“I have my cell phone...” I said quickly.

He eyed me as if he didn’t want to believe me. Then, to my relief, he moved back a little and looked around the corridor again, almost as if he was afraid of being caught. Just what for?

When I remembered his threat from the last encounter, I was overcome with fear and stumbled backwards toward the window. He seemed to notice, because he turned back to me.

“Larissa,” he murmured as he grabbed my arm. “Even though you seem to be bursting with boldness...” His grip loosened, and his hand traveled further up, over my shoulders. “...especially after what you said yesterday…” His finger traveled along my collarbone, and up my throat. I swallowed again and realized that my breathing had become shallow. “You better watch out for me.” He looked me in the eyes again, firm, convinced by his own words. His expression was made of steel. “But, at this moment, I’m the least of your problems.”

What did he mean by that?

A howl could be heard, this time a little closer than before.

Adrian listened carefully.

Clack.

He wheeled around, but there was nothing there.

He quickly turned back to me and grabbed my arm, only to lead me out of the side corridor and back into the main corridor where I was supposed to keep an eye out for Bayla. He kept pulling me toward one of the wide spiral staircases that led us down to the first floor and out of the main building.

“Wait,” I pressed out in tension, because I wasn’t ready to leave Bay behind. “Where are you taking me?”

“Away from here,” he said, looking around in several directions and then pulling me past the wall, toward the way I always came from in the morning.

“Why?” I asked, a little out of breath because he was walking so fast.

We were already in the overgrown colonnade that led to the new off-campus houses.

I wanted to stop again, to say something, but I didn’t know what to say without endangering Bay or the mission.

Adrian looked at me thoughtfully for a moment, his dark hair all tousled from the wind. I recognized a blue line on his jaw. Was that paint?

But he turned away from me too quickly, ready to drag me along with him.

A little too late, but at least at all, an inner voice reminded me that you didn’t just let men drag you along, no matter where, if you didn’t know the guy or his plans.

I stopped so abruptly that I automatically forced Adrian to pause.

“I’m not taking another step until you tell me where we’re going.”

“Why do you have to be so stubborn and insistent?” he asked, then came toward me.

“Wait, what?”

Without warning, he grabbed me by the waist, threw me over his shoulders like I was a sack of potatoes and started moving again.

I wriggled as hard as I could.

“Don’t even try,” I heard him growl.

He picked up speed. The trees rustled around us. By now it had become a really violent storm and I could see branches sweeping past us.

I tried to break free again, but his grip was so damn tight.

What on earth was going on with this guy? Was he perhaps trying to kidnap me?

Heat burned in my cheeks.

Then, very abruptly, he stopped and set me down. Natural light illuminated our faces, and now I could see him better. I looked around and, to my surprise, we were at the front door of my accommodation.

That had been quick...

“How do you know where I live?”

He scrutinized me.

“You ask too many questions.” Before I could protest, he continued. “I want you to go in now. This is neither the right time nor the appropriate weather for that kind of activity.”

Wow, Adrian DeLoughrey was being protective. Only there was one problem: I didn’t need a daddy substitute.

“Excuse me, but are you trying to dictate how and where I spend my time?”

Adrian narrowed his brow. He seemed to be getting impatient.

“Just listen to me.”

And again, he looked around, but apart from the storm and the treetops dancing in the wind, there was nothing.

He must be paranoid.

“Trust me. If you go outside, I’ll notice.”

I rolled my eyes and turned to the door to go inside and contact Bay as soon as possible. Then I remembered something else.

I looked around, but... there was no sign of Adrian. He was gone as quickly as he had arrived. And our mission with him.

Bay was on her own and somehow, I didn’t like the thought at all.

What if Adrian had had a good reason for taking me away? The reason he had been looking around the whole time...

The wind whistled through the trees, cracking the branches. I felt a little queasy in my stomach. Then, very quickly, I slipped back into the house through the door and decided to text Bayla.

Chapter 50

Bayla

I would love to be with Julie and her cute golden retriever puppy, whose soft fur Grace loved to use as a pillow for her head when she watched her series about female prison inmates.

That’s how quickly pets became tools...