Caught in the Storm by M. Stratton Read Free Book Online Page A

and what he had done to her. It was as if he didn’t want her to have any happiness, and any that she’d find he’d take away from her. He’d know that he hadn’t killed her and would come looking for her. She couldn’t hide.
    She woke up that night screaming, wrapped in Jackson’s arms, not unlike how they were right now. She knew then she had to leave him. Part of her wanted to leave him right now. She knew she could leave without anyone noticing. The instinct was so strong her muscles momentarily tensed in anticipation of her flight. She sighed and knew that she couldn’t. She had to stay and help find Jeremy, doing whatever it took. No matter how much her pride hurt from falling apart.
    Taking a deep breath, she moved away from his shoulder and looked into his eyes briefly before looking down at her hands. “Thank you.”
    She felt his fingers under her chin and allowed him to make eye contact. “Don’t run from me this time.” When she didn’t answer, his fingers grew firmer. “Promise me. No running.”
    Looking him deep in his eyes, she knew there was no way she’d be able to leave him again. They’d lost so much time because of her running. She didn’t know what the future held, but it might just be better with him by her side.
    “I promise. No running.”
    He pulled her into a huge bear hug and didn’t let go for a few moments. “I’m sorry baby. Can you tell me what I did so that I don’t do it again? You know I don’t want to hurt you.”
    She really didn’t want to get into this but knew she had to. “It was just your weight on top of me and there was something sharp poking into my side. It brought back everything. Took me back. I’m sorry.” She looked down.
    He shook her chin gently. “No, don’t you ever apologize. You have no reason to. I’m here for you. I was then, and I still am. You need to realize you can depend on me. I’m not going anywhere.”
    “Sor—”
    He stopped her with a brief kiss. “I’ll keep doing this every time you say you’re sorry for something that was not your fault and completely out of your control. Keep it up, baby; you know I love to kiss you.”
    She smiled a little and wiggled off his lap. “Maybe we should get back to work?”
    He gave her his sad puppy eyes. When he knew she wasn’t buying it, he said, “Probably a good idea. Now, where were we?”
    They worked for the next hour compiling a list of motels that didn’t ask too many questions within a thirty-mile radius. After making numerous phone calls, they finally got the answer they were looking for. The manager said someone matching Jeremy’s description had been renting room six for the past two weeks. Without leaving a note, they raced for Jackson’s Camaro and sped out of the driveway, hoping they’d find what they were looking for. Jeremy.

    As they pulled up to the run-down motel, Jackson stopped the car and turned toward her. “Now you stay here.”
    “Like hell.”
    “Baby, you’ve just been through the wringer, the last thing I want you to do is to see him again.”
    “Well, you should have thought about that before we raced out of the house. No way am I going to be staying in the car while you get to have all the fun. Come on, let’s get this over with.” She leaned forward in the seat and pulled the gun out of the holster hidden beneath her shirt.
    “Shit, you’ve had that on you this whole time?”
    “Jackson, my father is a police chief; I’ve been around guns my whole life. Not to mention I’m trained as a bodyguard. I feel lost without it. Even when I am surrounded by people who are supposed to be looking out for me and have nothing to worry about.”
    He cleared his throat. “Yeah, I can understand that, but seeing you whip that thing out, well, I was kind of taken aback for a moment.”
    Kat momentarily lost her train of thought when he said something about ‘whipping it out’. Fucking Trio. Now I’m thinking like them! “Let’s do