Witness Protection Read Online Free

now. But we’ll figure the rest out.”
    “Doesn’t sound good for me. Maybe he wants revenge badly enough to risk everything?”
    “He didn’t get where he is by being stupid.”
    “He’s been out for a month? Timed with when you showed up?”
    “We received intel something was brewing. My boss wanted to make sure our bases were covered. I came out a few days before he broke out.”
    The Christmas party invitation she’d received flashed in her mind. A small town holiday scene complete with four-foot-high snowdrifts piled on either side of the road. There were glowing street lamps. The scene reminded her very much of Creek Bend sans the snow. Sadie’s boss had all but made her promise she’d show. “What would make him risk his safety to find me? He can’t possibly want to go back to prison. I mean, why me? Why now?”
    His jaw muscle ticked. “Revenge.”
    That one word packed more power than if she’d been struck with a fist. “I was upset before. I didn’t mean to insult the agency. I honestly appreciate everything you guys have done to keep me alive so far.”
    “Our failures are putting your life at risk.”
    And keeping her on the run. Creek Bend would start its day perfectly timed to the sunrise in another forty-five minutes. Life would go on without her.
    Claire would have her baby. Sadie would never hold the little girl she’d anticipated for so long. Claire had become more than a friend, she’d become like family. And now everything was gone.
    At least she still had Boomer. He was tucked safely in the backseat. “None of this has ever made sense to me. I didn’t do anything wrong and yet I’m the one slinking out of town in the middle of the night.”
    * * *
    S ADIE ’ S SADNESS WAS PALPABLE . Worse yet, she put up a brave front.
    One look into those haltingly green eyes, transparent like single perfect gemstones, and Nick might forget his real reason for being there. Protect his witness without getting overly involved. Not generally a problem for him. Discipline was more than his middle name. It was his life’s creed.
    Nothing and no one had threatened his ability to focus. Or could.
    This was different. Her circumstance reminded him too much of his little sister’s. The thought of another woman being targeted by a man hell-bent on revenge when she was innocent ate at his insides. Many of the people in the program he came across could use a fresh start. Giving them a new job and home also provided a new lease on life. Not Sadie. What had she done wrong? Nothing. By all accounts, she should’ve had a promising future with a business consultant in accounting. She’d be well on her way to two-point-five kids, a big house and a Suburban.
    None of
this
had been invited into her life. A crazed criminal had sent her to the ICU.
    People called her lucky for living.
    Luck wasn’t her gig. She’d had enough courage to defy the odds and enough spunk to fight when her future was bleak.
    What she had was a hell of a lot better than chance.
    And yet, seeing her now, she looked small and afraid. Chin up, she was determined not to give into it.
    He’d give anything to ease her concern and put a smile on her face. Wanting to protect her and needing to were two different things.
    Why was he already reminding himself of the fact?
    He pulled the truck onto a narrow dirt road. “I have better transportation stashed here. Besides, we won’t make it five miles without drawing attention with the condition of the truck.”
    Winding down the lane wasn’t a problem. Turning off the lights and navigating in the dark was a different story. He’d memorized the area easy enough. But he hadn’t had time to make a night run.
    A thunk sounded at the same time they both pitched forward. The air bags deployed. Sadie gasped and Boomer yelped as he banged against the back of the driver’s seat.
    “Hold on, boy,” she said.
    Nick focused on Sadie first. “You okay?”
    “Fine.”
    He hopped out of the truck and