Free Pursuit of a Kiss by Lola Drake Page A

That’s only a temporary house. So you’ll stay with me for
that, won’t you?”
    Juliet hated how needy she sounded, but she
couldn’t seem to stop herself from pleading. Last night had been the most
memorable night of her life. For as long as she could remember, she had
compared other men to the fantasy image she had of Jake Parker. Brad had never
measured up. And last night when fantasy had finally become reality, she’d felt
as though they could become something special. At the very least, she wanted
the chance to find out if they could.
    This clinginess would be the most surefire way
to send Jake running for the hills, but damn it, after everything she’d been
through the last few days, she had a right to want someone strong to lean on.
    “Look, Juliet…”
    She shook her head, stepping out of his arms.
Disappointment overwhelmed her, and she felt incredibly naïve. She should have
expected this. He didn’t do relationships. She had been stupid to think she
could be the one to change him.
      “Please
don’t say it.”
    Whether Jake would have answered, Juliet would
never know. At that moment they heard the revving of a car engine. It grew to a
roar as it peeled out from the corner. She tripped as she started to back away
from the sound, landing hard on her tailbone. Jake whipped out his gun and
sprinted to the street.
    “Jake, don’t.” Juliet bit her lip as he took aim
at the car speeding towards them. She could see a gun emerge from the passenger
side window, one that looked a whole lot bigger than Jake’s.
    The cop in the patrol car flipped on his lights
and sirens, causing the other car to screech on his breaks and steer into a
fast U-turn. Jake fired at the tires but missed as the car sped off. He waved
his arm at the patrol car. Nothing else was needed—the cop lifted his radio as
he went into pursuit.
    Jake helped Juliet to her feet and hustled her
into his car before running around to the driver’s side.
    “They’re really determined to shut me up, aren’t
they?”
    “You’re a unique witness, Jules. You’re squeaky
clean, credible, the first strong eyewitness against
Martinez
. He’s been a major player in the
narcotics trade around here for a long time and isn’t going to go down easily.”
    “If he’s in jail, why don’t they just let him
rot and move someone else into his place? You’d think another gang member would
want to nab the power position.”
    “I told you, gangs transcend prison walls. Hell,
some of the most powerful gangs originated inside those prison walls. They need
to suck up to anyone with connections like his. If someone eliminates you,
Martinez
would owe them
huge.”
    Jake’s eyes never stopped moving as he raced
away from the house. Juliet glanced back, wondering if she’d ever see her home
again. Once they hit the freeway, he seemed to relax slightly.
    “Where are we going?”
    “I’ll call Wetherby to see where he wants me to
take you for transport to the safe house.”
    “So, you won’t be taking me there yourself.”
    “I can’t, Jules. In hiding you’ll have constant
police protection to keep you safe, which means I really should get back to
work. You understand, don’t you?”
    Juliet balked at the question but had no idea
what she could possibly say. Of course, she logically understood. After all,
she had her own job that she wished she could simply get back to. But after
this latest incident, they both knew her life remained in serious danger. Jake
had told her he wouldn’t let anything happen to her. She could understand him
not contacting her in witness protection, sort of, but in this last week before
the preliminary hearing? How could he abandon her now?
    She tried to keep her voice light and teasing,
but failed miserably. “I thought you promised Aaron, and me, that you’d look
out for me.”
    “I was. I am. I just have prior commitments, you
know? Work and stuff.”
    “And stuff.”
    “Hey, duty calls, right?” His laugh