Protecting Fate Read Online Free Page B

himself to be topped from the bottom. It might be her imagination getting the best of her, but he struck her as the type to demand everything . And everything was too high a cost, even for someone who made her react with just a look.
    Then why are you still thinking about him? Take a deep breath, and get your head on straight because you’re going to be spending a whole hell of a lot of time with him in the near future .
    She’d dealt with difficult men—and women—in the past. She could do this. The alternative… There wasn’t one. He wouldn’t touch her, even if she wanted it. His training was too ingrained and the man wore his control like a suit of armor. So if she didn’t get a hold of herself, she’d be panting after him like… Well, like something that wasn’t attractive in the least. She was better than that. She had to be.
    Sara pushed through the door and into the relative heat of her building. It was entirely possible that this exile was a test to see how well she followed orders. Uncle Rodger wasn’t above doing something like that, though she’d thought she’d moved past that kind of thing years ago. Either way, she couldn’t risk screwing this up.
    “Being a responsible adult is overrated.” She unlocked her apartment door and frowned when it didn’t immediately swing open. She pushed it, encountered resistance again, and pushed harder. It gave with a groan, opening another few inches.
    Enough to see that her living room had been trashed.
    Every instinct demanded she rush in there and look for the few mementos she actually cared about, but her training kicked in. She took two steps back, cursed, and nearly ran from the building. There was a little corner store halfway down the block that was open at all hours, and that was where she ducked through the front door. Sara dialed her uncle with shaking fingers.
    “Hello?” Despite the late hour, he sounded as sharp as ever.
    “I have a problem.”
    “Where are you?”
    “Not my apartment.” She took a deep breath, fighting for calm. “It’s been tossed.” She gave him the rundown with what little detail she had, and her current location.
    “Stay where you are. I’m sending someone over.”
    “Okay.” Sara hung up, her stomach sinking when she realized exactly whom he was sending over. Shit.
    …
    Z didn’t break into a run simply because it would draw attention. If whoever went through Sara’s apartment was watching, he didn’t need them knowing he was attached to their target. Target . His skin crawled at the wrongness of that term being associated with the little blonde who was so full of life. She had to be protected.
    He cut across the street and ducked into the store Rodger said she’d be in. At first glance, it was empty, but he walked down the main aisle and caught sight of her, huddled and staring at the display in front of her. She spoke when he stopped a few feet away from her, “You know, I’ve been here ten minutes and I still can’t decide. What do you think? Should I go ultra-ribbed for her pleasure, or with the magical sensations of hot and cold?”
    “What?” He followed her gaze and frowned. “Why are you looking at condoms?” More than that, why was she here instead of in the middle of losing herself with Serve’s manager? He couldn’t ask that, though. He had no right to the information, and the fact that he was pleased she’d cancelled was completely out of line.
    “I can only spend so long staring at chips and Gatorade. At least condoms have entertainment value.” She shrugged and finally turned to face him. “So what’s the plan?”
    “Getting you out of here.” When she didn’t move, he motioned toward the front door. “The sooner, the better.”
    “No.”
    Z frowned. “Yes.” He actually went so far as to reach for her before he realized what he was doing and aborted the movement.
    But she was already shaking her head. “I have stuff in my apartment that I need.”
    “Buy new.”
    “I