Free Hard Ride by Trixie Pierce

reading the bill. Most of her accounts required all signatures for invoices to be copied and sent with the bill.
    “I’ll be damned.”
    Picking up the cellphone, she automatically tapped out Houston’s number. When it went to voicemail, she texted him, hoping he got it soon.
    “I see you got the invoice with my signature. Shame, I can’t ha ve you going to the authorities,” a familiar, deep voice startled her and she dropped the bill into her lap as she looked up.
    Please, Houston, help me.

 
    Chapter Fifteen
     
    He dreamt of the river, a small boat trying to go against the currents of the Mississippi. He stood on the shores, unable to swim out to help, knowing his instructions were unheard.
    He jerked awake, the landline ringing four times before going to voicemail. Absently, he searched for the cordless phone. Ringing his voicemail, the message was Katie’s voice, “Well, damn. Someone has a landline. Impressed. Call me.”
    Absently, he searched for his cellphone, remembering it was taken. His car was at the insurance office, and all of his calls would be routed to voicemail until he replaced the phone.
    The thought occurred he should ignore her pleas, since she’d shut him out. Rubbing the area over his heart, he wondered how much he could forgive.
    He was in love with her. Knew it, understood it, accepted it. But he also wasn’t a doormat, nor a toy for amusement. Where was the line going to be drawn?
    Part of him knew she’d gone on the defensive with her confession. It was no excuse for her behavior. Nor was she excused for asking him to tell what he knew, then get pissed and kick him out of the situation. The barring him from seeing her was a blow he didn’t know how to handle. He’d stuck by her because of his need to protect, not for accolades. His consciousness whispered he’d better check his ego.
    Sure enough, the damned thing was pretty bruised, making the situation all the more confusing.
    Standing, he took care of bodily needs, and removed the bandages before stepping into a hot shower. The need to get the sweat and gunk off his skin was overwhelming.
    “Stay away from Kathryn Parker. Keep your nose out of it. Or next time I won’t seek you out, I’ll kill her, right after I get a piece of what she’s giving you freely.”
    He didn’t doubt the threat, but Katie would be safe in the hospital. Wouldn’t she?
    Instinct, honed of battle and knowledge, beat within his chest, demanding he return to the hospital. The nurse, and her sudden refusal to allow him to visit. His Hellcat was many things, but she wasn’t a coward. She’d tell him to his face if she didn’t want to see him again.
    Goddamnit! He’d let his ego rule, and left his Hellcat vulnerable.
    Stumbling out of the shower, he quickly dried and dressed. He was eternally grateful for the truck inherited from his father. The body a little busted up and rusty, it ran with rumbling power and pinpoint precision.
    What would normally be a twenty minute drive to the hospital took seven. Parking in the garage, he ran on weak legs inside and grabbed an elevator to the fourth floor. At the nurses’ station, he looked for the one who seemed to be on his side.
    She was an older woman, good looking, with a jaded intelligence shining from her eyes.
    “She’s gone, sir. She checked out with an AMA, about twenty minutes ago.” She put her hand over his.
    “Who’d she leave with? Can you tell me? She couldn’t have left under her own power.”
    “No, sir, her uncle helped her leave.”
    *
    Houston paced behind the truck, creatively cursing, repeatedly shoving his hands through his thick dark hair. His intel had been right, and instead of convincing Katie her uncle was the real villain, the one who’d masterminded the entire debacle, he’d stormed off in a huff, not giving the rest of the information he’d gleaned.
    He’d failed , worrying more about himself, instead of waiting until the danger passed. Some friggin’ guardian I