way. As long as she could keep him at a distance, she might get out of this unscathed.
“What kind of danger am I in, Mr. Stealth Guardian?”
She noticed him shift his gaze away from her, a clear indication that he neither liked her question nor the way she addressed him.
“The kind that gets people killed.”
She trembled involuntarily. “I can take the truth.”
“Are you sure?” he asked. “Because there’s somebody out there who wants a piece of you.”
She shivered slightly, the predatory glare in his eyes indicating that he wanted a piece of her. And truth be told, in this instance she wasn’t sure whether she would have the willpower to resist him if he took what he wanted. Her throat was suddenly dry as sandpaper. She swallowed quickly, taking in an extra breath of air. Her nostrils filled with his male scent, a scent so potent it would have made her knees buckle if she weren’t already sitting. But she wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of showing him the effect he had on her.
“I have a right to know.”
Aiden gave her a long look. “I suppose you do.”
Then he studied the area outside as if he could see through the darkness that engulfed them in the dark alley. His hand went to the ignition. “It’s not safe here.”
A moment later, the engine roared back to life.
“I’m not going anywhere with you if you don’t—”
Her protest died when the swift acceleration of the sports car pressed her back into the seat. With a clear disregard for any rules of traffic, he merged onto the next street.
“You—”
He shot her a look that didn’t bode well for her immediate future. “You’ll get your answers when we’ve reached our destination.”
She could only hope that their destination wasn’t far, because she wasn’t sure how long she could keep her tongue in check while her so-called rescuer behaved like a caveman. It riled her up to no end, making her want to fight him when she’d never been one for confrontation. But this was different. This oaf was trying to take over her life. Without even telling her why. It was unacceptable.
Whatever this stupid threat was, she was sure that the police could take care of it. As soon as she found out from him what it was, she’d ditch him and go to the police. Then they could handle whatever the problem was, and she could go back to her well-ordered life and continue with her research. This unpleasant interlude would become merely a faint memory as long as she didn’t dwell on it.
ELEVEN
Aiden didn’t say another word until they arrived at their destination a few minutes later. He locked her in the car while he secured a room at a run down two-story motel in one of the shabbier parts of town, giving her no chance to escape.
As he now locked the door behind him, Leila perused the sparsely furnished room. Her eyes instantly fell on the bed: there was only one. Did he really think she’d share a bed with him? Instinctively, she crossed her arms over her chest. There was no way she’d stay here with him.
“Are you cold?” his gruff voice came from behind her.
Her shoulders tensed involuntarily. She ignored his question. “You were going to tell me what’s going on.”
The worn carpet swallowed the sound of his footsteps as he walked around her. He opened the bathroom door and peered inside as if to assure himself that they were indeed alone. When he turned back to her, he ran his eyes up and down her body. Then he pointed toward the bed.
“Sit.”
“I’m not a dog,” she snapped.
“Suit yourself.”
What had she ever done to deserve this impolite behavior? “If I did what suits me, I’d be back home right now.”
“Well, your home burned, so that’s not an option.”
He was right about that. But that didn’t mean she had to admit it. “I’m still waiting for an explanation.”
Aiden narrowed his eyes. “If you think you can handle it.” He paused for a moment and ran his hand through his dark hair.
His eyes drifted to the window that was obstructed by the heavy curtains he’d drawn upon entering. “There’s evil out there. Things you can’t even imagine.”
“Try me.” Leila steeled herself for his explanation.
He let out a bitter laugh. “I’ve been sent to protect you from the Demons of Fear.”
She nodded. “You said that earlier. But that doesn’t tell me anything.” He would have to be a little bit more specific about the