Page 14 of Better Watch Out
She rolled her eyes. “Are you following me? Because I just told you I’m fine and can take care of myself.”
Andrew pointed to a parking sign. “My car.”
“Oh.” Her cheeks burned.
There was a tilt to Andrew’s lips, a half-smile. He dipped his hand in his pocket and pulled out the business card. “In case you need anything.”
Frannie hesitated for a second but then reached for the card. Just in case. “Thanks. And I’m sorry again about the pepper spray.”
Reaching into his pocket again, he pulled out the tiny can of spray. When had he grabbed it? “You didn’t use much so there should be enough in case someone else tries to help you.”
His lips tilted in a teasing smile that had Frannie considering that a pretend trip to the airport might be fun just to spend a few more minutes with Andrew. She could always catch an Uber back, right?
“Stay safe, Frankie.”
“It’s Frannie.” She dismissed the thoughts immediately. “Only my brother calls me Frankie.”
“Frannie.” He tipped his chin. “Stay safe, then.”
ChapterSix
Total waste of time. Andrew pulled out the keys to the company vehicle, anxious to get back to his actual job and only feeling a little bit bad for not fulfilling his favor to Ryan. But what was he supposed to do? Force his sister to leave? His tear ducts were still tingling from the pepper spray.
He glanced back over his shoulder to Frankie, who was still standing where he’d left her. He smirked, remembering the way her pretty blue eyes narrowed on him as she corrected him.“It’s Frannie.”
From the airline ticket, Andrew knew her full name was Francis but whether it was the cute nickname or maybe Ryan calling her hislittlesister, Andrew’s assumption he was picking up some lovelorn and newly brokenhearted teenager had turned out to be completely inaccurate.
The woman standing on the sidewalk, her blonde waves hanging over her shoulders as she focused on the cell phone in her hand, was definitely not what he’d expected. The woman who barreled out of her room with a quick draw on the pepper spray had certainly made a lasting impression. Capable. And beautiful.
Okay, so maybe not a total waste of time.
Screeching tires pulled his focus back to the parking garage, where a car was exiting. Andrew stepped to the side and checked his watch. Maybe he’d have enough time to get to the airport and pick up Ms. Malone himself?
He was halfway to the black Tahoe but he couldn’t help one final look back at Frannie. Her attention was still on her phone but she’d tucked her hair behind her ear, allowing him to see the way she was working her lower lip between her teeth. She glanced up and then around before looking back down at her phone in one hand and a piece of paper in the other.
He paused. She was completely oblivious to him watching her and Ryan’s concern for her came back to Andrew’s mind.“This is her first time in a big city and I don’t want anyone to take advantage of her emotional state.”
Andrew assumed Ryan was being an overprotective brother but watching her standing there looking like a lost tourist … maybe he could’ve tried harder to convince her to head to D.C. At the very least, he could offer her directions to wherever she wanted to go—or give her a ride.
That last idea filled him with a funny sensation, which he quickly dismissed before starting back toward her. If she wanted to stay in New York that was up to her andbetweenher and Ryan but he wouldn’t leave her there unaware of the temptation she was posing to those of the criminal sort.
He was halfway to her when her head popped up and she started walking away from him and down the street. Pausing, he watched her wait at the corner light.Guess she figured out where she needed to go. Good.
Except something close to disappointment pinched at his chest and he wasn’t sure why. He wasn’t really in the mood to be pepper-sprayed again. As he started to turn back around, a man in a black leather coat, hat pulled low on his head, across the street made eye contact for the briefest second before he pivoted and started walking with the crowd toward the intersection.
Andrew’s gut pulled taut the same way it did when he was reading an opposing player’s movements. The guy stopped at the intersection, his back to Andrew, waiting for the light to turn, the same way Frannie was. Andrew’s attention moved back to her just as the light turned.
The pedestrians moved forward, taking her with them as they crossed the street. On the other side, the man moved too and Andrew caught him watching Frannie.
That quick. That’s how fast an experienced criminal made their mark. Andrew didn’t hesitate, he started at a jog and barely made it across the street before the light turned. Dodging the foot traffic, he wove his way through the crowd, keeping his distance from Frannie while watching the man in the leather jacket. He kept glancing over at her like he was keeping tabs on her movements and Frannie was completely unaware that she was being stalked.
Picking up his pace, Andrew knew he couldn’t report the man to the police because he hadn’t done anything yet and he would make sure it stayed that way. There was a good chance the man would think twice if he saw Andrew with Frannie and then, at least, Andrew could assure Ryan he’d done his part to protect her. Of course, he was going to make a phone call to Ryan and insist he convince his sister to board that plane. If it wasn’t too late.
At the next block, Andrew pulled back just a bit to see what the man’s next move was. When he saw him cross the street to the same side as Frannie, Andrew moved in.
“Hey—”
Andrew started to reach for Frannie’s elbow but his sudden appearance at her side or the barely spoken word caused her to jump and in an impressively quick move, she jerked her elbow back, nailing him right in the gut.
