Page 9

Releasing an unhappy sigh, I glance over at the airport’s car rental office. “Where are you?” I reluctantly ask and, I swear, I can hear him grinning through the phone.
This was supposed to be an easy in and out. A quick favor.
So much for that.
Knox Beckett has officially become a pain in my ass.
Chapter Three: Knox
Eight Hours Ago…
“Why is nothing ever easy?” I wonder aloud.
Getting out of Alejandro Torres’ ballroom after it locked down wasn’t hard. I made my way back to the main entrance, found the woman who’d originally let me in, and flirted my way out. Okay, I also passed her three crisp one-hundred-dollar bills, so maybe the cash had more to do with it than my sparkling baby-blues.
After that, things didn’t go quite as planned, though. Stealing my key fob back from the valet was easy, and I’d almost reached the Lambo when a couple of armed guards noticed me slipping away. They ordered me to stop, as expected. Instead, I threw them a curveball, jumped into the car and hit the gas.
Good luck catching me, suckers.
The last thing I wanted to do was lead these thugs to the emerald, so, I called Deck and told him to get the hell out of the city ASAP.
“What about you?” he’d asked.
“I’ll call Addie. We can figure another way out for me.”
“Are you sure?”
I squealed around a corner and checked the silver Patek Philippe on my wrist. Well-worth every pretty penny I’d spent on it. Besides, when you’re hobnobbing with billionaires, you gotta be able to fit in and look the part. “The flight leaves soon. Don’t wait for me. I’ve got guards to shake.”
“Knox—”
“Go! I’ll see you back in Denver.” After disconnecting the call, I’d dialed Addie and explained the situation.
“I’ll send someone for you,” she assured me. “Hang tight. I’m calling my brother.”
Addie and her brother Ryland have a bit of a tempestuous history. The former SEAL possesses a strong moral compass—ironic since he comes from a family of thieves and liars. I know it’s been hard for the siblings to see eye to eye at times, but it pisses me off when he gets judgy. Addie has always been one of my best friends, and Angel, their mother, is the reason I’ve survived and thrived. I owe her everything.
I understand Ryland sees things in black and white, but life can be very gray sometimes. Although, after his dealings with his father and The Agency, I think he understands that better. He and Addie seem closer now. They talk a lot, and if she asks him for help, he’ll find a way to deliver—which is good for me.
Exactly three minutes later, Addie calls back and informs me Ryland’s friend, a former Navy fighter pilot named Hunter, is on the way to pick me up at El Dorado.Sweet.I hope the guy flies fast, because I’m ready to get the hell out of here.
After a quick calculation, including the three-hour time change, I conclude Hunter won’t arrive for another seven hoursand sixteen minutes. Give or take, depending on the wind. It’s best that I lead the idiots following me on a merry chase around the city for the time being. I want them as far away from the airport, Deck and that emerald for as long as possible.
It’s fun for a while, but I’m growing tired—literally and of their fuckery—and decide to lose these jokers and hunker down somewhere until it’s time to meet up with Hunter. Brighton can give anyone a run for their money when she’s behind the wheel, but I’m not too shabby of a driver myself. Especially when I’m behind the wheel of an automobile that goes from zero to sixty in under three seconds.
Once I ditch my pursuers, I start looking for a safe place to hide out, but I’m in an Aventador Lamborghini. It was made to stand out. Not much I can do about that, so I pull over to the curb, shut the car off and look out the window. I’m parked between two SUVs which provide a modicum of cover. Although a garage might provide better hiding, the last thing I want to do is trap myself in a place I can’t get out of fast.
I’m not exactly sure where I am, but it’s still quiet because of the early morning hour. Sliding my seat all the way back, I pull the end of my bowtie, leaving it to hang loose around my neck, then unbutton the first couple of buttons on my shirt.
Much better. Modesty aside, I can wear a suit like James Bond, but, after a while, just give me comfy pajama pants. In this case, I’ll wait to change until I’m safely on the jet and heading back to the good ol’ US of A.
Pulling my Glock from its holster, I lay it on the passenger seat and stretch my long legs out as much as possible, trying to ignore my growling stomach. Breakfast would really hit the spot right about now. Maybe Hunter will have something I can munch on. Closing my eyes, I fold my hands and rest them onmy stomach. It’s been a whirlwind of a trip so far, and it’s not over yet. If luck is on my side, I’ll just hang out here until it’s time to rendezvous with Hunter.
That’s the plan, anyway. But things rarely go the way we want, so I’m not surprised when, sometime later, I see the same car that followed me from Torres’ mansion slowly driving down the street.
It seems like I’ve barely rested, but I know hours have passed. I sink lower in my seat hoping they won’t look my way and wishing I were in something a little more nondescript. Maybe a Honda.
Keep going, idiots.