Total pages in book: 115
Estimated words: 115964 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 580(@200wpm)___ 464(@250wpm)___ 387(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 115964 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 580(@200wpm)___ 464(@250wpm)___ 387(@300wpm)
“You’d be surprised what they can do.”
True, but I didn’t want to know.
I said, sliding down and trying to get comfortable, “We’re in one piece. Raize said they’re in one piece. Let’s just get there and figure out what to do.”
“He said, ‘We got her.’”
“What?”
Jake was watching me, studying me before he turned back to the road. “He said ‘we’ when it should’ve been ‘I got her.’ Who’s with him?”
I got quiet. But, dammit. “Why are you asking?”
He frowned again, then his eyebrows shot up. “You kidding me? We’re back to this paranoia shit? I thought we were over that.”
“If it’s someone coming with Raize, then that’s all you need to know. So I gotta ask again, why are you asking?”
“I’m asking to see if you know, and it’s evident you do. You knew before he took off or are you just as surprised as me? Our boss isn’t one to work with someone random.”
I still didn’t know why he was asking. “Interrogate Raize when we see him. I might know who it is, but I don’t know any of the specifics and I don’t feel comfortable about you asking me all of this. You either trust Raize or you don’t.”
I was studying him as I said that last part, and he got tight around the mouth.
That was it.
He didn’t trust Raize.
Why didn’t he trust Raize? When had this changed?
Then a different thought occurred to me. “Is this because of your woman?”
He jerked, his head whipping to mine. “What?”
It was about his woman.
This wasn’t good, not at all.
“Are you not going to cut her loose?”
His jaw clenched, and his hand tightened over the steering wheel. He jerked up a shoulder, roughly. “I don’t know. It’s probably the wrong time to be having this conversation, considering we’re running from a cartel. You know?”
“Just don’t do anything stupid. Please talk to me or Cavers before you do?”
He sent me a restrained grin. “Gus count?”
I grinned. “Maybe.”
He chuckled, but it was strained.
We got to the rest stop, parking on one side of the building.
Jake started to reach for Gus’ leash, but I got there first. “I’ll walk him. You guys go ahead.”
Cavers shot me a frown, but headed inside right away.
Jake was looking around. “Single woman looking like you out here isn’t a good idea.”
“Go. I’ll be fine.”
Jake had no clue what Gus was capable of. I did.
He nodded, his hand massaging the back of his neck as he went after Cavers.
I took Gus to a patch of grass, set up on a small hill so I could see who was coming in and out.
It wasn’t long before I saw Raize was heading toward me from the opposite side of the hill. I hadn’t noticed them parking.
Abram and a girl I was assuming was Raize’s sister were walking for the rest stop. Abram had his arm around her, tucked into his side.
I watched them, seeing how her head rested against his chest a second and his hand dipped, rubbing a spot on her back.
That was… interesting.
“Guys inside?” Raize got to me, and bent down, brushing a kiss over my lips before straightening, Gus’ leash now in his hand.
I nodded and went back to watching Abram and Raize’s sister.
She was tiny. Petite. Long black hair. She was in a dress and sandals.
I wouldn’t expect those kinds of clothes if she’d been planning on running.
Raize looked where I was looking, and guessed accurately what I was thinking. “You got extra clothes she could borrow?”
I had to laugh at that, too. “Yeah.”
“Why’s that funny?”
“Because not long ago, I was the girl you had to take shopping when I had nothing.”
“Oh. Yeah.”
I gave him an appraisal. He sounded tired, and he looked tired, but there was more. “What is it?”
He focused on me again, blinking a few times. “What?”
“Something extra is going on with you. What is it?”
He didn’t answer right away, his eyes trailing ahead even though Abram and his sister were inside by now. Cavers had come out, and he was heading our way.
“Just… we didn't have time to talk. We got her and took off right away. There was the car ride, but she was sobbing the whole time. And she wouldn’t let me comfort her so Abram held her while I drove. I have no clue how to handle her.”
Oh.
I reached for his hand, giving it a squeeze as Gus squatted to poop.
I ran my thumb over the back of his hand. “She’s not thinking clear. That’s all.”
He tried to smile back, but it was taking effort from him. He ran his thumb over the back of my hand instead, and our hands fell apart as Cavers got to us.
“Boss. Nice to see you alive.” He gestured to Gus. “Want me to take him?”
Raize handed over the leash. “We’ll be a bit.”
“Got it.”
I didn’t know if I should mention Jake, but then it didn’t matter. Jake was coming out of the restrooms. Seeing us, he headed right for us. He skimmed over Raize, then looked for his truck.