Rescuing Jenna - Anna Blakely Page 0,28

I am.”

Another truth.

“Adrian’s just there to keep you safe until you go back home, Jen.”

Is that really all he’s doing?

Jenna glanced at the closed door. She thought about the man on the other side. “His wanting to keep me safe isn’t the issue.”

“Then what is?” Elle pushed. “Wait, is he being a jerk to you? Because Gabe and I are more than happy to come down there and—”

“He’s not being a jerk.” Jenna blew out a breath. “He’s actually been pretty…sweet.”

“Oh. So what’s the problem? He too handsome for you? Too built? Too—”

“The man’s spent his entire life pretending to be someone else, Elle,” she cut her friend off. “Hell, half the world probably still thinks he’s a traitor.”

For years, Adrian had lived with one goal in mind. Making people think he was a dangerous killer.

He is a killer.

It was the one truth Jenna did know. And God help her, she still wanted him

The potent attraction she felt toward the man was what had her so uncharacteristically flustered. Mainly because it made absolutely no sense.

“He’s not even my type.”

“Because your type is boring.”

Jenna scowled. “It is not. And sketchy past aside”—she continued—“Adrian’s one of the cockiest, most arrogant men I’ve ever met. He’s even more stubborn than I am, Elle. And you know that’s saying a lot.”

“Yeah, it is.” Elle chuckled. “Cocky, huh?”

“Please. You’ve spent more time with him than I have. You know how he is.”

The second the words were out, Jenna wanted to take them back. Elle had spent some quality time with Adrian—while the two of them were being held captive by the man wanting Elle dead.

Not a time either one of them wanted to remember.

Jenna quickly moved on. “Besides. The one and only time Adrian and I did sleep together, he totally ghosted me. The jerk probably wouldn’t know a real relationship if it smacked him in his gorgeous face.”

He may be an unsung hero, but Adrian Walker was definitely not the kind of man Jenna wanted to get involved with.

He. Was. Not.

Except…

He’d risked his life to save her from those men. Would a heartless bastard who didn’t give a crap about anyone else do something like that?

You know the answer to that one.

“So you admit the guy’s gorgeous.”

Jenna huffed a breath. “That’s it. I’m hanging up now…”

“Wait!” Elle stopped her from ending the call. “Promise you’re really okay? After the accident, I mean?”

“Yeah, Elle. I’m fine.” Physically, anyway.

“Good. Now go have your non-romantic dinner with the gorgeous, cocky man in your hotel room. And…don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.” Ellena quickly added, “With my husband, I mean. Not Adrian.”

Jenna laughed. “Bye, sweetie.”

“Bye, Jen. Love you.”

“Love you, too.”

For the next few minutes, Jenna sat on the closed toilet collecting her thoughts. Or trying to, at least.

Instead of focusing on Adrian, she put her energy into trying to remember what happened before the wreck. But the ketamine seemed to have permanently erased those several minutes from her memory forever.

Now all she had to go on was what Adrian had told her…and the detectives who had come by her hospital room earlier.

After Taylore had left—in a huge-ass hurry that still made Jenna want to smile—two Gulfside Harbor cops had shown up.

Apparently, Adrian knew some GHPD bigwig—because of course, the man had powerful friends. Why wouldn’t he? He’d used that connection to get the cops in charge of the case to hang around and get their statement once the drugs were out of her system.

When Adrian finally allowed the two detectives to enter her room, Jenna sat in her hospital bed, listening to every incredible word pouring off his tongue.

First, Adrian dropped Gabe’s name, which didn’t impress either detective. But then he mentioned R.I.S.C., and the men’s ears immediately perked up. Not that she could blame them. She’d witnessed first-hand how badass the black ops security company was.

Adrian told the two detectives that he’d come to Gulfside Harbor to protect her. That he’d watched over her from the shadows this past week. How he’d seen her dancing with some guy they suspected slipped the drugs into her drink, and how he’d left the bar when she did and followed her cab on a motorcycle.

Jenna had no idea where the bike even was at this point. Just that, according to Adrian, it had been ‘taken care of’.

The most shocking part wasn’t when he’d admitted to the cops that he’d shot the man who’d murdered the cab driver in order to prevent her from being kidnapped. Adrian had already told her