Willow may not have all the answers about the book’s possible significance to her sister, but she knew more than she was telling him.
The sound of an approaching vehicle in the parking lot outside pricked his attention. His combat instincts snapped to full alert even before he had crossed the small room and peered out from between the drawn curtains.
The motel had been quiet since they’d arrived early that morning, nothing but a handful of vehicles parked in the spaces outside the one-story building. Which made it all the more unusual to see the unmarked police sedan roll into the sunlit parking lot and head for the motel’s front office. Colorado plates. The pair of officers seated inside scanned the smattering of vehicles parked in the spaces on the lot.
“Fuck.” Razor cast a glance over his shoulder, still hearing the shower running in the bathroom.
He’d been careful on the drive out of Colorado, and knew they hadn’t been tailed. As an added precaution, he’d parked Willow’s Jeep around the back of the building rather than in the space right outside the room. Yet as much as he wanted to dismiss the cops’ arrival as nothing more than coincidence, he was certain to his marrow it was anything but chance that law enforcement had caught up to them.
Damn it.
His call to Theo after they’d arrived. It was the only feasible way they could have been traced to this location so quickly.
How long would it take for the dirty cop to follow his lead right to their motel room door?
Not nearly long enough.
Razor had to get Willow out of there—and fast.
He crossed the room in a flash and paused only long enough to knock once in warning before opening the bathroom door. Willow sucked in a gasp behind the shower’s glass door.
“Hey!” She slid the door open a crack and peered around it, her bright green eyes wide. “What the hell are you—”
“No time,” he snarled. “Cops are here.”
Behind the steamed glass, her arms came up to shield her from his view, but not quick enough to keep him from drinking in every wet, naked inch of her. Not even the semi-obscured glass could hide her body from his keen Breed gaze.
Her luscious curves and creamy skin lit fire to all his senses—but it was the tiny crimson mark riding a couple inches above her navel that brought his brain to a screeching halt.
“You’re a Breedmate.” It came out like an accusation. The curse he let fly was ripe and harsh. “You didn’t tell me.”
“You didn’t ask.” Still shielding herself, she gave him an equally offended look. “Does it matter?”
All he could do was bite off another dark curse in reply. He didn’t have time to process this unwanted new wrinkle, let alone decide how to deal with it.
“Get dressed,” he muttered, grabbing a towel off the rack and tossing it at her. “We’ve got to go. Now.”
She caught the towel in one hand and quickly wrapped herself in it before sliding the glass open all the way and stepping out of the shower.
“Are you sure the cops are after us? How did they find us?”
“I fucked up. Nothing to do about it now. They’ve gone to the front office, but it won’t be long before they’re at our door. So, put your clothes on and let’s go.”
He turned and strode out of the bathroom to collect their things in the other room. She came out fully dressed a few moments later, her long brown hair hanging in damp waves around her shoulders.
She grabbed her boots and stepped into them. “Razor, it’s broad daylight out there. You can’t go anywhere right now.”
“I’ll manage. Give me your phone.”
“What for?”
“It’s staying here, along with mine.” He thrust his hand out and she put her phone in it. He crushed the device in his fist, then did the same to his own phone.
Willow gaped at the mangled clumps of electronics now littering the floor. He gestured to the vending machine snacks and bottled water on the nightstand. “Better take that food with you. I don’t know when it’ll be safe for us to stop again so you can eat.”
She swept the whole lot of it into her purse, along with the book from her sister. As he shrugged into his motorcycle jacket, she eyed him dubiously. When she spoke, her voice was grim. “The Jeep doesn’t have a top or doors on it. You’re going to fry out there.”
“We’re not taking your Jeep. Should’ve ditched it before we left Colorado.”
