Chapter Twenty-Five
Asking Beckham to fill her in on the plan was about as fruitful as her stopping a bullet with her teeth. In fact, he wasn’t particularly loquacious the entire trip. Not that he ever was. But even the air felt bereft between them.
They traded out their SUV for a shiny black sports car once they got into the city. Reyna didn’t even have it in her to make a quip about it being inconspicuous before Beckham punched the pedal to the floor. Reyna quickly forgot her irritation as wonder took over. Just like the first time she’d ridden with him on his motorcycle, the sensation of flying resonated with her. The sheer power of the vehicle beneath her made her come alive.
“Where are we meeting her?” Reyna tried again.
Beckham took the next turn at top speed, the back wheels sliding across the road as if they were on ice. Reyna squeezed her seat to keep from slamming into the door. Questions seemed to be a no-go.
The sun had finally set by the time they swung into an underground parking garage. Literally swung. Beckham parked the car next to an elevator and sprinted around to her side to open the door. She stood on unsteady feet.
“Should we be worried about the cameras?” Reyna asked. “I can’t imagine that Harrington isn’t trying to track you or her.”
“Took care of it.”
“Of course you did,” she mumbled. “You’ve already been here?”
In response, he gestured for her to head to the elevator. He must have spent his time away scoping this place out and possibly dismantling the cameras and security system. Making sure that everything was as safe as possible.
Reyna and Beckham stepped into the elevator, and Beckhampressed a button for one of the floors near the top.
“So are we going in with guns blazing?”
“Guns are pointless.”
“Uh, right. I shot Penelope in the heart, and it put her ass on the ground.”
Beckham’s head snapped to her. “You shot her in the heart?”
Reyna grinned. “Yeah, I did, and I’d do it again if I had to.”
“It won’t come to that.”
Reyna sure as hell hoped it did. Well, mostly she’d feel better if she was packing as she walked into this unknown situation.
The doors opened and Reyna saw a row of doors all marked with the floor number and a letter. Apartments. They must be going to Penelope’s place. Reyna frowned, wondering which one belonged to her. She was certain that someone like Penelope Sky had a swank apartment. Even before she’d become the mayor, she’d lived a privileged and entitled life that Reyna had never been able to fathom.
“Stairs,” Beckham ordered.
Reyna groaned. Her favorite.
There were five more flights of stairs to the top, which ended with a locked door. As she was well aware with Beckham’s residence, the main way in and out was through the elevator. She wouldn’t have even known if there had been stairs out of his place.
Beckham produced a key and it turned easily in the hole. Before he opened the door, he faced her. “Do exactly as I say and don’t be seen or heard.”
“Uh, you want me to just stand inside?”
Beckham placed a phone in her hand. “Record what you can.”
“Won’t she know I’m nearby?”
“She’s not expecting there to be a human. I will keep her distracted.”
Then he slipped through the door without another word.
Distracted. Great.
Reyna let the door slip closed silently behind her. Beckham moved down a hallway and then into an office space. He positioned her so she had a clear view of the living room, but she was in enough shadow that she wasn’t visible.
