Page 26

Amelia

Letmeguess,thewoman in the expensive red dress, high heels, and black sunglasses is therealFox. She looks to be in her late forties, though it appears Botox has done its best to prevent aging. She slips her glasses up onto her head, and it’s the expression in her eyes that scares me the most. It’s like she could eat me for dessert.

We’re screwed.

The woman stomps over to me with a chilling laugh and ringed with enough bodyguards to be considered a small army. “Youwere trying to beme, girl?” Her voice is deep and thick, so unlike mine.

How on earth did they fall for my act? It’s a miracle we made it out of there alive. If only we could have made it to the car. I hold my shoulders high, determined to get us out of this mess once and for all.

“This old get-up?” I gesture to my clothes. “Could be anyone.”

She tugs on my wig, and it falls to the side.

“Hey, I didn’t pull on your wig.” I glare at her.

Fox laughs. “I like this one.” Then her eyes slide to my side. “Thane?”

“Vivian, beautiful as always.”

Hold up. Thane just called her Vivian, not Fox.

They were…together.

Caleb tenses beside me, clearly coming to the same conclusion.

“Here to steal from me again, Thane?” Fox sneers, stepping in front of him. She raises her hand to his chest, tip-toeing her manicured fingers up to settle them around his neck. There’s tension, and then there’s whatever is happening beside me. A bomb could go off between these two, but whether out of hatred or passion I’m not sure.

“This feels like a good time to sneak out,” I whisper to Caleb, inching closer to his safety.

“You’re not going anywhere,” Fox barks, looking at me, but clenching the hand around Thane’s neck. “You have my drive.”

I scrunch up my brows, playing my underdeveloped acting skills for all they are worth. “What drive?”

“We’ve got a live one, Frank.” She motions to one of her frighteningly large bodyguards.

“I have it,” Caleb says.

Fox’s eyes whip to him and light up a fraction. “Oh, I do love a devoted boy toy. Let’s have it then.”

“I have it,” Thane says. It surprises me that he’d enter himself into this dangerous game. Maybe hecanchange.

Fox’s smile drops the tiniest bit. “Well, this game got old real quick. Hand over the Framework now before Frank puts a bullet in one of you. I don’t care which.”

A gun cocks and I stiffen. Caleb slips a hand around my back.

“Who has it?” Fox snarls.

I’m content to let Thane prove himself to his son, so I keep my mouth shut, but I’m overly aware of the small drive tucked in my bra, and I’ve never been a good liar, so I’m pretty sure my burning face is giving me away.

“You,” Fox snaps at me.

I have only one chance to get this right. Maybe I can distract her, then throw my purse at her face, giving Caleb just enough time to take her down before we are murdered. If I could telepathically communicate this plan with Caleb, it would probably work better, but hopefully, he can fill in the blanks. I look at him, repeating the words in my head until I’m sure he understands.You go high, I go low.

He nods almost imperceptibly.

I drop my gaze to Fox’s heels and furrow my brows. “Your sock is untied.”

Her left eyebrow twitches, but her eyes don’t move from my face. And then the gun is aimed at me.