She followed the scuffs on the dusty floor, careful to keep an eye out for any sounds or movements and once again grateful for John’s strong presence at her back. The sirens were growing loud enough to be heard inside the closed-up warehouse, and Molly frowned as she moved carefully along the hallway. The emergency vehicles were making it hard to hear if someone else was sneaking up on them. If Sonny was around the next corner, she wanted some advance warning.

A hand settled on her shoulder, making her jump in the split second before she recognized the touch as John’s. He nudged her to the right, pointing over her shoulder with his other hand, and she immediately saw that the tracks they were following had indeed turned. She gave the hand still resting on her shoulder a pat in thanks as she switched directions.

The footprints led to a boarded-up window, the broken panes of glass all replaced by sheets of plywood. She pressed and tried to wiggle the boards, but everything was tightly secured. Frowning, she turned toward John, confused by how Sonny—or whoever they’d been following—could have gotten through this particular window.

Before she could voice her thoughts, a shadow moved behind John, catching her attention. The figure lifted a long, thin shape high above his head, and time seemed to freeze as she stared at the menacing threat. Sucking in a harsh breath, Molly knotted her fists in the front of John’s shirt and threw herself back, dragging him along with her. Her back hit the concrete floor hard, knocking the wind out of her. John followed her down, his bulk tumbling toward her, and she stiffened, preparing for the sure-to-be-painful impact. When it didn’t come, she opened her eyes to see that he’d caught his weight on his hands braced on either side of her body. For a fraction of a second, they both froze, his chest pressing against her just hard enough to make her feel protected.

She sucked in shallow breaths, her heart racing from danger and—as poorly timed as it was—John’s unexpected proximity. The moment was gone in less than a blink as John grabbed her and rolled. Startled, she went with it, twisting out of the way just as the end of a two-by-four came crashing down where their heads had been. As soon as they were clear, John was on his feet, chasing their attacker back down the hallway. John glanced back over his shoulder, and Molly waved him on, still unable to take a deep enough breath to speak. Although he frowned, his concern evident even in the frantic moment, he followed her silent direction and continued his pursuit.

Pulling herself into a sitting position, Molly shuffled over until she was propped against a wall. She didn’t want anyone sneaking up behind her, in case Sonny—or whoever had tried to bash their heads in—wasn’t alone. Once her shoulder blades were pressed securely against the wall, she focused on getting her breath back.