Free Rules of Protection (Tangled in Texas) (Volume 1) by Alison Bliss Page A

things on my laptop and make some phone calls. You can get some rest, if you want.”
    I peered around the room, wrinkling my nose. “If you wanted me to actually use the bed, then you should’ve chosen a more suitable motel.”
    Jake shrugged. “Nothing wrong with this one. It’s functional.”
    “Sure, if you don’t mind bedbugs and pubic lice,” I said, glancing at the yellowed walls, dingy carpet, and stained comforter.
    Jake didn’t say anything as he opened his laptop.
    “I guess I’ll go rinse off, though I’ll probably end up with fungus on my feet afterward,” I said.
    “Don’t lock the door.”
    I could’ve taken his comment to mean he’d be joining me, but since he didn’t look up, I figured I was on my own. Probably a good thing, since I couldn’t imagine the bathroom being any more hygienic than the rest of the room. I didn’t want an infected vagina any more than he probably wanted a sore on his dick.
    I hurried into the shower…then hurried right back out. It was as disgusting as I’d imagined. Hardened soap scum coated the walls, rust stains encompassed the drain, and there were black, curly hairs in the bottom of the tub, none of which belonged to me. Instead of bathing, I used one of the washcloths—though it smelled funny—and sponged myself off at the sink. It took longer, but was more sanitary. Barely.
    He sat at the small table, still looking intently at his computer. I plopped into the chair across from him and admired the new brown do Agent Rawlings had given me in the mirror on the wall. The cut was perfect and, although I never thought I’d look good as a brunette, I loved it.
    When I got bored with that, I flipped on the television. Sounds of a girl moaning blared from the television well before the black screen turned to a live color shot of a couple having sex. I tried to change the channel, but the button on the remote crushed inward and no longer worked. Frantically, I hit more buttons, including the one that turned the volume up. The man had a ginormous penis and pounded it into the poor girl while he slapped her rear end, making her scream like a…well, a porn star.
    Jake looked at me with a raised eyebrow.
    I smiled and shrugged my shoulders, but my face had to be as red as the girl’s ass. I banged the remote on the table, smashing my finger in the process. Jake shook his head with irritation, crossed the room, and hit the power button on the television. Why didn’t I think of that?
    “We need to get on the road,” Jake said, packing up his computer.
    Outside, a man stood near the room next to ours, smoking a cigarette. He made a lewd gesture with his tongue, then winked at me. I got into the Explorer and locked my door.
    “Did you see that?”
    Jake nodded. “Want me to shoot him?”
    “No, but you could show him your gun.”
    “Those walls are paper-thin. I’m sure that’s what he thought I was doing to you . Why do you think he needed a cigarette?”
    I gave him a dirty look, but it was dark enough in the Explorer that Jake missed it. Good thing, since it meant he couldn’t see me blushing again.
    “How did those men get inside the safe house?” I asked as we pulled out of the motel parking lot.
    “Since the alarm didn’t go off, I assume they had the code.”
    “How?”
    “Someone must’ve given it to them, along with your location. Makes sense, otherwise, they wouldn’t have known where to find you.”
    “Who, the agents who escorted us from the plane?”
    “I’m not sure. I checked out their explosion story. They told the truth as far as I can tell.”
    I twisted in my seat, trying to get comfortable, though my sore, achy back wouldn’t allow it. I made a small grunting sound as I shifted.
    “Problem?” Jake asked.
    “I can’t get comfortable. When I fell in the kitchen earlier, I hit my back on the counter and twisted my ankle. I feel like someone threw me down three flights of stairs.”
    “So much for witness protection ,” Jake