Ignited (Titanium Security Series) by Cross Kaylea Read Free Book Online Page B

straddled the sidewalk as he bypassed traffic amid the annoyed horns blaring at them. At the traffic light he stopped. “Where do you want me to pick you up?”
    Hunter already had his door open. “I’ll let you know when we’re done.” He opened her door and helped her down from the truck, his grip gentle on her arm despite his obvious strength. More tingles raced over her skin and she mentally scolded herself for her body’s reaction.
    “It’s only a few blocks from here,” he said to her. “You good with that?” Though his eyes were shielded by his dark sunglasses, she knew he was studying her reaction. The man didn’t miss anything, she’d seen that much already.
    “Yes.” She wasn’t going to complain over a few blisters, if that’s what he was worried about. Outside the air conditioned vehicle the heat was like a slap. The sun was almost directly overhead and it radiated off the baking pavement like an oven. It didn’t matter that it was a dry heat, she felt as though someone had aimed a blow dryer at her face and turned it on full blast.
     She followed closely in Hunter’s wake across the street through the snarled lanes of traffic, stretching out her strides to keep up with him. He kept careful tabs on her, checking on her position every few seconds.
    On the far side of the four lane road they hit the sidewalk and headed east toward the government buildings a few blocks away. Here it was less crowded, the pedestrians moving in opposite directions on the thin strip of pavement without any problem. She noticed Hunter’s head moving constantly and knew he was cataloguing everything going on around them. Hired security or not, he was out here guarding her back. She found that sexy as hell.
    By the time they were a block away from their destination, sweat had gathered beneath her arms and breasts and across her face. She couldn’t wait to get inside the building and cool off, maybe duck into the ladies room to take off her thin sweater and scarf. They passed groups of business people talking on cell phones and throngs of others who’d abandoned their stranded buses and taxis in favor of walking. She stayed directly behind Hunter, who acted like a human icebreaker, his wide shoulders opening up a path through the sea of bodies.
    Someone jostled her from behind. She bounced off a man in a business suit on her right and reached out blindly for Hunter to catch her balance, snagging the back of his shirt. Her fingers hit something hard beneath it and she realized he had a weapon hidden in the back of his waistband. Without a hitch in his stride he reached behind him and took her hand. His grip was strong but gentle, bolstering her courage and calming her at the same time. Whatever happened, she knew he would be there to take care of her if she needed him.
    “Almost there,” he said over his shoulder, pulling her along in his wake.
    The sudden loud blare of horns made them both snap their heads to their right.
    A white delivery-style truck was barreling up the first available unclogged street, right toward the tall buildings on the opposite side of the intersection a half block away. Hunter stopped walking so fast that Khalia bumped into his back. Before she could retreat a step she felt the unnatural stillness in him, a silent tension that made her jerk her head around to stare at the truck.
    It was moving too fast and showed no sign of slowing down. Everyone else was staring now too. The street dead ended at the tall rows of buildings lining it, and there was no way the truck could turn the corner given its speed. Horns were still blaring as the vehicle whizzed past other traffic at breakneck speed. She watched in astonishment as it blew through the stop light and hurtled straight toward the building across the dead end intersection.
    Hunter whirled and grabbed her shoulders, pushing her toward the ground. “Get down!” he yelled.
    What? Too stunned to protest, Khalia sprawled flat on the pavement.