With his blue gaze darkening with fury, he reached behind his back. Cera found herself in a renewed state of terror when he brought that same arm back around to reveal a gun.
On instinct, she shrunk away from the deadly weapon, her shoulder and hip slamming against her car with the sudden movement. Almost immediately, the man’s expression softened as he raised the other non-threatening, non-weapon-wielding hand.
“Easy.” He locked eyes with her. “If I was going to hurt you, I would’ve done it by now.” When she remained quiet, he added a quick, “I’d like to go check out your room, but I don’t want to be caught unprepared. That’s all.”
What he’d said made sense, and Cera had heard every word. But still, she couldn’t seem to look away from that gun.
Because it looked just like the one used to shoot her and her family.
This man is not James, and he’s right. He’s had plenty of opportunity to hurt you by now.
But he hadn’t laid a hand on her. Nor had he made any sort of threatening moves in her direction. And if his claims were true, the only reason he was here in the first place was because he’d been worried about her.
Cera wasn’t quite sure about that last part just yet, but he was here and willing to help. Which was more than she’d gotten from anyone else she’d turned to thus far.
“There isn’t anyone there. He’s already long gone.”
“I’d still like to take a look. With your permission, of course.”
Motioning up toward her still-open door, she halfheartedly told him, “Knock yourself out.”
“Wait inside your car and lock the doors. Don’t open them for anyone who isn’t me.” He checked the weapon’s chamber with professional ease. “I’ll be right back.”
A new round of fear threatened to take over. But the way Cera saw it, she had two choices.
She could follow this stranger’s orders and wait for him to assess the damage to her things before seeing if he can help, or she could give into the fear and drive off. She could leave and never come back.
You do that, you’ll just end up spending the next however long hiding in yet another city, with only the clothes on your back and a bit of cash in your purse.
After another second’s worth of hesitation, Cera felt herself moving away from the car. Searching blindly for the door’s handle—she refused to turn her back on him or anyone else at this point— she reached behind her back. Her fumbling hand finally found its target, and she pulled on the handle and opened the door.
With her wary gaze bouncing back and forth between the man’s face and that gun, Cera cautiously slid behind the wheel. She shut the door almost instantly.
The man was gone the second her hand hit the locks.
From behind the driver’s side window, she watched and waited as he sprinted across the lot and up the stairs. Skipping every other step, the blond stranger moved far more gracefully than a man of his size and stature should.
A rare smirk curved the corners of her mouth. Brains, a kind heart, and an imbedded protective nature. Those were the hallmark qualities of every fictional man she’d ever allowed her sex-deprived mind to create.
So far, it seemed as if this man—thisstranger—possessed all three and then some. And the way he looks running in those pants…
Would you stop that shit already? Your deprived libido is the least of your worries. Not to mention, if this guy knew your secrets, he’d no doubt run as far and fast in the opposite direction as he could.
Cera settled back against her tattered seat. The voice in her head was right.
No way would a man like that come anywhere near a woman like her. Not that she wanted him to. Because she didn’t.
Did.
Not.
All she wanted was to stop living in terror. This man might be able to help with that, but what if…
What if he can’t?
Doubt and her mistrusting nature began to filter in, renewing her urge to flee. Before she could think better of it, Cera sat up straight and put the key in the ignition.
She started to turn it, ready to drive away and never look back. But she stopped short, her hand freezing in place a fraction of a second before the car’s engine could rumble to life.