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  “I’m going to get you out of here,” I assured her, and Westleton laughed.

  “You sure about that? That is just precious,” he chided.

  “What do you want?” I said with a scowl.

  “Funny you should ask,” he said before nodding to someone behind me.

  They picked me up again and punched me in the face hard, making me spit blood. Jamie whimpered and fidgeted in her seat, but her arms and legs were tied up to the chair, keeping her from moving.

  “Please stop! Don’t hurt him!” Jamie cried.

  “Please, stop! Don’t hurt him!” Westleton whined, mocking her. He turned her face toward her and got unbearably close, his mouth splitting into a cruel sneer.

  “Let go of her!” I said, prompting another smack in the face. I tried to focus on her despite my vision spinning.

  “No, I have another idea,” he said, his hold on her jaw tightening enough to leave a bruise. “Maybe I should have a taste of what a 1-million-dollar girl feels like.”

  “No!” I bellowed, trying to get out of my restraints. His men grabbed me from behind and forced me on my knees in front of them, forcing me to watch.

  “Oh yes, that is very good idea. After all, I’ve been thinking about what those pretty little lips taste like ever since you popped out of that bird cage,” he said, before swooping down and planting his disgusting lips on hers. I struggled from my holds and tried to swipe at Westleton. He suddenly cried out and pulled away, holding his hand over his mouth while Jamie glared at him with a smirk, a trickle of blood dripping from her mouth.

  Westleton stuck his tongue out, and I saw the muscle dripping with blood before he stared at Jamie in fury. He raised his hand and backhanded her face enough to send her chair flying, dropping her to the side with a loud clank.

  “Insolent girl!” Westleton yelled, spitting out blood. “That’s it! Take the portrait! I’m sure it’ll be worth a lot more than this whore. And as for these two,” he said, moving closer to my face.

  “Leave them here to burn!” Westleton bellowed. His men threw me to the floor, and I crawled on my side toward her, paying no attention to them as they scurried away, carrying Clara Louise with them. My eyes roved over Jamie’s body, searching for any more damage.

  “Jamie, are you alright?” I asked desperately, and she nodded.

  “I’m okay. But what about the painting?” she asked, and I shook my head at her.

  “Don’t worry about it. Everything’s going to be okay,” I assured her.

  “How is that? I know what Westleton is planning, Hunter. He poured kerosene all over the place. He was planning to set it on fire with you in it! How can you be so calm?!” she cried, struggling against her restraints.

  “Because it’s all taken care of, trust me,” I told her. “Just wait.”

  Almost as if on cue, we heard a number of footsteps coming our way, and I lifted my head to see them.

  “You Hunter Drake?” he asked, and I nodded.

  “Yeah. Get me out of here,” I said, and they pulled me up, cutting my binds. Jamie was frozen in shock as another pair set her up and went to work on her restraints as well, and when she was finally free, she turned her head and looked at me, a billion questions in her eyes. I placed my arm around her shoulders and followed the men out.

  “I’ll explain later,” I said, pulling her tighter against me.

  When we got out of the warehouse, I smirked as I watched Westleton looking bloodied and crumpled, struggling weakly against the men holding him. He glared at me furiously.

  “You’re not going to get away with this,” he said.

  “Oh, but I believe I can,” and the look on Westleton’s face was priceless. Looks like you’re going away for a long time,” I said, smirking at him. I walked over to one of the cars, pinpointing to the leader right away and nodded.

  “Thank you for coming,” I said, and he smirked back and lifted his chin up confidently, the tattoo of a gecko on his neck showing from his collar.

  “Your grandfather just turned in a favor. Besides, this place was easy to scope out and plant my men around. These other guys really hadn’t thought this one through,” he said and I snickered.

  “That’s what I thought, too,” I extended my hand and he took it, shaking it firmly. “I’m truly grateful for your help.”

  “Your Grandfather said we’d be dealing with each other a lot more from now on, so it’s nice to be meeting you under…interesting circumstances,” he said before nodding over to his car. “Come on. I’ll give you two a ride home and I’ll have one of my boys take your car. We can talk on the way.”

  Not having the energy to drive us back to the estate, I agreed, and Jamie and I scooted inside the passenger seat, my arm still wrapped around her. She placed her head on top of my shoulder, and her shaking eased, finally safe.

  “Hunter, what just happened? I don’t understand a thing,” she said and I chuckled.

  “I had Lark look into who could’ve possibly taken you, and it was great that you texted her the address when you did. It made her search easier. Then on the way, I called my grandfather because I remembered he had connections with a…let’s say an underground group specializing in these types of things. He called them up, they set up unnoticed, and just waited until I gave the signal to Lark, who was standing by on my phone the whole time. And Westleton and his guys saved them a lot of trouble by walking out by themselves right into them.”

  “Oh, wow. You had it all figured out then,” Jamie said, and I blushed, trying not to sound too confident.

  “You know, you could be a great asset to us,” the leader said, looking at us through the rear-view mirror. “What do you say? Want to join our gang?”

