Boring-looking? What a bitch.
“I see a lot of people every day,” the barista said. “Brown hair and brown eyes are pretty common. Is there anything else that might stand out?”
“She might be carrying a large black duffel bag.”
Interesting. If they still thought the egg was in the black duffel, then Karim must have known not to waste his time looking for me at my house. Or maybe these people were friends of the dead guy. I was glad I ditched my phone now. Though I did wish I had another one; I hadn’t expected it to be so difficult to navigate through streets I wasn’t familiar with without a map.
“Oh, her!” The barista faked recognition. “She came by, bought a coffee, then left like ten minutes ago.”
“Shit.” The man swore. “But her car—"
“We didn’t see her when we drove in,” the woman interrupted. “Did she go on foot?”
“Oh no. Some guy in a red sports car picked her up. You can’t miss it. The thing was loud.”
I pressed my lips into a flat line, trying not to react. The girl was good. The way she said it was totally believable. And now these idiots would be looking for a red sports car.
The two left.
“The coast is clear.”
I let out a sigh of relief. “Thank you. I owe you.”
“I’ve been through this exact shit before. Did you know my ex also told people he was looking for his sister? You don’t owe me anything, just pass it forward. Now, can I grab you a ride? I don’t think you can drive a car with the window that busted.”
“It’s a rental. That is going to cost me.”
“Don’t worry about that yet. Figure it out when you’re safe.” She held up her phone. “Last offer for a ride.”
I thought of the egg inside the salt bin. “I can’t. I hid my bag a few blocks over.”
“Ah, smart. Well, good luck. And stay safe.”
I made my way back to the industrial park on foot since it wasn’t that far, and I could take a shortcut through the lots. Also, those douchecanoes might still be watching out for the car, and I wanted to give it some more time.
The building was already in sight when I heard footsteps behind me. My breath stalled, and my hand landed on the combination lock I had in my pocket; in my rush to get out of the gym, I’d shoved it into my pocket instead of my gym bag. It was weighty, and I wished I’d had the forethought to put it in a sock first. It would make a decent weapon in a pinch.
Instead of going to the egg, I continued walking past the building. I turned the corner and found myself face-to-face with a gate. The gate was closed with chains and a padlock, but there was a gap. It would be a tight squeeze, but I could make it.
But it was too late. I whirled around, my eyes trained on the growing shadow that crept around the corner I’d just taken.
A man stepped out from the shadows. He was tall, with broad shoulders, and strikingly beautiful. Dark hair fell in loose waves that framed his chiseled jaw. His clothes were simple: a pair of jeans, a t-shirt, and a fitted jacket. But his common clothes did not hide his uncommon physique.
He stood around six-and-a-half feet tall and was built like a tank. He was bigger than anyone I’d ever met. His form would put a bodybuilder to shame. His giant shoulders came down to his waist in a perfect V. When he lifted his head, the light from the streetlamp caught his eyes, revealing an inhuman glow.
There was no way this guy was fully human. I’d never been more certain that his true form was hidden behind a magical illusion. And even wrapped in glamour, something about him challenged the edges of reality. Maybe it was the faint, cool gray undertone of his skin, or the way his eyes shifted between molten silver and the green-gray of storm clouds over a raging sea. His cheekbones and jawline looked like they were carved from stone.
This wasn’t one of Karim’s friends. I didn’t recognize him, and I was certain that I’d remember a man like that if we’d ever met before. Not to mention, Karim didn’t have any monster friends. And I was pretty damn sure he secretly hated them but put on a mask just so he wouldn’t lose some of his better-paying clients.
I couldn’t force my gaze away from the huge man-beast blocking my exit. A shiver skated up my spine and I swallowed hard.
I wanted to run, but my feet felt rooted to the concrete. My heart pounded in my chest so loudly that I was sure he could hear it. All the words I thought I’d say in a situation like this fled my brain, and all I could do was stare.
“I’m not going to hurt you. I’m here to help.” His voice was low and smooth, and it clearly wasn’t the same one I’d heard in the coffee shop.
But that didn’t mean I could trust him. There was more than one group after the egg. It wasn’t just Karim; there was the other party too. And they might think I was the one who’d murdered their friend for the artifact. What if this was the EA, the (Secret) Enforcement Agency, which was like the paranormal police, and I was about to be locked away forever?
My throat felt dry, but I managed to croak out a response, “I don’t need your help.” I cringed at how scared and small I sounded. I was trying really damn hard to go for strong and fierce.
