I wasn’t too worried the clue would go over her head.

“Come on.” Skeeter grabbed my arm, gave my mom a head nod, and pulled me out of her house.

I turned and gave her a quick wink, and she waved. She looked more worried than ever.

I was afraid she had a reason to be.

CHAPTER FIVE

Present Day

Right after the Rescue

Jess

“You’re sure there isn’t anyone chasing us?” I asked. I was trembling. I didn’t know if it was from excitement to be free or terror at what Skeeter would do to me when he found me. Because I couldn’t imagine a world where he didn’t find me.

“There’s no one chasing us, baby,” the beautiful man I’d just been so intimate with said.

I noticed every head in the truck turn sharply to stare at him.

“Er… um, Jessica Fletcher,” he amended quickly, looking embarrassed. His pretty eyes briefly met mine in the rearview mirror before he looked away.

I looked around. There were three men and two women in the car with me. On just a glance, they were all ridiculously good-looking.

“I hate to ask because y’all have already rescued me, but I need to get my mom,” I said, near tears. “I’m afraid Skeeter—the man I had to live with—will get to her and hurt her.”

“Don’t you even worry about that, Jessica Fletcher.”

I turned to look at the woman and my eyebrows went up. She was gorgeous. She reminded me of someone, but I couldn’tthink who it was. I pushed those thoughts aside. “Why do you say that?”

“We already got her. She’s living with my mama out at her beach condo in West Bay.”

I blinked. “You… got her to leave her house?”

“I didn’t. But Mama did. She can be very persuasive.”

I was almost too overwhelmed to even ask questions.

The other woman spoke up. “Nadine, don’t overwhelm her. Give her some space.” She turned to me. “Why don’t you just rest? I think you’ve been through enough. Just take a deep breath, relax, and know that your mom is safe. You’re safe with us. And we’re taking you somewhere they won’t come looking for you.”

“If you’re sure,” I said and leaned back to rest my head on the comfortable leather head rest. The last thing I remember is looking into Stone’s eyes as he watched me in the rearview mirror. Then I closed my eyes and slept.

***

I woke up the next morning confused. I lay there for a moment trying to get my bearings. I was in the most comfortable bed I’d ever slept in. The room was gorgeous, with light gray walls, expensive looking furniture, and beautiful artwork on the walls. I wasn’t at the MC clubhouse in Skeeter’s room, that was for sure. Where was I?

Then it all came rushing back. The beautiful man, Stone, rescuing me, all the people in the truck with us, them saying my mom was safe, getting away from Skeeter.