I pointed to the back. “Emergency bag is in the trunk. But they know what car we’re driving, so we need something different. We don’t have time to stop for food, but I should have enough to last us a few weeks.”
She gasped. “A few weeks? Are you insane? If the Irish don’t get to us first, we’ll kill each other.”
Ignoring her outburst, I got out. “Stay in the car.”
The salesman was on me as soon as I rounded the car, and it didn’t take long for me to find a suitable replacement. Movement in my periphery forced me to put a halt to my purchase and instead step in front of Freya. She was clutching her rat’s cage to her chest, her steps slow thanks to the weight.
She startled when she noticed me, and I sighed.This is going to be a long few weeks. “I’m guessing you weren’t trying to help me out by looking at the cars.”
“That would be ahell no.” She adjusted the cage, her arms barely reaching around it. “I was trying to sort this out myself. You clearly have a rat in your organization. I’ll be much safer on my own.”
Someone was leaking information, but it couldn't be coming from Locked Security. I’d personally hired every single person on my payroll. It had to be coming from the Olysses side. His men would deflect to the highest bidder without a thought.
But one problem at a time. I had to get Freya to safety before I could even begin to flush out the rat. I herded her to the car I’d chosen and nudged her inside. “Now that’s where you’re wrong.”
She growled at me and set Killer down. “You’re not infallible, and everyone can be bought for the right price. Even your guys.”
Her words hit the mark, and I scowled, not responding. She narrowed her eyes in response, and I went back to the salesman I’d cut off midsentence. He happily accepted the money I handed him. Not surprising since it was nearly quadruple what the car was worth. Greed could be a wonderful thing.
After retrieving the bag from the trunk of my bullet-riddled car, I joined a pouting Freya.
She turned to me as soon as I sat down. “How do you know this car is any good? What if it breaks down on the way? Won’t we be worse off than before?”
“I gave the guy enough money that he doesn’t have to sell another car for the rest of the month. He assured me this one was the best he had.”
That didn’t have to mean much since every single car in the lot looked like it belonged in the junkyard. The one I’d purchased was the definition of a shag-mobile. The inside was layered in carpet, and the furry seat covers smelled like patchouli.
I adjusted my seat and started the car. “We don’t want to draw attention. Nobody will ever think the Olysses princess is going to drive anything even close to this.” I glanced at Freya to make sure she was buckled in when I noticed her crestfallen expression. “What now?”
“Don’t ever call me that again,” she said, voice low. “And I’m getting away from you as soon as I can. You clearly can’t keep me safe.”
“I didn’t want to do this, but you leave me no choice.” I pulled out handcuffs and put one around her right wrist, hooking the other to the door handle.
Freya stared at me open-mouthed, then rattled the cuffs. “Are you insane?”
“Just making sure I can concentrate on driving instead of watching you and hoping you don’t jump out of the car every time we stop at a traffic light.”
“I hate you,” she growled.
I started the car, the loud engine making conversation nearly impossible.
* * *
We’d been driving for three hours, the only noise the radio playing in the background—and the occasional rattle of the handcuffs from Freya—when I pulled into a gas station. “You hungry?”
Freya turned her head and glared at me but didn’t answer. I got out of the car, the door creaking and groaning. My earlier confidence that it would get us to our destination was waning.
Unable to do anything about her apparent mistrust or the state of the car, I filled the gas tank and then climbed back in, starting the car and moving it to a parking space in front of the diner sitting next to the station. Freya was staring at her lap, doing her best to ignore me. And for reasons I couldn’t quite work out, I wanted her to trust me.
“Look, I know this is a shitty situation, but for now, we’re stuck together. So why don’t we make the best of it and work together?” I said, hoping I hadn’t said the wrong thing again.
She pointedly stared at the handcuffs.
I got the keys out of my pocket. “It was for your own good.” I cringed at my words but forged on regardless. “Once you get in a huff, there’s no arguing with you.”
I leaned over her, careful not to touch anything but her hand. I uncuffed her, and she pulled her hand to her chest and rubbed her wrist.
“For the record, I don’t agree with any of this,” she stated. “It’s over the top to go hide out wherever we’re going. You could have just put me on a plane back to Chicago. My family is more than capable of keeping me safe.”
