Burning Up by Anne Marsh Read Free Book Online Page A

the idea of her. He had to have watched her.”
    â€œDown, boy.” Rio shot Jack a look. “Nothing you can do.”
    The unspoken yet hung in the air between them. They all knew Jack would take care of this.
    He stared at his brothers, making up his mind. He’d watch Lily. Keep her safe. Fire season gave him the perfect excuse. She was alone up there, and that farm was one damned fuel pile, just waiting for the right spark to go up.
    Standing up, he said it, just to be clear. “We look out for her.”
    No one disagreed with him. Hell, their Nonna hadn’t raised them to ignore a problem. She’d taught them to defend.
    â€œShe’s not going to like that, Jack,” Evan pointed out. Stacking his arms behind his head, he watched Jack.
    â€œWhat she wants doesn’t matter. This is about keeping her safe.”
    He tossed his crumpled beer can into the trash. On his way to the door, he made a pit stop at the locked gun cabinet to make a withdrawal. Hell, he wasn’t planning on shooting anyone, but no way was he leaving Lily unprotected. If it came down to it, he’d do whatever it took. Fortunately, he was licensed to carry concealed in California.
    â€œYou got a hot date?” Evan’s eyes tracked him across the hangar.
    â€œI’m not leaving her alone.” Unprotected.
    â€œSo you’re planning to stand watch on her front porch?” Rio drawled. “She’s not going to put up with that, Jack. What you described—that wasn’t an open invitation to return at any time. What makes you think she’s going to want ex-military packing on that porch of hers?”
    â€œI’m staying with her,” he said, ignoring his brother’s smirk. Hell, he’d planned on giving her a wide berth. Leaving her alone because things were too incendiary when they were together. Rio’s information changed everything, however.
    Lily’s stalker wouldn’t give up, not easily. Jack’s gut was screaming a warning, and he’d learned not to ignore those signals. That stalker had gone to a hell of a lot of trouble to terrorize a woman. And Jack had seen that flash of fear in Lily’s eyes. Sooner or later, she was expecting company. She believed her stalker would find her.
    What Jack had to do was clear. When her stalker returned, Jack Donovan planned to be waiting for him.

Chapter Five
    L ily Cortez should have known Jack wouldn’t give up that easily. He was too damned stubborn. The truth was, she needed a rescuer, even if she wouldn’t admit it.
    â€œYou didn’t tell me what was going on, Lilybell.” He knew his eyes were all over her as he climbed out of the truck. She shouldn’t have been watching, but damned if she wasn’t staring at his legs as he swung out of the truck’s cab. He smoothed a hand down the well-worn denim, and her eyes followed. Maybe there was hope for him after all. “You left San Francisco because you had a stalker.”
    She licked those lush lips of hers, almost visibly reminding herself that this was her place and he was the intruder. “We’re nothing to each other, Jack,” she pointed out. “Not family. You’re not part of my life. It was—and is—none of your damned business.”
    She was so wrong. Shaking his head, he stalked over the gravel toward her. “Now, that’s where you’re wrong, Lilybell. We’ve always been something to each other. And someone needs to keep an eye out for you.”
    Growing up, Strong hadn’t been an unhappy place for Jack, but he’d fought the town’s pull tooth and nail. Fought for the chance to run and be free. Small-town living wasn’t always easy—everyone knew who you were. Where you came from. Where your roots were. You couldn’t walk away from your mistakes—just faced them in the mirror morning after morning. He’d never liked being closed in. That last summer,