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Story: Can't Hold Back

Dorcas’s forehead crinkled. “Why not?”

Nate grinned just thinking about it. “Larissa installed a new type of password protection software onto his flash drive. It’s basically impossible to crack. Each time there’s an incorrect entry, the password automatically resets to a random ten-digit selection of numbers, letters, symbols, and God knows what else she cooked up.”

The look on Dorcas’s face was somewhere between shock and amusement. “Oh, that’s evil.”

“I know. Is she awesome or what?” His grin widened. “She also inserted a micro tag into the drive so we can track his movements.”

A sigh of relief pushed past her lips as she settled back in the seat. She looked at him, and the love in her eyes reflected the way he felt inside. “Thank you. For everything. I don’t know how I’ll ever repay you.”

Nate passed a city bus and then eased into the far right lane. “You know, I’ve been thinking about that.”

Her lips pursed. “I’m afraid to ask.”

“Relax, it’s nothing bad. I’ll even give you a choice of three things. But let’s wait until we’re alone.” He winked. “I’d rather have a little privacy.”

Epilogue

DORCAS STARED AT HERreflection in the bedroom mirror, wondering what on earth had possessed her to agree to wear this monstrosity.

Oh yeah, that’s right. Nate had given her a choice of three options to repay him for his help with Rita: Take the job at Six Points. Go with him to an 80s hair band concert.

Or model the garish bridesmaid dress she’d worn to her cousin’s wedding.

At the time, it seemed like the lesser of three evils, but now she wasn’t so sure.

She’d seriously contemplated the job offer, but ultimately decided against it. Yes, she loved Nate with all her heart, and she loved every minute she spent with him, but there was something about mixing business and pleasure that made her uncomfortable. So she’d found another waitressing job and agreed, albeit reluctantly, to wear the godforsaken dress.

A month had passed since the confrontation at the auto auction warehouse, and nobody had seen or heard from Brett Salazar. No messages, no phone calls. No credit card activity. It was as if he’d simply dropped off the face of the earth. The tracker in the flash drive had gone silent as well, after pinging twice in Bangkok. That was fine by Dorcas. Good riddance to bad rubbish. She hoped he stayed beneath whatever rock he was hiding under and never bothered them again.

Pushing the thought from her mind, she gave the dress a closer inspection. From the waist down, it was an explosion of hot-pink ruffles, billowing out so far it was a challenge to fit the damn thing in her closet. The top half wasn’t as bad, a little sparkly for her tastes, with a halter-style top that accentuated her breasts. It was something a Disney princess would wear—if the princess also happened to be a little slutty.

A knock on the bedroom door made her heart leap in her chest.

“Are you coming out, or do I have to come in after you?” A note of amusement threaded Nate’s voice.

Dorcas slanted a glance at the door. “Don’t be so impatient. I’ll be out in a bit.”