He reached for her, but she flinched so hard she smacked her shoulder against the tree. Hissing in pain, she reached up to rub the pain away. She took a deep breath and tried to calm herself down. She was acting like an i***t. This man wasn't going to harm her. Granted, he used brutal methods to teach her a lesson in not taking off on her protection detail. Maybe she deserved it. She needed to face reality. By accepting a lifetime of Jay's money and protection, she wasn't an entirely innocent victim. What a f****d-up relationship she had with the younger man. Yet, it had never been anything but a fairytale to her. He'd saved her life on multiple occasions and made it his mission to give Allison the best of everything, even back when he had nothing. How could Veronica not adore him? But no