He ruffled my hair. I swiped his hand away and he laughed.

“And because you won’t leave my damn hair alone.”

“You know I respect women. I just don’t want to settle down. Something I make very clear far in advance of our hookups.”

I would grudgingly give him that point. He made no false promises, but that didn’t mean he didn’t leave broken hearts behind. The ones who cared always hoped he’d change for them. And he never had.

I was just opening my mouth to ask him if it was possible that he hadn’t settled yet because he hadn’t found the right person, but before I could say anything he hit the brakes hard and I threw both hands out toward the dash to brace myself. My seatbelt saved me from faceplanting at least.

“Dude…” I said, pushing my hair back and glaring at him. “A little warning before you slam on the brakes like…”

I trailed off as I finally registered the look on his face as he stared out the front windshield. Swinging around, I followed his line of sight, and blinking a few times, let out a low gasp. “What in the ever-loving world is going on?” I murmured.

Four black SUVs, looking very similar to the ones we’d passed on the way to the party, were blocking the road.

“I almost hit them,” Brad growled, looking slightly less shocked. “They overtook me and then swerved right in front of me, blocking the road.”

“What do you think they want?” I asked, trying not to let the fear I felt creep into my voice. “Late at night, unmarked vans. Is this a carjacking?”

“I’m going to reverse and get the hell out of here,” Brad said grimly. “I don’t like this. Your parents are important. Mine are also in the government. We’re definitely prime targets for kidnapping.”

He was right. Even though I knew nothing about what sort of work my parents did, it had to be important. Why else would there be so much secrecy?

Brad shifted the gear to reverse, but when he turned his head to look he realized a few cars were close behind us, blocking us in. There was literally no way for him to go backwards, and the street was too narrow to turn around quickly.

“Shit,” he growled.

Pulling out my phone to dial 911, I thought about the argument I’d had last year with my father about assigning a permanent bodyguard to me. I told him it was a definite no. I would never be okay with someone following me around every day. I was kind of regretting that decision right about now. Damn my stubborn teen tendencies.

As I went to dial, I noticed that I had fifteen messages and dozens of missed calls. My phone had been on silent because I never heard it at parties. Still, that many notifications was unusual enough that I opened the app, finding that they were all from my parents and Gracie.

“They’re getting out of the car,” Brad warned me, his voice low and rough. “They’re in suits, but criminals dress nice too, so don’t let your guard down.”

I was too busy reading through my messages to check out the “suits.”

Maya, you need to call us ASAP!!! This was from my father.

The next was my mom: There has been an emergency at work. You are in danger. Do not go home. Do NOT let anyone take you anywhere. Tell us where you are and we will come for you.

Gracie: Maya, parents looking for you. Very worried. Please call.

I jerked my head up and stared at the suited men who were twenty feet from our car. “I need to run,” I said to Brad. “My parents just texted. I think I’m in danger.”

Brad opened his mouth, no doubt to ask a million questions I didn’t have time to answer, but I was already moving. My belt was undone and I was out of the car in almost the same instant. “Follow me,” I said to him through the open door before I took off.

I picked a direction the opposite way to the men and started to run without looking back. I knew my city well, but I also hadn’t spent much time in this particular area, especially late at night.

Maybe the darkness would give me an advantage. I could put some distance between them and then hide until my parents got me.

“Maya!” I heard Brad’s shout. He didn’t sound like he was too far away, so I slowed slightly to let him catch up. He was a hundred times fitter and stronger than me, which might come in handy if I needed to scale a fence or something.

“What the fuck is going on?” he said, as he reached my side.

Our feet hit a rhythm together. He had to slow his run to keep up with my shorter legs. Not to mention I was in damn heels. “I have no idea,” I said, breathing hard. “Parents said danger and not to get taken by anyone, so I’m running and hiding.”

I hit my mom’s number on the phone, which I’d thankfully not dropped in my haste to run. It rang in my ear, over and over, but there was no answer.

“Shit.”

My father’s number was next, and I had no expectations that he was going to answer either. But he did: “Maya, little one, where are you?”

I could have cried at the deep, rich drawl. “Dad, I need your help. Some men tried to stop us … they’re after us now.” I assumed they were anyway. I had not looked back yet.

Brad did glance over his shoulder as I spoke, and when I met his gaze it looked grim. They were definitely after us.

“Maya, get out of Alexandria immediately. I can’t speak to you on the phone about it, but you’re not safe right now.”