LITMIR.BIZ

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but it was pushing the million-dollar mark. She may have gotten a deal on hers since it was in need of renovation, but still. How much did an HR assistant make? It couldn’t be that much. Plus she had a loaded Audi Q5 Prestige in her garage. Pricey for an HR assistant.

      His curiosity grew. “Where did you move from?”

      A flicker of reluctance crossed her pretty eyes. “California. Near L.A.”

      Vague. “What brought you here?”

      The reluctance he’d seen was gone now, and in its place was a brick wall. She shrugged. “I don’t have any family. It was time for a change. I’ve always liked it here.”

      “No family?” Not even a sister or an aunt?

      “No.” Her head lowered. “My mother raised me, and I never knew my dad. My mother died in a car accident a few years ago.”

      “I’m sorry to hear that. You must have had a tough time.”

      “I learned to take care of myself. Mom had life insurance. That helped. I used some of it to go to college.”

      College? Her eyes flashed to his when she realized her slip. She hadn’t meant to tell him that. “I have an English degree. What can you do with that, right?” She half laughed.

      Although she quipped, he could see she was lying. “When did you graduate?” He kept a light tone. People relaxed more when all they were doing was answering harmless questions.

      “Six years ago. You?”

      “I didn’t go to college.”

      “Just martial arts school, huh?”

      “Yes. And I love to read.”

      A firecracker of a smile burst on her face. “Me, too. Biographies, mostly.”

      Something in common. “Mysteries for me. Some nonfiction.”

      “Do you have a family?”

      She must know he did. She’d seen his mother stop by. The way she asked said it was important to her. Family.

      “I have a huge family,” he stated hesitantly. “There are eight of us, and our parents live in California. Most of the time.”

      “I see a limo drive up every once in a while.”

      “That’s my mom. Dad sometimes comes with her.” He watched her process that. His parents had money.

      “Ivy.” She nodded. “I didn’t piece it together until now.” She glanced around his house. “You live modestly for someone who has such wealthy and well-known parents.”

      She was completely guileless as she made the observation. Nothing changed other than the wonder of discovery. She didn’t become flirtatious as most women did, thinking they’d struck gold. He could recognize the shift immediately. Flirting went into overdrive. Efforts to impress, to latch on to him became nauseating. But not with this woman.

      “What’s it like being the son of a famous movie producer?”

      “I’m not the one who’s famous, so most of the time it’s like being part of any other normal family.” And he preferred it that way. “The press can get annoying.”

      “I can’t imagine.” A moment passed, and they shared a look. “Well. We should get going.” She looked down at Maddie, who still sat patiently. “You’re never this good with me. What’s gotten into you?”

      Maddie lifted her paw and rested it on her leg.

      Remy laughed and shook her head. “I hope you don’t mind her coming over here all the time. I haven’t been able to get someone over to fix my gate.”

      “Like I said, I could fix it for you, except then I wouldn’t get visits from Maddie.” He pet the dog’s head, and she stood to come closer for more attention.

      Still smiling, Remy moved toward the door and patted her leg. “Come on, Maddie. Ready for dinner?”

      The promise of dinner brought Maddie following her out the door.

      His curiosity grew over his new neighbor. She didn’t have any visitors and kept to herself. Lincoln was social with all the neighbors. They all loved having him nearby and frequently invited him to barbecues and dinners and holiday parties. Remy had too much to hide. At least it appeared that way.

      * * *

      Remy Lang realized she was still smiling after she went back to her house to feed Maddie. Drat. That wasn’t in the plan. She had too much to lose to risk engaging in a relationship with a martial arts instructor. Her neighbor. Her big, strong neighbor who’d come to her rescue. She had to admit, having a man like that next door had made her feel safe. But it was foolish to feel that way. She couldn’t share her past—particularly Wade Nelson’s role in it—with anyone. Her survival depended on it.

      Wade was not what she’d expected. When this all had started, she’d thought she could depend on him to help her, but she could not. Since then, she had taken matters into her own hands. She was close to resolving everything. Soon, she’d have her life back. If Wade didn’t ruin it for her first. He’d caught on to what she was doing, and now he was angry. That was why he’d hit her. And Lincoln had seen it. That scared her more than anything. What would Wade do? He knew too much about her. She’d trusted the wrong man. And now Lincoln had gotten involved.

      Sitting on her off-white Broyhill sofa, she turned on the big-screen television. Maddie came into the room, licking her mouth and hopping up onto the sofa beside her, smelling like dog food. Remy loved that.

      The dog curled up beside her and lifted her head to gaze up at her. Talk about a heartbreaker.

      “Oh, yeah, Maddie girl, you’re my dog again. Your new boyfriend isn’t here, and now I’m all you’ve got.”

      Maddie blinked and then slung a paw over her leg.

      Smiling, full of good feelings, Remy draped her arm over the dog and lifted the remote with the other.

      Maddie’s ears perked up and her eyes zeroed in on the front door. Remy’s pulse shot into action. Had the dog heard something? She looked toward the front door and then the kitchen and the back door. No one was there.

      Maddie jumped down from the sofa, hair rising all along her back. She growled.

      Remy stood and headed for the kitchen, where she kept a gun. At the threshold, Wade emerged from the garage, thwarting her with his own gun in hand. Shoulder-length hair, tall and muscular, he had an intimidating presence, a hoodlum presence.

      Had he been waiting in there? How had he gotten in? He must have entered while she’d been at Lincoln’s and hidden in the garage. She’d left the front door unlocked.

      “Put the dog outside,” he said.

      Beside her, Maddie growled again.

      When she didn’t move, Wade aimed the gun at Maddie. Remy smothered a sharp indrawn breath. Frozen, frantically undecided over what to do, she could only stare at the weapon. Should she go for Wade’s gun while it was aimed away from her, or do as he said?

      All her life she’d made sure she took care of herself, that she didn’t have to depend on anyone else. She was master and commander of her present moment and future. A gun aimed at her dog changed that. She was at Wade’s mercy. That went against everything she was. And made her mad.

      “I’ll kill the damn thing,” Wade said.

      She’d do anything to keep her dog safe. In charge again, she went to the back door and slid it open. “Come on, Maddie.”

      The dog glanced at her, and then Wade.

      Wade stepped forward.

      Maddie barked and moved closer to Remy, protecting her. Remy stepped outside, and the dog did, too. Remy was tempted to run.

      Wade

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