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I pat my pocketless dress. Dang it.

“Fine.” I purse my lips. “But you’re paying too.” Now, that’s how you negotiate with criminals.

The car pulls up, and I tell the driver where to take me. The second the Uber drives into the street, Thane turns on me.

“You seem like a nice girl trying to do something sweet for your boyfriend. And honestly, I’m a little surprised you found me. Perhaps you’d like to tell me how you did it?”

“No comment.” I bite my bottom lip. That’s an Ace card I’m not about to lose.

“But you’re also extremely reckless. You shouldn’t be anywhere near me.Your boyfrienddoesn’t want you anywhere near me.”

“I’m not reckless,” I retort.

“Where are your shoes?”

I glance at my bare feet and empty hands. I must have dropped them somewhere. “They were thrift store shoes,” I say as an explanation.

He just shakes his head like he can’t believe the child he got stuck with. I’m not too fond of the man I’m stuck with right now, either. It’s silent for a few moments, and I’m about to tell Thane off when he speaks.

“Do you love him?” he asks, so softly I think I must have misheard.

I study the gray sprinkled through his hair. He’s missed so much of his son’s life. Is it possible he truly regrets it?

“More than anything in the world,” I say firmly.

“Is he happy?” His eyes find mine, and they are so much like Caleb’s it catches me off guard.

“He is.”

“Good.” Thane nods as the car stops in front of the hotel.

I look over at him. “He’s the best thing that ever happened to me. And I wish you felt the same way.”

Thane looks away while I reach for the door, and I see him as the coward he is. If this is the last time I ever see this man, I’m going to make it count.

“You know, I came to see if you’d changed, if you could handle a genuine relationship with your son instead of taking from him again. But I see you haven’t. It’s sad. And pathetic.”

“Agreed. Get out.”

“Actually, I don’t think I’m done. You are—”

“You are done.” He opens his door and grabs my arm, dragging me out of the car behind him.

Chapter 9

Caleb

I’vebeenalloverthe Paris. I even sent Cruz an encrypted message to locate places where Katerina may have hidden the Framework, but nothing has panned out yet.

I have to find it before they find me, or I’m a dead man. I have to keep moving. Or find a better place to hide. It won’t be long before they piece together Katerina’s useless clues and catch me here.

My burner rings with a familiar number. Cruz. I answer immediately.

“There are some luggage lockers a few blocks from the Paris called ‘Paris Station’. Not associated with the hotel,” she says.

I shake my head. “She wouldn’t be stupid enough to hide it somewhere so public.” She’d be able to grab it easily, but those are far from safe.

“Really?” Cruz continues, “Because it was just broken into two minutes ago.”