After Twilight - By Amanda Ashley Page 0,10

curled into tight fists as he watched her cross the street. More than anything, he wanted to go to her, to take her in his arms and hold her, for just a moment.

His eyes narrowed as he saw three dark shadows disengage themselves from a doorway and follow her into the parking lot.

He lost sight of her as she turned the corner, and then he heard her scream.

In an instant he was across the street, his hands closing around the throat of the thug nearest to him. The man's choked cry alerted his companions, and they whirled around to face him. One held a knife; the other a pistol.

Jason heard Leanne scream his name as the gunman fired three times in quick succession. Oblivious to the impact of the bullets, Jason lunged forward, a hand locking around the neck of each would-be assailant. Slowly, so slowly, his fingers tightened around their throats. He would have killed them, and gladly, if Leanne had not been there. The sound of her sobs penetrated the red mist that hovered in front of his eyes. With a muttered curse he let them go, and they fell in a tangled heap at his feet.

"Jason!" Leanne ran toward him, her eyes wide with fright.

"I'm all right." His gaze moved over her in a quick assessing glance. "Did they hurt you?"

"No." She stared at the bullet holes in his coat. Unable to believe her eyes, she touched each one with her fingertips, then looked up at him, her face as pale as the moon.

Hating himself because he had to deceive her, he fixed her with his hypnotic gaze, willing her to forget that the man had fired his gun, to remember only that he had come to her rescue. He left her spellbound while he went to his car, removed his coat, and replaced it with a sweater he'd left in the backseat.

Returning to her side, Jason snapped his fingers, releasing her from the power of his mind.

"Come," he said, taking the keys from her hand. "I'll drive you home."

Leanne blinked up at him, then glanced at the three men sprawled on the ground. "What about them?"

"Leave them."

"Aren't you going to arrest them?"

"No, I'm going to get you home."

"But?"

"Very well. Let's go back to the theater. We can call from there."

Twenty minutes later a black-and-white pulled into the parking lot. After the three suspects were handcuffed and tucked into the backseat of the patrol car, Leanne gave the officers her name and address and then told them what had happened. Jason corroborated her story.

The police officer who took Jason's statement frowned as he examined the gun. "This weapon's been fired," he remarked, opening the chamber. "Three times."

"I don't remember any gunshots," Leanne said, looking from the police officer to Jason. "Do you?"

Jason shook his head. "No."

The cop scribbled something in his notebook, thanked Leanne for her time, advised her to be more careful in the future, and bid them good night.

"Now can I take you home?" Jason asked.

"I've never been so scared," Leanne whispered, and as the knowledge of what could have happened hit her, she began to tremble violently.

"It's over," Jason said, wrapping her in his arms. "Don't think about it."

"I can't help it. I know this kind of thing happens all the time, but I never thought it would happen to me."

Keeping one arm around her shoulders, he unlocked the car door and helped her inside, then went around to the driver's side.

Once he'd pulled out of the parking lot, he drew her up against him, holding her close while he drove.

"Where are we going?" Leanne asked as they turned onto the freeway.

"My place."

She didn't argue, merely rested her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes.

When she opened them again, they were pulling into Jason's driveway.

She was still trembling when she got out of the car. "Nerves, I guess," she murmured, then gasped as Jason swung her into his arms and carried her up the stairs and into the house.

Inside, he placed her on the sofa, poured her a glass of wine, then went into the bathroom to fill the tub with hot water.

"You'll feel better after a bath," he said, taking the glass from her hand.

With a nod she went into the bathroom and shut the door. A good hot soak was just what she needed. Undressing, she sank into the tub, willing herself to relax, to forget the terror that had engulfed her. Reaching for the soap, she washed vigorously, knowing she'd

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