Time seemed to slow to a crawl. The air crackled with tension. Every nerve in my body screamed. This wasn’t happening. This couldn’t be happening.

“You don’t understand,” Mark said, his voice trembling slightly. “She damaged my car. This is a limited edition!”

The man with the gun chuckled, a dry, humorless sound. “I don’t give a damn about your car. I care about her. And right now, you’re making a very big mistake.”

He leaned closer, his voice dropping to a whisper that only Mark – and I – could hear.

“I’m the Director of the FBI,” he said, his eyes boring into my attacker’s. “And if you don’t release her right now, I promise you, it’ll be the last thing you ever do.”

The Director of the FBI?

My mind reeled. What was going on?

Mark’s face paled. He stared at the man with the gun, his eyes wide with disbelief and fear. He looked like a cornered animal. Slowly, reluctantly, he released his grip on my hair.

I stumbled backwards, gasping for breath, my legs shaky and weak. I wanted to run, to escape this nightmare, but I was frozen in place, paralyzed by fear and confusion.

“Get in the car,” the Director of the FBI said to me, his voice firm but gentle. “I’ll explain everything later.”

I didn’t hesitate. I scrambled to my feet and practically dove into the passenger seat of his black SUV, the door slamming shut behind me like a gunshot.

He kept the gun trained on my attacker as he circled the car and slid behind the wheel. With a screech of tires, we sped away, leaving Mark standing alone in the parking lot, his face a mask of bewilderment and terror.

As we drove, I stared out the window, my mind racing. Who was this man? Why had he saved me? And what did he mean by “I’ll explain everything later”?

My life had just taken a sharp, unexpected turn. And I had a feeling that nothing would ever be the same again.

I glanced at the Director of the FBI, his profile sharp and determined in the dim light of the car. He hadn’t said a word since we’d left the parking lot.

He was waiting. Watching. And so was I.

Because I needed to know what to do next. I needed to know why the Director of the FBI was here. I needed to know who my boyfriend truly was. I needed to know what all this meant for my future.

I took a breath, the air catching in my throat.