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21

Shep

Iwokeearlythenext morning and untangled myself from Cam’s limbs, careful not to wake her. I checked out the front window and found no obvious signs of unwanted company. The parking lot contained the same few vehicles from the night before.

My cell chimed. Cam stirred as I checked the screen, expecting it to be a data usage reminder because no one messaged me on a burner.

LEAVE YOUR CELL IN THAT SHITTY MOTEL AND GET THE FUCK OUT OF THERE ASAP. WATCH YOUR 6.

“Fuck!” I growled and resisted the urge to crush the burner in my hand. Destroying it wouldn’t help any, but if I left it in the room, it could act as a decoy and buy us some time.

The message came from a blocked number, but it must be Ben. How the hell had he tracked a burner? And what the fuck was he playing at? Giving Franky intel to track me, then helping me like this? Had he remembered his loyalties, or was this part of another plan to fuck me over since the first attempt had failed? Whatever his reasons for sending that message, we had to leave fast.

Cam sat up all sleepy eyed and messy haired. “What is it?”

I tossed the cell under the bed. “Get dressed and grab your shit, darlin’. We gotta move. Right now.” I shrugged on a pair of jeans, already mentally cataloguing everything I needed to do to get us out of here alive.

My girl sprang into action, a flurry of movement as she did what I asked.

“What’s going on?” Her voice wavered as she scurried around the room, shoving things into a duffle bag.

I pulled on my boots, shirt, and jacket, then armed my body with as many loaded weapons as possible. “I think I just received a message from Ben warning us to get the hell out of Dodge. Sounds like Franky has our location.”

“What? Are they here?” She froze, hand outstretched for her jeans, and her wide unblinking eyes fixed on the door as if someone might bust it down at any moment. Who knew, maybe they would?

“Don’t clam up on me now.” I moved her boots next to where Cam was making like a statue. “You’ve got a fine ass, but dragging you out of here with nothing covering it will draw attention. Jeans, shoes. Let’s hustle.”

She blinked and resumed her task, although her face was pale and her eyes had a glazed-over look about them.

“Is it a trick?” she asked. “Why would he help us now?”

I dumped my bag by the door and took another peek beyond the curtains. No change out there. “Don’t know, and it doesn’t matter at this point. They know we’re here. We have to leave.”

Clothes on and bags packed, we were ready to go. But first, I had to check that the coast was clear.

“Stay here. I need to do a quick trip to the truck.”

She wrung her fingers and nodded as I headed to the door with the loaded Glock in my hand, safety flicked off. I didn’t tell Cam that I was setting myself as bait. If anyone was already here and watching us, I needed to draw them out while keeping her safe inside.

A shootout with these dipshits would be problematic, but it didn’t scare me. Franky’s thugs were nothing more than overgrown bullies with guns. Their weapons intimidated most, but the mafioso lacked the skills and accuracy I’d gained from years of combat experience.

I let my instincts kick in as I made my way to the car, opening the driver and rear doors to provide additional cover. I checked the perimeter once more before starting the engine and heading back to collect Cam.

“All clear. I’ll take the bags. I want you to stay close behind me, get in the driver’s side, then shimmy across to the passenger seat.” That way, I could see the street while keeping Cam protected.

She stood at the end of the bed, her feet shifting in place.

I leaned down and pressed my lips to hers. “I won’t let anything happen to you, darlin’. I got this.”

“I know.” She nodded and kissed me again.

I threw my bag over my shoulder, carried Cam’s in one hand, and kept my pistol concealed at my side in the other. The dawn sun sat below the reddening horizon, so I hoped the other motel guests wouldn’t be awake to notice our hasty departure. I didn’t want to draw attention with an unconcealed weapon, what with Cam’s missing person status fresh in people’s minds, but I wasn’t prepared to walk out there without having it at the ready.

I remained vigilant as we made our way to the truck. She got in and I followed once she was in her seat and buckled up.

With no sign of Franky’s men, we exited the parking lot and hit the road.

Cam turned to me. “Maybe we should drive for a while, then find somewhere safe to hole up. Now that we’ve ditched the cell, they shouldn’t be able to track us, right?”