Hijacked (A Retribution Novel) Read Online Free PDF Page A

have used someone looking out for us, but we were mostly on our own. If I can make that kind of difference in someone’s life, I will.”
    “I find that extremely sexy, you know?” He kissed the top of her head. “Can I ask what happened to you and your brother? Where were your parents?”
    She inhaled. Her childhood wasn’t something she discussed with most people, but for some reason, Christian seemed different. “My mother was a crack head, if you could call her a mother. She was rarely home. When she was, she was strung out, and she could get mean. We lived that way for years. Finally, my brother Eric and I took the car and ran away when we were sixteen.”
    “Your mom never came after you because you took the car?”
    “Nope. I haven’t seen or heard from her in ten years. Hope I never do again. She’d better hope she never crosses my path, either.”
    “You’ll kick her ass, too?”
    A wave of pain she hadn’t experienced in some time rolled through her unexpectedly. “I’d like to, but probably wouldn’t.” That time had come and passed. Her wounds had healed, making her into the woman she was today, and she never wanted to go back to that place.
    “Is your brother a lawyer, too?”
    If only she hadn’t lost Eric along the way. She tucked her lips in, wondering how Christian managed to hit on her tender spots so easily. “No.”
    “What does he do? Does he live in Portland?”
    She tried to produce ambiguous words that wouldn’t lead to more questions, but she couldn’t focus on anything except the last time she’d seen Eric living in a park in conditions similar to Howard’s, looking scruffy and lost. “I don’t know.”
    He shifted onto one elbow so he could see her better. “You don’t know where your brother is?”
    She made to rise. “I really should be going. This was never meant to be anything other than sex.”
    He let her go this time, but followed her up. Before she could take two steps, he caught her arm. “Hey, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to pry.”
    “You didn’t.” She tugged, trying to get him to release her. “It’s fine.”
    He took her chin in his hand and tilted her face toward him. “It’s obviously not. Maybe I can help?”
    Tears caught in the back of her throat. She couldn’t deal with his tenderness. “Really, it’s not your concern. He disappeared on the streets over a year ago. There’s nothing anyone can do that I haven’t already tried.”
    He leaned forward and placed a soft kiss on her lips. “I’m sorry you’re hurting. I won’t press the issue, but I have a few connections with people on the streets. I could ask around.”
    She slipped from his grasp and snatched her panties from the carpet. “I’ve already done that. No one has seen him in a while. He’s either left town or he’s…” She couldn’t speak her worst fear.
    “Okay.”
    She escaped the room and headed for the living area where she’d left the rest of her clothing, feeling naked in more than one way. She slid into her skirt, not bothering with her bra or shirt. With hasty movements, she stuffed her clothes into her bag and donned her jacket.
    “Are you sure you have to be in such a hurry?” He leaned against a wall at the end of the hallway, still gloriously nude.
    “It’s late.” Her heart raced, leaving her anxious. She hadn’t experience a panic attack in a long time, but now, the world seemed to crash in around her and she struggled to breathe. “I have to work tomorrow.”
    “Tomorrow is Saturday.”
    It was? “I know. I’ll be putting in some overtime.” She glanced at her belongings to be sure she had everything. When she was certain she did, she hurried to him and placed a quick kiss on his lips, trying not to stare at his beautiful body. “Thank you. You were amazing.”
    With that, she hurried for his front door, opened and closed it before he could say anything else. Once she was on the other side, she zipped her jacket tightly closed and tried to