My hands tightened into fists in my pockets because I knew this was the moment. I’d wasted too much time, and now I had a choice: I could leave, pretend I never saw her, walk away and let fate do what I hadn’t been able to do myself. Matteo would get his hands dirty, and I could go back to regular marks.
But I already knew from the second she sat across from me – with that goddamn crooked smile and absolutely no fear ofanything– that I wasn’t going to walk away. I returned to my car, thankful that I had decided to drive it instead of the bike today, and retrieved my mask. I took off my leather jacket, tossing it into the seat.
I circled the block twice. She locked up twenty minutes later with her bag over her shoulder, hair half-pulled up. She started walking, just like she said she did. I followed, quiet and close. I took the mask and slipped it over my face. It was just a simple balaclava, but maybe it would save my anonymity for now.
The men followed too, and she noticed. I could detect her suspicion and panic, even from a distance. They didn’t make a move right away. I knew – even sloppy and with no experience – they were waiting for a shadowed spot, some corner where a scream wouldn’t matter. She passed a prime spot, just about to step into the alley by the shuttered dry cleaner.
I moved.
My hand came around her mouth before she could scream. I felt her jolt, her body stiffen like I’d hit her. She kicked back, but I was stronger. I pulled her into the alley, twisting so my body blocked hers from view. I had to haul her up against my chest, her feet swinging into the air in front of her as she tried to kick me.
“I’m trying to help you,” I growled low. “Don’t fight.”
She made a confused noise in her throat. She was thrashing, shaking. Her eyes were wide and wild in the dark. I squeezed her just a little harder, and she made a pained noise and grew still. I slowly lowered her to the ground in front of me, her back still to my chest.
“I’m going to let go of your mouth, but I need you to be quiet. There are two men following you. You noticed them, didn’t you?”
Her head slowly nodded.
“Can I trust you not to scream?”
Another nod.
My hand fell from her mouth, and she spun around to face me.
“I don’t have time to explain.” I grabbed her wrist, dragging her toward the car I had parked around the corner. She fought with me as I pulled her, but she was quiet. At the sight of the vehicle, she started struggling even harder.
I yanked open the side door of the car. “Get in.”
“No!” she whispered violently.
I stepped closer, scooping her off the ground, and all but throwing her into the backseat before I slid into the driver’s seat and gunned it away from the street.
“You’re… kidnapping me,” she said, voice shaking. She sounded so stunned, probably in shock. Anyone in their right mind would be fighting like hell to get me to pull over.
“I’m keeping you alive,” I responded, trying to see her in the rearview, but she remained hunkered low against the seat.
“Oh, my God. Never let them take you to the second location,” she muttered.
“What are you talking about?” I asked, eyes moving to scan for the vehicle that Matteo’s men had been driving. They’d be on my trail soon; there were only so many places that she could have gone after disappearing into the alleyway.
“You’re going to kill me, aren’t you?”
I tucked my chin down when she asked me. The truth was… I didn’t know yet.
She started crying. Fuck. I shifted uncomfortably in my seat, gripping the steering wheel so hard that it squeaked. I took the road out of town – the one that led into the wooded state park. I could circle us around – it would take maybe a half hour – then I could take her to my apartment and debrief her.
I wondered how she’d react and if she’d believe me.
The sound of the back door opening had my head snapping up to the rearview again. I barely saw her dive out of the open door, and then I saw her body bounce against the shoulder of the road before she got to her feet and she started running into the treeline. She was lucky she didn’t hit her head or break her neck, but thanks to the park’s speed limit and winding roads, I hadn’t been driving very fast.
“Shit,” I growled, slamming the car into park.
I sprinted after her.
Branches slapped my arms as I pushed through the woods after her, boots pounding soft dirt and slick pine needles. She was faster than I expected, but she wasn’t trained. Her fear gave her adrenaline and also made her reckless. She would have burned out, even if I hadn’t caught up with her.
I caught a flash of her pale shirt through the trees and followed the sound of crashing undergrowth.
