My heart felt as if it were riding on the back of a motorbike, speeding down a bumpy road unable to do anything but cling onto my body for dear life. I rubbed my sweaty palms against my jeans and breathed in and out, in and out, in and out.

This was all too much for me to handle. Scooter stealing my boy. The FBI coming after me. A strange and sexy man swooping in to save my life.

I closed my eyes and dropped my head against the leather seat in Franklin’s car, dragging deep breaths of cool air in through my nose. His car smelled new and clean and crisp, like he hadn’t had it for very long. And expensive. How could a man like Franklin afford a car like this?

I also couldn’t help but wonder why he was trying so hard to help me. Any man in his right mind would just turn me over to the FBI. He’d even worked for the agency in the past. Surely he knew hiding me from them would only drag him deeper into this mess. He didn’t even know me. I was just some random girl he’d stumbled upon on a rainy night out at a bar.

One thought broke through my cloudy brain, and it was one I couldn’t ignore. Franklin had to be hiding something. I was certain of it. The way he held a guard over his eyes, and the way he spoke his words. It was as if he was hyper aware of everything he said and did.

Opening my eyes, I stared out the front windshield at the familiar road stretching away from the parking lot of the hotel. It led away from the interstate exit and into the heart of the small town where I’d spent my entire childhood. This place was my home, but being here felt claustrophobic, like if I stayed too long it would settle in around me, trap my arms and legs to the ground and never let me leave again.

I shivered.

Even though I knew Franklin might be hiding something, I had to go with him. Leaving Owen with his asshole of a father for one second longer was the last thing I wanted to do, but if the FBI was going to swoop in at any moment, it would do neither of us any good if I got caught. What would happen to Owen then? Franklin had said he’d come up with a plan to get Owen back for good just as soon as he had time to think things through. And right now, that was the only thing I had to hold onto.

The driver’s side door cracked open, and Franklin slid into the car. His face was stony, his muscles tense. Every inch of his skin rippled as he moved. My heart began to hammer hard again. Something about this guy put my whole body on edge.

“Ready?” he asked, though I could tell it wasn’t really a question. He was driving us out of here whether I was ready to leave or not.

I nodded and blinked back the tears as he pulled out of the parking lot with the nose of the car aimed toward the interstate. “Franklin, are you sure this is such a good idea?”

His jaw rippled as he clenched his teeth. “We don’t have another choice.”

“I could just turn myself in,” I said, glancing at his stony face. “Surely they won’t send me to jail for trying to get my son. It’s not like I’ve done anything wrong.”

“Jail? No. You won’t go to jail.” His voice was rough as he spoke. “But you’ve put their investigation in jeopardy. They’ll take you back into witness protection, and they have no plans to extract Owen along with you. He’s with his father, who they aren’t ready to approach. If they went in now, before they have all of their evidence, it would only ruin any chance they have at getting him for his drug operation.”

All the warmth drained from my body as he spoke. Deep in my gut, I knew Franklin was right about every word he said. Coming back to Carlsville had been a terrible mistake. If I hadn’t, Owen would still be same at home with my mom. And now the FBI wanted me out of this place before I could cause more damage to their case.

Franklin eased onto the interstate, the only car on the long stretch of pavement. Overhead, the sun peeked over the towering trees that lined each side of the road. I twisted in the seat to stare at the disappearing exit for Carlsville. It felt as if I were leaving a part of me behind back there at the hotel, and I guessed I was. The only reason I’d come to Carlsville was to get my son, and now I was leaving without him. Again.

A warm hand encircled my knee, and I jerked around to stare at Franklin. My breathing became shallow, and my whole body went stiff. Even though we’d spent the night together, he still felt like that sexy stranger who had stormed into my life. I barely knew anything about him. And yet I was drawn to him like I’d never been drawn to any other man.

“I know you’re worried about your son,” he said in a calm and steady voice. “Just trust me. I’ll do whatever it takes to get him back to you. We need to get out of here but only a little while. We’ll go someplace safe. Make a plan.”

I nodded. There was nothing else I could do. And while my head knew that Franklin was right, my heart didn’t agree. It felt wrong leaving Owen behind.

* * *

An hour later, Franklin pulled the car into a gas station to refuel the engine. We’d been running on empty for miles, but he’d insisted on pressing his foot to the pedal as long as he could. Putting as much space between us and Carlsville was his top priority, even though every mile marker made the nausea building in my throat even worse.

“I’m going to go to the bathroom,” I said quietly.

He just gave a silent nod as I turned away. The gas station was just a tiny rundown shop with used tires piled up outside. Franklin had taken an exit and driven several miles down the road before pulling over. If the FBI followed us, he’d said, they’d check the gas stations right on the exits to see if we’d gone past. I couldn’t decide if he was the smartest man in the world or the most paranoid person alive. Maybe he was both.

Inside, the scent of stale air hit me in the face. A bearded man behind the counter raised his hand in a wave before going back to his newspaper. Heart racing, my eyes drifted down to the headlines on the front page. I couldn’t help myself. What if my face was splashed across it somehow? I was a fugitive now, after all. But it was just some story about the Tennessee Vols football team and their disappointing losing streak. My lungs released my pent-up breath. I was becoming just as paranoid as Franklin.

As I moved toward the bathroom sign in the back of the store, my eyes caught on the row of merchandise in front of me. It was the kind of thing that had followed me around for months while I’d hidden away under witness protection. Baby wipes. A couple of diaper packages.

Owen’s face filled my entire mind, and nausea rose bitterly in my tight throat. I threw a hand over my mouth and whirled toward the bathroom, my blurry eyes stuck on the baby supplies.

Owen. My heart squeezed as I stumbled toward the bathroom. I was leaving him again. I was leaving my son. How could I ever forgive myself if something happened to him while I was gone?

I threw open the door and emptied the contents of my stomach. I couldn’t stop myself. It was all too much to take. After taking several shaky breaths of air, I turned to find Franklin’s tall and towering frame edging into the bathroom. Embarrassment filled my chest, but it didn’t stop the dam from breaking behind my eyes.

“Oh, Rosie,” he said, his voice rumbling inside his chest. “Come here.”

He opened his arms, and I fell against his chest, letting my emotions pour out of my eyes and onto his soft shirt. He was solid, firm, and steady, the only thing keeping me upright. His arms tightened around me, and his chin rested comfortingly on the top of my head. All I could do was lean on him and let it all out.

“I’m so sorry,” I said through my sniffles. “I’m such a mess.”

“Don’t you dare apologize,” he said, pressing a warm hand against my neck. “I swear to god, Rosie Smith, I will do whatever it takes to make this right.”