“It’s all right. I’ve got this.”
“Hmm.” She looked around at the desolate and deserted area as the wind spun rubbish against the forlorn buildings. At this dusky time, the neighborhood lacked any sense of safety. Weeds clogged the street, breaking through the desperate cement to seek some sort of life.
Jasper used the stick to pop off the plastic cover under the steering column, and then his fangs dropped to strip a small section of insulation off the battery and ignition wires.
“Don’t forget the yellow wire,” she whispered.
“I’ve got it.” He twisted the yellow with the two red ones. The engine instantly started. Okay, so he was better at that than she’d expected.
She limped around and opened the passenger-side door, settling into the worn seat. Something poked her butt, and she shifted her weight. The car’s interior smelled like burned cotton and rotting meat. She rolled down her window. Jasper hefted himself inside the tiny vehicle, shoving the seat back as far as it would go. He overpowered the entire interior.
“This thing’s too small,” he grunted, slamming the door. His knees still touched the dash.
“It’s all we’ve got. Let’s go,” she urged.
With his overlarge hands on the small steering wheel, he drove away from the curb. The vehicle bucked a couple of times and then settled into a smooth ride. “We can’t go anywhere near the front of the convention center in this thing.”
“I scouted the entire building just in case,” she said, her mind going over the schematics. “We can park in the alley next to the center.”
He turned down an alley to reach a quieter street. “Then what?”
“Then we’re taking George.”
Jasper drove as quickly as the older vehicle would allow. Soon, the city lights illuminated their way. He drove around several buildings to a nice tavern area a couple of blocks from the center before parking in the back.
She stared at a pile of sequins on the dirty floor. “We need fresh clothing.”
He shook his head, grunting as he shoved his bulk out of the small car. “There isn’t time. The auction is letting out already.”
She exited and quietly shut the door, limping to peer around the building. Swallowing, she glanced at people pouring from the convention center’s front entrance, all in tuxedos, nice suits, and gorgeous gowns.
“Where is George?” Jasper asked.
She shook her head, watching the multitude of people streaming out. “I don’t see him.” She looked around for a better vantage point.
“Here.” Jasper pivoted, grabbed her waist, and threw her into the air. She landed with her feet on his shoulders, slapping her hands against the brick building.
“Some warning would have been nice,” she hissed, shifting her weight so both feet were on his left shoulder and she could turn around, positioning one foot on each side of his head.She leaned against the brick building. They were completely in shadow, just where she wanted to be.
Jasper’s hands wrapped around her ankles, and a warmth shivered up her entire body.
“Do you see him?” he asked.
She looked down at his dark head. “I’ll tell you if I do.” She’d heard of mates working together, and she wondered if they could. His bossiness was driving her crazy—at least in the field. In bed was another story, apparently.
Although Jasper didn’t seem to make the distinction.
“I see him.” She finally caught sight of George. “He’s in the middle there, wearing a brown three-piece suit with a vest and a red power tie.”
Jasper patted the top of her foot. “I’ve got him.” He ducked, and she fell, yelping. He easily caught her and flipped her around to land on her feet. “Stay here.”
“Wait.” She grasped his arm. “You’re a bloody mess. You can’t just walk into the middle of those people. Somebody will scream.”
He looked down at his stained torso. “Good point.”
Leah craned her neck to see better. George waited patiently at the curb, scrolling through something on his phone as if he didn’t have a care in the world. A black town car soon drove up, the front window lowering. George leaned in and spoke with the driver before entering the back seat. “Oh, no,” Leah said. “What are we going to do?”
“This way.” Jasper walked briskly down the street, ignoring the stares of passersby. Leah kept her head low and followed him for a couple of blocks. Nobody approached them. Traffic crawled along, and soon they walked far ahead of the vehicle.
