Deceived Read Online Free PDF Page A

father was injured, and your sister—”
    â€œLook,” Sarah interrupted, finally pulling her hand from his grasp. “I don’t know who you are, but this isn’t funny. And, by the way—it’s a lousy pickup line. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a job to do.”
    Luke downed the cider and grabbed his wallet from his back pocket, fishing out a couple of hundred-dollar bills and handing them to her. “For the cider.”
    She cautiously reached for the money. “It only costs a dollar.”
    â€œI’m guessing it’ll cover what you would’ve sold for the rest of the hour,” he said. “Now, I need you to come with me so I can get you and Eli to safety. I’d rather not have to throw you over my shoulder and drag you outta here kicking and screaming to do it, but I will. I’ll do whatever I have to do to keep you safe. Where’s your son?”
    Sarah’s fear was replaced by anger. “What the hell do you know about Eli?” she demanded. “You touch one hair on his head, and I swear—”
    Luke cursed and strode around to the back of the booth, gently but firmly taking hold of her elbow. “Lady, I’m not the one you need to worry about.”
    Sarah’s breath caught in her chest. At least a foot taller than she was, Luke towered over her, his powerful body crowding her as he pressed close. She put a hand against his muscled chest to stop him from getting any closer and was surprised to find his heart beating as fast as hers.
    Dear God. He was looking at her with such intensity, she almost expected him to kiss her. And something told her it wouldn’t have been a tentative, uncertain kiss.
    â€œEverything okay, Mrs. Scoffield?”
    Sarah started and tore her gaze away from Luke’s—which was far more difficult than she would’ve thought—to give the man in the booth next to hers a smile. “Yes, Mr. Thomas. Everything’s fine.” She turned back to Luke, narrowing her eyes at him. “Just who the hell should I be worried about? What was this incident you seem to know all about?”
    â€œThere was an attempt on your father’s life,” Luke told her in a low rumble. “I’m sorry.”
    â€œWhat?” She pegged Luke with a pointed stare, her anger and disbelief making her tremble. “Prove it. Prove to me that my father sent you. Prove that any of what you’re telling me is true.”
    Luke heaved an exasperated sigh and took out his phone and turned it toward her. “Here.”
    She read the text message from the phone number she recognized as her sister Maddie’s: Pic of Sarah and Eli. Please bring them home safely. Dad in surgery.
    Sarah immediately called out, “Mr. Thomas! I need to take a break. Could you watch the booth for me until Mrs. Smith gets here?”
    Luke didn’t wait for Mr. Thomas to answer before grabbing Sarah’s hand and pulling her along behind him. “Where’s the boy?”
    â€œThe haunted house.” Sarah gestured toward a sprawling historic home down the street that was converted into a house of horrors every year to the delight of people all over the county. She’d held firm about Eli not going, planning to have him sit with her at the booth until she was free to go with him, but then Hunter’s mom had informed her that, contrary to what Hunter had hoped, she and her husband would be joining the boys at the festival and keeping watch over them.
    Luke picked up the pace, his powerful strides forcing Sarah to take three steps to his every one. She struggled to keep up with him, her long denim skirt and brown knee boots not really suited for jogging. But as her fear and panic ramped up, she surged forward, now dragging Luke behind her .
    â€œBetsy,” Sarah panted when they reached the wrought-iron gates, recognizing the girl taking tickets as one of the high school girls who’d babysat