Page 123 of The Vigilante's Lover

I nod, a chill coming over me.

Jax turns on the dash screen. “Civilian cars,” he says with disdain. “At least it’s not tied to me.” He taps an icon. “Text message,” he tells it and gives a number. A cursor indicates it is ready for dictation.

“Thanks for the ride the other night in Vegas,” Jax tells it. “I’m at the fight. Would like to attend party.”

He hits send.

“What ride?” I ask.

“Colt picked me up in the desert in a helicopter,” he says. “I had to ditch my tech and my car.”

I have a feeling there is more to this story, but I don’t get a chance to ask, because a phone call comes through. Jax presses a button, and the car fills with the sound of the arena inside.

“The fight we were talking about during the ride?” Colt asks.

“That would be the one,” Jax says. “Where is the party?”

“Inside the building. Probably minor security,” Colt says. “I can get you in. How far is this going to go?”

“Could be bad,” Jax says, and fear shoots through me.

“All right,” he says. “I assume your people will clean it up?”

“I have no people,” Jax says. “But I’ll try to keep it clean. Like Vegas.”

I’m dying to know what they’re talking about. I want to know everything Jax has ever done.

“Is the girl here?” Jax asks.

Okay, maybe not everything.

“Haven’t seen her. I’ll meet you in the halls. I trust you can get in the building.” Colt’s voice is almost lost to a cheer.

“Don’t worry about me,” Jax says. “I’ll find you.” He hangs up the call.

He pulls his phone from his pocket and touches the screen. “I’m going to sync this car with my phone,” he says. “So that I’m using its identification. You can reach me using the car system. Just act like you are texting yourself and it will come to my phone.”

“Got it.” I am practically bouncing in my seat, then I realize what he’s saying. “Wait. What do you mean use the car system?”

Jax opens his door, bathing us in pale light. “You’re staying here.”

“What?” He can’t be planning to leave me!

“Mia, if Klaus and Jovana are there, they want us dead. You aren’t trained for combat or evasion.”

My shoulders drop. I’m back to being deadweight. “So I’m useless.”

“No. I need you out here, ready to drive. Like Colette does for me.”

I look over the dash of the car. At least it’s a normal one, something I can manage. “Okay,” I say. “What do I do if they come out?”

He grimaces. “Let me get you something for protection.” He turns to the back for his knapsack.

“Aren’t you going to take that in?” I ask.

“No, too obvious.”

“But your weapons. Your stuff!”