“Do you know them?” Trent asked her. “Anyone you’ve seen before?”
“Mm. LAX. They followed me until I managed to throw them off, and then I deliberately missed the flight I was booked onto. I’m pretty sure they still caught it, though. But they’ve caught up again.”
“Well. I guess we have to get somewhere conspicuous, then. Isolated, but conspicuous,” Trent said, glancing around.
“That sounds a little like a contradiction in terms.”
“Maybe a little,” Trent said, glancing around. “But not necessarily.”
He reached down, grabbing her hand – as if they were any other couple enjoying a sunny day by the river together. Immediately, he felt that warm tingle under his skin that told him that Zina was hismate, that she was the most precious thing in the whole world and he’d box the ears – to say the least – of anyone who tried to harm her. But still, she didn’t seem to notice, aside from glancing down in surprise at the contact between them.
“What’re you –” she started to ask, but Trent turned back to her with a grin before she could get too far.
“C’mon,” he said, tugging at her hand. “I’m taking you paddle boating.”
“Paddleboating?” he heard her squawk as he maneuvered through the crowds, one eye always on the men who’d been watching and waiting for them. “What are youtalkingabout? On theriver?”
“Yep,” Trent said, leading her to where the paddleboat hire employee was unchaining a boat for a family. “It’s conspicuous, and the hire guy keeps a close eye on you in case you get into trouble. There’s only a couple of families with kids out on the river, so we won’t be getting pushed toward anyone who might be lurking in a crowd. You’re in the middle of the river, so it’s pretty obvious if anyone’s getting too close. And it’s a bit hard to creep up on someone in a paddleboat.”
“…I guess,” Zina admitted, albeit a little reluctantly. “Unless they’re a crocodile shifter or something like that.”
“…Okay, good point,” Trent said. Hehopedthat wasn’t the case. Knowing his luck, it probably was. But in the absence of any other plan, and with the now four men closing in on them from both directions, it was the best idea they had. Well, probably.
He had to stop himself from incredulously sayingTwenty-five dollars?!when the employee told him the price of a thirty-minute hire, because hesworeit had only been ten the last time he’d been here – which, granted, had been several years ago, but still –twenty-five dollars?!
He handed over the cash and the man began unchaining a paddleboat, as Zina kept her eye on the pursuers.
“Okay. They’re just staring for now,” Zina said, as Trent helped her onto the boat. “They’re probably wondering what the hell we’re doing – and I can’t say I blame them, since I’m wondering the same thing.”
“At the least, it buys us some time,” Trent said as they sat, bums on the seats, feet on the pedals. “And you can perhaps explain to me what’s actually in that box. Or show me, if you can’t explain it.”
He watched as she, apparently unconsciously, pulled it a little closer to her chest, as if trying to shield it from view.
“Not in the middle of a river,” she said, as they began turning the pedals with their feet, the water around them churning as they made their way out into the river.
“Well, you know I said I’d help you,” Trent told her. “And I meant it. But at some stage, you’re going to have to actually tell me what I’m in for.”
He didn’t want to press her – not really, anyway, even if he had to admit that he was being eaten alive by curiosity just now. But he also couldn’t deny that it would help hima lotif he actually knew what they were supposed to be protecting just now, and what Zina had actuallydoneto cause this level of fuss.
Not that it matters,his kangaroo spoke up, as soon as the thought entered his head.We will protect our mate no matter what!
Of course we will,he told it.But let’s just get some stuff sorted, okay?
The kangaroo sniffed a little at that, as if it couldn’t possibly see the need for such things – and, well, maybe it was right. Nothing she could tell him would change Trent’s mind about his decision to help her.
“We can talk here a little bit more easily,” Trent said, as they reached the mid-point between the two river banks. “There’s no one around – and we can see if anyone approaches.” He glanced at his watch. “And we still have twenty-five minutes left on this paddleboat hire. You may as well tell me what all this is about.”
Zina blinked, licking her lips. Trent could tell she was nervous, but that was understandable. No one liked being backed into a corner.
“All right,” she said, after hesitating for a moment. “I get it. You deserve to know.” She took a deep breath, as if collecting herself.
Comfort our mate! She may be strong, but right now, she needs comfort and aid!His kangaroo’s voice suddenly burst into his consciousness, loud and demanding, and Trent found he’d unconsciously raised his arms to do just that almost before he could stop himself.
He forced them back down to his sides immediately, clenching his fists, while his kangaroo bucked up its back legs in outrage at being thwarted in its aims.
I can’t do that right now!Trent told it – no matter how much he personally wanted to take Zina in his arms and tell her everything would be okay, he doubted it would go down well just at this moment.She’s just started to trust us properly! You want to fuck it all up now?
She is our mate. She would know we meant her no harm,his kangaroo insisted – and maybe that would have been true, if Zina had known it as well. But as it was, she seemed just as clueless as the last time they’d met, shifter or not.
