“Good.” Ford exchanged a satisfied look with Angel.
Leo took in the circle of faces, grim determination on every one. Until she got to Eric—Ford’s big brother, the team leader. Her friend.
“I think we’ve got an in,” he said.
“An in?” Elias asked.
“Von’s flying out tomorrow to accept a security job at Chronos Headquarters.”
“Holy shit,” breathed Leo. She looked at Von. “Are you—”
“In and out. That’s it.” One hundred percent Von. Expressionless, deeply certain. Willing to put his life on the line. Maybe because he didn’t actually value it all that much.
“That leads me to the next order of business,” Eric said.
Her eyes shot back to him, since his tone had changed. She waited, breath held.
“It’s Ans.”
She took in every face in the room and realized she was the only one waiting. This was what they weren’t saying. “What? He’s in Colorado, right? A dig at a mine? Another stupid Chronos project?”
“There was a cave-in.” Von delivered the news. Fitting, given that he was the Reaper. “Ans is gone.”
“No way.” Leo rose from her chair with difficulty. “I’ll get him out.”
Beside her, Elias stood too.
“Don’t try to stop me.” She flashed a look his way, all bravado, since a breeze could knock her down right now.
“Hell no.” He gave her one of his heart-crushing smiles. “I’m going with you.”
Eric stood, as did Ford and Pam. “We all are.”
“We’re in this together, Leo.” Elias dropped his smile, leaned in, and spoke for her ears only. “No matter what, we’re in it together.”
She squeezed his hand and nodded, knowing that nothing on earth could stop her with Elias Thorne by her side.
Read on for a look at book one of the Blank Canvas series
Available now from Sourcebooks Casablanca
Old hag in need of live-in helper to abuse. Nothing kinky.
Uma read the ad again.
Jesus. Was she really going to do this?
Yes. Yes, she was. She’d come all the way back to Virginia for the hope its free clinic offered, and if this was the only job she could get while she was in town, she should consider herself lucky to have found it.Especially, she thought with a wry smile,since it’s one for which I’m so qualified.
The smile fell almost immediately. Everything was moving so fast. Not even in town for a day, and here she was, standing on a stranger’s front porch. The house, thankfully, wasn’t even close to the haunted manor she’d imagined. Then again, who knew what waited behind that chipped red door?
Taking a big, bolstering breath, Uma slipped the newspaper clipping back into her pocket and knocked.
There was a lightthunkon the other side, followed by what sounded like footsteps, a scuffling, and then nothing. She waited, trying to hear more over the drone of a nearby lawn mower, and thought of all the reasons this was a horrible idea.
Abuse?Abuse?How could she possibly take this job in the shape she was in?
But as usual, the desperate reality of her situation pushed all arguments aside. Food, shelter, money. There was no arguing with necessity, even if this place felt off.
