Nowhere to Turn Read Online Free Page A

blurred and he blinked. His blood pumped and he felt a sticky wetness under his shirt. The warm wetness moved down, soaking the waistband of his pants. He wondered why he noticed that. Yells reached his ears. Voices coming closer. They’d heard the shots.
    Darkness pressed into him. He resisted. He felt his phone vibrating. Couldn’t lift his arm to get it. Joe kept yelling at him, but Kurt couldn’t process the words.
    The door burst in as Kurt lost his balance and dropped over on his side. Darkness beckoned him.
    It occurred to him that Dani would be glad to hear of his death. She would finally be free of him. The thought made him vaguely sad. He wanted to see her beauty just one more time.
    Then he couldn’t seem to think as heavy hands pressed on the wound in his chest.
    Hot, so hot. Suffocating. Terror sliced through him at the smell of . . . sulfur? No! I don’t want to die! I’m not ready! God—
    Breathing became a memory and the world faded to black.

4
    Stuart growled his frustration and watched the Navigator disappear, merged with the flow of the school traffic. He raced back to his white Lexus and gunned the motor. He’d finally checked under the hood and found the loose wires, which caused him to lose precious minutes as he reconnected them. He couldn’t believe Dani had done this. For what? All he wanted to do was protect her from Kurt, because as soon as Kurt found the empty safe and his family gone, he’d kill them.
    And Stuart couldn’t let that happen.
    Dani was running from Kurt and he had to stop her.
    He’d figured she would go after Simon, he’d just been about two minutes too late. All eyes in the carpool line were on him now, including the school resource officer. He flashed his badge at the man, who nodded, but gestured for him to keep it slow in the school zone. Stuart gritted his teeth and nodded back.
    He kept his speed right at the maximum allowed, gripping the wheel and steering into the traffic. He went as fast as he dared, having no desire to be pulled over and waste precious time showing his ID. However, he was determined not to lose her. It was time they had a serious conversation about her and Kurt.
    His phone rang. “Hello?”
    “Stuart? It’s Peter Hastings.”
    “Yeah?” He knew he sounded distracted. He was. But he had to fight to keep Dani in his sights. His gut said she was running from Kurt. From him. “What is it? I’m busy.”
    “Kurt’s dead.”
    Stuart slammed on the brakes and pulled into the nearest parking lot. He let Dani go. She wouldn’t get far and he could always find her later. And she would have no reason to run once she learned Kurt was dead. She’d be back. “What happened?”
    “He was shot at the hotel where the conference is. He died at the scene.” Peter blew out a breath. “Man, I’m sorry.”
    Surprisingly, Stuart felt a huge hole in the vicinity of his chest. Then the feeling fled. He still had one more thing to accomplish.
    He still had to make Dani his.
    Completely and in every way. If he didn’t, then Kurt would win. “I’ve got to go.”
    “You going to be all right?”
    “Yes. Thanks for letting me know.” A deep sigh overtook him. “I guess I’ll need to let my parents know. Or has someone already called them?”
    “I think the ASAC called them.”
    Patrick Kline, the Assistant Special Agent in Charge. “Good. Good. I’ll, uh, head over there.”
    “Let me know if I can do anything.”
    “Yeah.” He hung up, his mind still on Dani.
    One thing bothered him. She’d cleaned out the safe. Why? What was in the box Kurt had sent him over there to get?
    Stuart punched through the red light, a small smile curling his lips. Now he really needed to find Dani.
    To tell her Kurt was dead and that she belonged to him now. That he was ready to step in and take care of her from now on.The thought made him smile. “I won, Kurt. I beat you. She’s mine.” Now he just had to find her and tell her.

    Dani had checked and