Wasn’tthatthe truth.
Stensby was in the backseat of the white Challenger Hellcat, eyes closed contentedly. It’d felt so good to smash his cruiser up for Alex. Lake Sammamish had been his idea, to distract everyone. Then Stensby had called Keith, who was in a rage from losing Reece. It’d been easy to lure Keith to some sketchy strip mall in Kent so he could meet Alex, and now all three of them were ateam.
They were idling outside an older gas station in Bellevue with Alex behind the Hellcat’s wheel. He’d given Keith instructions and the other man had gone inside. Stensby was happy to wait in the backseat. He was happy to do anything, as long as it was what Alex wanted. Keith understood and felt the same way now.
“Gretel sent a text. Says her dad keeps giving AMI membership lists to anyone who asks.” Alex was lazily scrolling through his phone. “For someone who keeps yelling about privacy, Beau Macy sure doesn’t seem to care about anyone else’s.”
How had Stensby ever disliked Alex’s accent? He loved his voice. Maybe Alex would keep talking forever. “I’m probably on that list.”
Alex glanced up, meeting Stensby’s eyes in the rearview mirror. “I’m sure you are. Keith too. Makes you wonder what they’re using these lists for, doesn’t it?”
“You should ask for them,” Stensby said dreamily. “You should introduce yourself to all of AMI.”
“You’ve had worse ideas.” Alex glanced at the gas station’s doors. “Here we go.”
An alarm split the air. The doors burst open and Keith came running out, thick wads of green bills in his hands. Behind the gas station’s glass windows, Stensby could see a lot of red.
“You’re a terrible kidnapper but luckily an excellent robber,” Alex said, over Stensby’s cheering, already throwing the Hellcat into Reverse as Keith leapt into the passenger seat and slammed the Hellcat door. “And I hope you’re both ready for our next stop.”
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Name: Vivian Marist (filed on behalf of)
Title: President
Location: Vancouver
Description: Business dinner
Other attendees: Holt Traynor (Empath Initiative); Victor Nichols (Polaris Empathic Research Facility)
—STONE SOLUTIONS CANADA EXPENSE REPORT
Reece became awarehe was in a moving vehicle before he even opened his eyes. “Where are we?”
Grayson’s voice reached his ears. “Almost to the border.”
Reece opened his eyes. He was in the passenger seat of Grayson’s truck—seat belt fastened, thank goodness, it wouldn’t do to risk him flying around the truck and distracting Grayson from the road—reclined and covered with Grayson’s big coat. “Did you sayborder?”
“We decided we were running away to Canada. Or maybe you don’t remember that part, because thirty seconds later you’d knocked yourself out colder than this weather.”
Reece winced as events came rushing back to him. “Oops?”
“Oops, he says.” Grayson gestured to the glove box. “Your gloves are in there. You don’t have to wear them around me, but you do need to remember you took them off before you go touching me.”
Why had he taken them off in the truck bed? Reece reached for the memory, but it slipped away.
The memory of Grayson’s skin, though. That was seared into his brain. “You have really nice hands. Like, they’re all big, and warm,” Reece said, and then his brain caught up with his mouth. He cringed. “Jesus, sorry, my brain’s still fuzzy, ignore me slobbering over your hands.Please.”
Grayson’s eyes darted to him, then back to the road. “I didn’t hear any slobbering. I heard you trying to flatter me into forgetting you’re not supposed to take your gloves off in public. And I didn’t forget, but you were also supposed to stay put, so I guess I’m just gonna add more lines to that long list of things you’re already in trouble for.”
Reece’s shoulders relaxed. Grayson wasn’t going to make fun of him for being so desperately untouched. “So what’s an empath got to do to get out of trouble?” He made a face. “That sounds like the start of a bad porn.”
“Or a real good one,” Grayson muttered.
Reece snorted. “Don’t tell me you’ve got a thing for bad empaths. That would make your job very difficult, wouldn’t it?”
“Sure would,” Grayson said, eyes fixed forward.
