LITMIR.BIZ

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cell phone on the seat beside her. Colton had said her father had hired him and that would be easy enough to confirm. She picked up his phone and recognized her dad’s number listed under his recent calls.

      She pressed the number and waited. He answered on the third ring.

      “Dad, something happened tonight.”

      “I know, Laura. Colton already called me. Are you okay, honey?”

      “I—I don’t know. Who is this guy, Dad? How do I know I can trust him?”

      There was a long pause. “You can trust him, Laura. I believe he really wants to help.”

      “I can’t believe this is happening,” she snapped. “I can’t believe you did this to me.”

      She heard the catch in his voice as he rushed to apologize. “Laura, I’m sorry. I never thought this would happen.”

      She caught herself before she said what she was really thinking. You never thought about me, only about yourself.

      “Well, it’s a little too late for regrets now, don’t you think?”

      “Laura, please, I—”

      Satisfied that the army ranger had indeed been hired by her father and unwilling to stomach any more of Bill Jackson’s lame excuses, Laura clicked off the phone.

      She needed to trust Colton Blackwell—and pray he was the good guy he appeared to be.

      Taking a deep, bolstering breath, she put the truck into Reverse, turned around and headed back toward the house.

      He was still on the porch, barefoot, his dark hair disheveled, as if he’d been running his hands through it. He’d obviously not made a move even to put his boots on. She pulled up to the porch and stopped the truck.

      She stared at him through the open window, glad she’d returned, because no matter what her overly analytical mind said, she needed to trust this man with her life.

      * * *

      She was shivering when Colton led her into the house. He doubted it was from the slight breeze in the night air, though, as much as the threats against her. He ushered her into the kitchen and pulled out a chair. She sat watching him as he turned on the coffee and let it brew, then lowered his large, muscular frame into an adjacent chair and got down to business. “Let’s talk about who is after you, Laura. Your father already gave me the basics, but I’d like to hear it from you. Who were those men tonight?”

      Her chin quivered as the weight of her situation settled into her. “They work for a man named Chuck Randall.”

      “The loan shark?”

      “You know him?”

      Colton knew him well. He’d had dealings with him once or twice back in his gambling days. “I’ve heard of him. He prowls the casinos in River City looking for souls desperate enough to utilize his services. But what does he want with you?”

      Her face reddened and she lowered her head, shame coloring her face. “My father is indebted to him.”

      “And he wants to use you as leverage to get your father to pay?”

      “Not exactly. It started with him wanting me to cover my dad’s bills. I refused, but he kept hassling me. He threatened me. He said my father would die if I didn’t pay. Finally he said he would wipe out my father’s debt if I did something for him.”

      “What does he want you to do, Laura?” Colton asked, his face already grim in anticipation of her response.

      A sob caught in her throat and her calm began to unravel. Her hands shook and he could see voicing the truth was painful and bitter. “He wants me to marry him. And if I don’t, he will kill my father.”

      Colton was stunned. This went beyond just getting payment for gambling debts. It had already escalated into something much more sinister. Money could be paid back, but if Randall had set his eyes on Laura and she’d rebuked him, she could be in real danger.

      “I tried to tell him I wasn’t interested, but his advances only got worse. He phoned me constantly. He sent me flowers and gifts. He even showed up at my work. I begged him to leave me alone. Why would he want someone who doesn’t want him?”

      Colton wasn’t surprised. “Randall is used to getting whatever he wants. He’s used to owning people through his money. It’s about power. When he couldn’t control you with money or threats or gifts, he became obsessed with having you. He sent men after you, which means either he’s decided to take you by force or else he wants you to pay for what he would consider the ultimate betrayal.”

      She shuddered, rightly frightened by the situation she was in, and he had the sudden urge to take her into his arms and comfort her. He pushed back that feeling and instead steeled himself with determination to keep her safe from Randall and his crazy demands.

      “How do I convince him to stop? I’ll give him the money. I’ll pay him whatever he wants to leave me alone.”

      “You can’t, Laura. It’s no longer about money. It’s about control.”

      She shuddered again and he rushed to reassure her, placing his hand over hers and relishing the softness of her skin. “I told you, Laura, this is what I do, and I’m good at my job. Don’t worry. We’ll find you a way out of this mess.”

      She turned those wide green eyes full of hope on him. He’d seen situations like this before and knew they didn’t often work out well, but he didn’t let that sway his resolve. He would keep her safe no matter what it took.

      “What about my father?”

      “Randall will put pressure on him to uncover your whereabouts, but he can’t tell what he doesn’t know. Bill doesn’t know where I live. I never even told him my last name. Did you call him?”

      “Yes,” she replied.

      Narrowing his eyes, he gave her a look. “You didn’t tell him where you are, did you?”

      “No, I didn’t tell him.”

      * * *

      She shivered at the thought that Randall might hurt her dad just to get to her. A tear slipped from her eye. She wiped it away quickly. The last thing she wanted was for Colton to feel sorry for him.

      “You’re worried about him?” he asked gently.

      She pushed away that worry and shook her head. She was done crying for him. “He brought this on me. He placed my life in danger so he could try for his next big score. He stopped thinking of me as a daughter a long time ago.”

      “Gambling is just like any other drug. It’s a crutch—”

      Laura stopped him before he continued. She was sure he meant well, but she’d heard it all before. “Spare me the ‘gambling is an addiction’ spiel, Colton. I can’t tell you how many people have tried to tell me my dad has a sickness and that he can’t help himself. I tried to help him. I tried everything I knew to do to help him, but he didn’t want my help.” Her anger rising, she blew out a frustrated breath. “All he wanted from me was another handout, and when I stopped giving them, he stopped coming around. I’m sorry for the hole he’s dug himself into, but now he’s dragged me into it with him, and if only one of us can get out of it, it’s going to be me. I won’t continue to let his problem control me.”

      She turned away from him, walked back into the den and plopped down on the couch, sinking into the cushions and hoping Colton wouldn’t continue to try to justify her father’s actions. She needed to stay mad at her dad. It was the only thing that was holding her together. But if Colton kept pulling at that string, her entire demeanor might unravel. She couldn’t let that happen. She wouldn’t do herself any good if she became a hysterical mess.

      Colton obviously took the hint. “It’s late and I realize you haven’t had anything to eat since you got off work. Why don’t I whip you

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