Sometime later, we time travel back to reality and I lift my weight off her. “Well, if that wasn’t a life-affirming event, I’m not sure what is.”
“More like life-changing.” The bodyguard wiggles with me still inside her. “Care to try for round two?”
I’m about to explain how she needs some sleep and place some ice on her injuries when my phone rings.
Stretching long, I tap the green icon. “Adrian? Whazzup?”
“Charlie’s gone.”
Do I want to ask how the hell two NYPD detectives and a bartender lost this kid? No matter, there’ll be plenty of time to bust their chops, later.
Lightning fast fingers clack in the background, stop, and Drac adds his two cents. “Their lobby cameras show her leaving the building about an hour ago.”
He pauses. “And there she is in the parking lot. Charlene stole a ‘22 Black Forester… checking traffic cams now… She went to a warehouse, south of Middletown… Give me a moment, tapping into the cloud… Hah, I found her. The darn kid’s driving away in an eighteen-wheeler… Oh, no fucking way.”
Based on his tone, I brace myself for the worst. “Out with it.”
“Our teenager drove off in one of the nuke-toting semis.”
Adrenaline races through my veins, understanding sets in, and I search for my clothes.
“Can you get a bead on her?” Zipping up, I toss Sky’s undies at her, and place the phone on speaker.
“I’m trying but we’re talking sixty miles in any direction. We need my drone in the air.”
“On it.” As Adrian and Drac discuss the best place to launch the miniature plane, my lover and I head outside.
Then, I remember we were dropped off and have no ride. “Holy crap. We don’t have a car.”
“No problem.” My sneaky operative runs around the lot, testing door handles until she finds one unlocked.
“Give me your phone.” Head under the dash, she holds out her hand, and after I give it to her, she downloads an app.
Soon, the BMW roars to life and I wonder what my captain would say if he could see me now. “Stealing a car? What the actual fuck, Liv?”
“Well, it’s not like we can call an Uber.”
She jumps into the driver’s seat, but I yank her out and glare. “I’m driving.”
“Fine.” Grumbling about bossy cops, she scampers around the front.
While the thief buckles up, I capture her gaze over the cupholder. “Where the hell did you learn to hotwire a car?”
“My dad.” Out of breath, cheeks pink, she shrugs and when she grins, I shake my head.
Born the son of a cop, I clearly had huge gaps in my education.
Once I’m sure we’re not followed, I raise my Android between us. “Drac, did you find her yet?”
“He’s working on it.” Cars drown out Adrian’s voice, so I crank up my volume in time to hear him say, “…FBI is standing by.”
As I swerve onto the turnpike ramp, my passenger steadies one hand against the glovebox. “Did Charlie leave a note?”
“Hold on. Dan? You there?”
A few minutes later, my other sibling joins our conversation. “Yeah. I’m looking now.”
Papers shuffle, drawers open and shut, then he bellows, “I found it. Listen up. She says,I know where the missing truck is and I’m going to take it someplace safe. Sky, does this mean anything to you?”
