Rescuing Jenna - Anna Blakely Page 0,20

her over his broad shoulder. Pushing against him, Jenna did what she could to get free, but it was no use.

This man was too strong, and she was way too out of it to even try anymore. Tears fell from her sleepy eyes.

I don’t want to disappear.

They were almost to the other car when the distinct roar of motorcycle engine approached them. Tires squealed, the smell of burning rubber filling Jenna’s nostrils as the rider skidded to a halt nearby.

“Let her go!” A man yelled. His growl was deep and animalistic.

The jerk holding her opened fire.

The good Samaritan fired back, and Jenna felt her attacker jerk beneath her as a bullet entered his body somewhere she couldn’t see.

Crying out in pain, the man holding her stumbled, his hold on her loosening to the point she began to slide down his arm.

“Forget it!” A third man hollered from behind the wheel of the other car. “We’ll get her another time!”

Taking his partner’s advice, the guy threw her off his shoulder and ran-limped to the car. Jenna’s limp body smacked against the road’s unforgiving asphalt, pain radiating throughout her body as she hit.

Firing toward the man who’d come to her rescue, her would-be abductor pulled the trigger on his gun again. Jenna squeezed her eyes shut, refusing to watch another innocent man get murdered.

Once.

Twice.

Over and over again, the bastard shot blindly as he ran, not stopping until he and his getaway driver sped away from the scene.

“Jenna!”

With her eyes still closed, Jenna felt herself being rolled over onto her back. Unable to control her movements, she had no choice but to allow it.

Wait. Did he just call me by my name?

“Jesus. Are you okay?” Her hero’s voice shook. “Stay with me, baby. The ambulance is almost here.”

Baby?

Jenna’s eyes fluttered open and she got her first real look at the man who’d just saved her life. The drugs in her system must be some sort of hallucinogen, because he looked and sounded just like…

Adrian.

She let her lids fall shut, unable to allow herself to keep imagining a man who wasn’t here.

“Nope. You’ve gotta open your eyes, sweetheart,” the stranger ordered sharply. “Goddamn it, Jenna. Open your eyes and look at me!”

Peeling her lids apart, Jenna sucked in a breath when she realized…

Oh, shit.

“Real-ly…y-you.” She tried reaching for him, but her hand only made it a few inches off the ground before dropping back down toward the ground beside her.

“Yeah, gorgeous.” His eyes softened as he caught her falling hand and held it in his. “It’s really me.”

“Thought you…left.”

Sirens that had been blaring in the distance got closer.

Adrian shook his head, giving her hand a gentle squeeze as he leaned in closer and whispered, “Never again.”

Chapter 4

Adrian sat in the uncomfortable-as-fuck chair, staring at the most beautiful woman he’d ever met. Still sleeping, her long lashes rested on her cheeks as the slow drip of the IV solution pushed the drugs that fucker had given her out of her system.

For the past few hours, he’d replayed the scene over and over in his head.

Seeing her on the dance floor with that smooth-talking prick. Watching her stumble as she and the other nurse left the club.

I should’ve gone to her, then. Should’ve let her know I was still here, and I should’ve been the one to escort her to the hotel.

Instead, he’d been afraid of how Jenna would react if she found out he was still in town. So, he’d kept his distance. Keeping an eye on her—protecting her—but doing it from afar.

Right. Some protector you are.

Adrian spent the night watching from the shadows—like he had every night since she’d thrown his ass out of her hotel room.

Just because she didn’t want his protection didn’t mean she didn’t need it. Tonight was the perfect example.

He’d waited until her cab pulled away to exit the club and jogged down the block to the bike he’d borrowed from a local acquaintance. He’d even taken the road running parallel to the one she was on in order to avoid her or the driver becoming suspicious.

For a minute, he’d convinced himself he was overreacting. That she’d gotten a little too tipsy while hanging out with her friends.

She’d go back to her hotel, he’d make sure she was locked away in her room safe and sound, and that would be that.

But when he was on the bike and saw the car cross the road ahead of him, Adrian had known something was off. The biggest red flag? It had sped