Page 68 of Risky Obsession

“Right. Good point,” I said, although I suspected she had another reason, but didn’t want to tell me. Or couldn’t tell me. That would suck.

The cold night air pierced my lungs, and our breaths were visible in the moonlight.

“I’ll drive.” I pressed the button on the remote to open the doors.

We tossed our gear into the trunk and jumped into the seats.

As I keyed the engine, Tory pulled on her seatbelt and winced in obvious pain.

“You okay?” I shoved the car into reverse and stomped on the gas.

“I’m fine.”

“You don’t need to be brave for me, Tory.”

“I said, I’m fine.”

I put the car in first and raced out of the parking lot and onto the deserted road. As I shifted up a gear, the glow of blue lights lit up the road behind us. I turned off our car lights, praying they didn’t see our escape. Resisting touching the brake, I took a corner faster than I preferred and skidded on the ancient road, slick with damp air.

Once around the corner, I turned on the lights and jammed the accelerator to the floor.

As we sped through town, the moon cast an eerie glow over the quaint buildings, which didn’t have any lights on. Every time I shifted my position on the seat, tiny daggers seemed to scrape up my back. It was like a cat had used my flesh for a scratching pole.

I had a ton of questions, and Tory would, too, but it seemed neither of us wanted to be the first to speak. Instead, the frigid air in the car frosted our ragged breaths.

With the car in fifth gear, and Tory alternating between fiddling with the heater and rubbing her hands together, we left the edge of town.

“Looks like we got away,” I said, peering into the rear mirror.

“Good. Who do you think he was?” Tory’s voice was edged with frustration.

“Don’t know. But he was after the maps, so Gunter is involved.”

In the glow of the dashboard, her expression was both angry and beautiful.

“I can’t believe that happened. We need to be more careful.” She clenched her good hand.

“I’m surprised how fast it happened. We must’ve been right about someone watching us yesterday.”

“Yeah. So stupid.”

“I’m just glad you’re okay.”

Her eyes filled with doubt, and it only amplified the questions swirling in my mind about her. I knew some brave women—Indiana, Aria, and Maya—and Tory was right up there with them.

I adjusted the rearview mirror, confirming we were still the only ones on the road. “So, how’d you learn to fight like that?”

She shrugged. “Self-defense classes.”

I had a niggling feeling that wasn’t all the truth. “Mental note not to wrestle with Tory.”

She glared at me. “This is serious, Kane.”

“I know that.” I clenched my jaw. I could not work this woman out. “Do you want to stop?”

“Stop what?”

“This mission for Aria?”