Safe Harbor by Hope White

Author:Hope White
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Steeple Hill
Published: 2013-09-19T04:00:00+00:00

NINE

She couldn’t do it.

She couldn’t abandon Alex.

Nicole spun the wheel and found herself heading back to him. Had she lost her mind? What else could explain her breaking her word? She couldn’t defend herself against a murderer and save Alex, could she?

She was about to find out. Swallowing back the fear, she aimed straight for the mystery car. Her heart skipped at the sight of a man, who she assumed to be the driver, standing on the shoulder of the road. He jerked forward, kicking something with his boot.

Not something.

Someone.

Alex.

“No!” She pounded on the horn and hit the accelerator, hoping the attacker would think her crazy enough to run him down in cold blood.

It must have worked because he took off running. She veered after him, her heart racing into her throat. He’d hurt Alex, kicked him, and who knew what else.

Killed him?

No, she couldn’t go there.

Nor could she run a man down with a car. Alex was right: she wasn’t her father. She needed to focus on what was important.

On getting to Alex.

She hit the brake, her headlights pinning the back of the attacker as he sprinted into the mass of trees bordering the road. Shoving the car into park she gunned the engine, letting him know she’d be waiting for him if he came out.

Taking a deep breath, she struggled to slow her pulse. She had to get to Alex. Make sure he was okay.

Tears threatened to break free as she shoved the car into Drive and headed to where he lay sprawled on the ground.

Still. Motionless. He’d been hurt trying to protect her.

“He’s okay. He’s okay. He’s okay,” she whispered.

And he was the first man she’d felt she could trust with her secrets.

Her shame.

Her life.

She checked the rearview mirror. No sign of the driver. She pulled up alongside Alex and jumped out.

“Alex.” She kneeled beside him to feel for a pulse. Strong and steady. That’s when she noticed a knot forming on the back of his head. She gently rolled him over. Blood stained his shirt.

He groaned and looked at her with unfocused, confused eyes. “What...what are you doing here?”

“Can you stand up?”

“Yeah.”

Keeping an eye on the potential danger hovering in the forest, she helped him up and guided him into the car.

“You’re supposed to be—” She slammed the door on his protest and rushed to get behind the wheel. As she opened her car door, she glanced at the other car to get the plate number.

Peeling away from the side of the road, she headed for Waverly Scenic Drive trying to get as far away from their attacker as possible.

“What happened?” she asked. “Were you shot, stabbed, what?”

“What?” he said groggily.

“You’re bleeding.” She nodded at his shirt.

He looked down, confused. “I don’t know.” He tipped his head back and closed his eyes.

“Alex?”

When he didn’t answer, panic threatened to consume her. “Just calm down,” she whispered to herself.

She needed to think clearly. Alex needed medical attention and they needed to stay under the radar. Their

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