  I chuckled and shook my head, squeezing Jamie tightly. “That’s a great offer, but I’m just going to stick to being a CEO for now. I think I’ve put my girl through enough hell as it is.”

  ***

  After Jake, the gang leader, dropped us off at the Estate, he shook our hands again and left with the rest of his men, handing me my grandmother’s portrait.

  “Give our regards to your grandfather,” he said, before driving off.

  “Why does your grandfather have connections with a Mafia group?” Jamie asked, making me chuckle.

  “Why? Are you scared?” I asked back, and she shook her head as we turned towards the entrance.

  “No. I was just wondering who those guys were, and why they came to help.” she answered, making me snort.

  “All I know is that Jake and a few of his men benefited from my grandfather’s foundation. They’re his scholars,” I replied, and her eyes widened.

  “And that’s all I really need to know,” I finished.

  “I’m just glad you and your grandfather are finally getting along well,” she said, her voice brimming with pride. I hesitated to answer.

  “I’m not sure we’re quite there yet, but I am grateful for his help. Maybe this is a start,” I said before entering the premises.

  “Oh! Before I forget,” she said, grabbing the portrait from my hand and turning it toward me with a smile. “Technically, I was still the one who found it, so I’m giving this back to you.”

  I smiled at her, then at the serene smile on my grandmother’s face.

  “Thank you,” I whispered.

  “You’re welcome,” she said sweetly, before pinning the portrait on her side and taking my hand in hers, intertwining our fingers. “Now let’s go thank your grandfather together.”

  Epilogue

  Jamie

  Three months later…

  “Thank you, come again!” I said, waving goodbye to the little boy as he waved his hand widely, clutching his mother’s hand as they left the store. He was so cute while he smelled all of the bread in the bakery, and asking his mother to buy one of everything. It made my heart fill up with pride that my food brought smiles to their faces.

  The bell jingled again, and I lo
oked up to see a girl wearing a high school uniform enter the shop, her mouth turned into a small smile as she looked around the place.

  “Welcome,” I said, feeling like I’ve seen her somewhere before. “What can I do for you?”

  “Oh! I’m sorry, I must’ve spaced out,” she said, apologizing. She neared the counter and smiled sweetly at me, and the feeling grew stronger. “A classmate of mine told me she bought M&M sprinkled cookies from you. Do you have them in stock today?”

  I smiled and nodded. “That’s actually my boyfriend’s favorite, too, so I always make sure there’s a fresh batch waiting for him. How many would you like?”

  I rustled up her order and chatted a bit about the shop, before she looked at her watch and winced.

  “Oh no! I didn’t notice the time! I’m going to be late for my next class. It was a pleasure meeting you, Miss Elric,” she said, hurrying out of the shop. I watched her cross the road, and tapped my chin with my finger.

  “I know I’ve seen her somewhere before…,” I said. Right then my eyes caught at the portrait of Hunter’s grandmother. I told him putting the painting here would be weird, but he just wouldn’t take no for an answer. Sometimes on a slow day, I pretend talk to her, mostly complaining about her grandson.

  “Well, Clara, I hope I convince your grandson this time to put you in his mansion instead of here,” I said, walking over to stare at her picture. My eyes widened, and my jaw fell as I zoned in on her face, suddenly realizing why the girl looked so familiar.

  The door opened and I turned to see Hunter standing there, his eyes switching between me and the portrait curiously.

  “What’s the matter?” he asked, and I shook my head.

  “It’s nothing. I just met a girl earlier, and she looked eerily similar to your grandmother,” I told him, folding my arms in front of my chest. He raised his eyebrows, intrigued.

  “Really? Well that must’ve startled you, huh?” I scoffed at him.

  “Not in the least. Now do you mind telling me what you’re doing here? I wasn’t expecting you to pick me up until 6:30.”

  His face grew sober, the mirth in his eyes gone, and I straightened up with dread.

  “What is it?” I asked, my mind already expecting the worse. “What’s wrong?”

  “Do you remember what I told you? About my heirloom hidden in this portrait?” he said, nodding his head back at Clara Louise. I glanced at the painting, and then back at him before nodding.

  “Yes, I remember. I don’t exactly understand what you meant by that, though,” I admitted, wondering where this conversation was leading.

  “I’m going to show you what that clue means right now,” he said. He turned around and pulled the portrait from its hanging, setting it in the middle of the floor before extending his hand towards me. “Come on. We’re going outside.”

  I took his hand and he gave me the painting before opening the door, spinning the lock behind the knob before shutting it closed. We walked over to the park where he placed the portrait over a large rock. He rummaged through his pocket and pulled out a lighter before kneeling down, pointing the lighter right at the place where his grandmother’s hand was on her lap. I panicked.

  “Hunter, don’t!”

  The lighter lit up and hit the painting, burning it in flames. I watched it burn with my shoulders slumped, my heart filled with sorrow.

  “Why did you do that?” I cried.

  “Because that’s what I’m supposed to do,” Hunter answered, looking at the spot where he first set it on fire. “That’s what grandmother told me to do to it,” I looked down and frowned at him.

  He waited for the rest of the painting to finish burning before scratching through the scorched canvass with his finger until a small glint caught my eye. I watched, amazed as Hunter dug it out, and a ring fell out from the seams of the portrait.

  “You can’t break the frame and you can’t take out the picture no matter what you do, so burning it is the only way to get this out,” Hunter explained, picking up the ring and showing it to me.

  The ring was so beautiful. It had three emerald stones etched into the platinum rim with intricate details separating the stones. I looked up at Hunter and sighed.

  “So, this is what your real treasure was,” I whispered in wonder and he smiled, nodding.

  “Read the inscription,” he said, and I raised the ring up to my eyes so I could see the words written inside the ring.

  To the one who holds my heart.

  “Since I was the eldest, she wanted me to have something to give to the woman I chose to marry someday,” he said, and I quickly snapped my head up only to find him on one knee, my hand held gently with both of his. I sucked in a breath.

  “You’ve captured me, body and soul, and ripped the gates of my heart wide open. You drove a wrecking ball on all my walls until I’m lying in front of you, naked and vulnerable. And I wouldn’t have it any other way. You’re a great ball of fire that set my world into orbit, and thawed my ice cold heart until I could feel again, and I am so damn lucky you barged into my hotel room that night and into my life because I would’ve been so miserable if you hadn’t.”

  “Marry me, Jamie. Please keep your fiery eyes locked into mine, and keep me from freezing. Stay by my side from now until forever and ever, even when our bodies turned to dust and my soul disintegrates. Marry me, baby, and make me the luckiest man in the world.”

  I threw my arms around him, and knocked him to the ground, crying happily into his arms. He held me back tightly, squeezing me like he wanted our bodies to merge as one. I pulled away and let him push the ring onto my finger before putting our foreheads together, gazing into each other’s eyes with a smile.

  “I love you, Hunter Drake,” I whispered, and his eyes rolled to the back of his head with a sigh.

  “I’m going to make you say that over and over for the rest of my life,” he teased, and I nodded happily.

  “I’d love to say it all the time,” I told him. “But does this mean I don’t have to pay you 1-million-dollars anymore?” he chuckled, squeezing my hips tightly.

  “No, I’m going to make you pay me back with something else. Besides, you are worth much more than that.”

  I laughed at his words and made a promise to myself I was never going to let this precious man go.

  The End

  Sneak Peek: Collision

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  Description

  Veronica Langley’s life has been coming up roses. She’s well on her way to becoming a world-renowned actress and her latest movie will surely be a big hit at the box office. She’s basically winning at life…

  Until now.

  The emergence of a mysterious stalker, hell-bent on taking her no matter what, has put a wrench into Veronica’s perfect life. After a foiled kidnapping attempt at her latest project, her agents are left with no choice but to hire a Delta Protector.

  Jason Keyes had been content serving as part of the Delta Force until a mission goes awry and the blood of his beloved comrade stained his hands. Desperate for escape, he leaves the military and goes back home, only for his old friend Chase to offer him a job he can’t refuse: to protect Veronica Langley.

  As their differences collide and each of them battle to get their way, will their passionate arguments lead to something more? Or will their bullheaded personalities clash and spell death for the both of them?

  Prologue

  I gritted my teeth as I swerved my car to the right, narrowly avoiding the car in front of me. I switched to a clear lane and stepped on the gas, hard. I looked at the digital clock on the dashboard and clenched my teeth.

  It was a race against the clock, and time was running out.

  I switch to another lane and then another, swerving left and right just to get past the traffic, but a little part in my brain kept whispering I wasn’t going to make it.

  I shook my head ada
mantly. No! I had to make it! I had to!

  She needs me!

  I wasn’t doing this because I was hired by her manager.

  I wasn’t even doing this as a sense of responsibility as her bodyguard.

  I was doing this because despite the short time we spent together, I had gotten to know the real person behind the façade she wore for the millions of people watching her. She wasn’t just another big shot actress I thought her to be.

  She was so much more. And right now, she needed me more than ever.

  “I’m coming, baby,” I said, tightening my hold on the steering wheel and focusing on the road. “I’ll be there soon.”

  ***

  I looked positively radiant.

  I was wearing a beautiful wedding dress, my makeup was spot on, and this church was one of the biggest yet truly exquisite edifices in history. Everything was perfect, except for one thing:

  I didn’t want this.

  Don’t get me wrong, of course I have dreamt of this moment ever since I was a little girl. I used to play dress up and marry my big stuff toys and pretend we were going to have a big family and all that jazz. But in all those dreams, one thing was a constant: I was marrying the person I loved.

  This man I was going to meet at the altar? He was so far from that constant variable in my dreams.

  I took a deep breath, placing a hand on my chest as I tried to calm the rapid beatings of my heart. The little hairs on my arms rising through the sleeves of my wedding gown, but I tried to talk my mind out from my nerves.