“Where the hell are you?”
She could hear Brent moving around, the clicking of a keyboard, and she knew he was pulling up the system they used to track their cars and phones in case of theft. “He took my phone.”
“What? Who? Smithe?” More clicking sounded in her ear. “Never mind, I’m coming. Don’t hang up, baby. Keep talking to me.”
It was the endearment that finally undid her. A sob racked her chest and tears slid down her face as she whispered her location.
“Vee, baby, please, don’t cry. I’m on my way. Just hold on and talk to me.” Brent’s voice echoed in her ear as her knees gave way and she crumpled to the floor in the bottom of the phone box.
ChapterFive
Brent cursed the slow vehicle in front of him and gauged how safe it was to pass on the quiet back street.
He dropped the bike down a gear and, gunning the engine, swerved out and sped past the car.
Vee hadn’t said a word in long minutes, but he could hear her crying through the Bluetooth device in his helmet.
His gut clenched tighter with each sob. He’d kill Smithe.
Whether the jerk was responsible for her distress of not didn’t matter to him. As far as he was concerned it had been Smithe’s job to see her safely home.
He zipped through an amber light and didn’t give a shit if the intersection had a red light camera fitted. The only thing he cared about was getting to Vee.
“Vee, I’m not far now. I want you to watch for me, baby.” He glanced down at the screen of his phone. It was mounted in a special bracket attached to the bike’s hand bars. “Okay, I should be coming up now.”
Her stifled sob ripped through his ears and stabbed his heart. “You’re here?”
“Yeah, I’m on the bike. Can you see it?”
He scanned the road ahead of him looking for a phone box. When he spotted it, and the crumpled figure in the bottom, his heart jolted against his breastbone before stuttering into a gallop that rivaled the speed of the powerful engine between his legs.
The road ahead was clear so he cut across to the wrong side and zoomed up to where she was pulling herself to her feet.
He downshifted and slammed on the brakes causing the back wheel to fishtail under him. But he had it under control and pulled up the curb beside the phone.
He switched off the engine, kicked the stand down, and ripped his helmet off. Swinging his leg over the seat, he moved towards her.
She met him halfway, her slender arms wrapping around his neck and her body trembling against his as he pulled her in close.
Burying her face in his neck, she sobbed in his arms, her tears scalding his skin and burning his gut.
He wanted to punch something.
Someone.
But first he had to get her home.
Her arms tightened when he tried to ease her away and his stomach clenched harder.
Smithe would be lucky if he did kill him.
“It’s okay. I’m not going anywhere.”
He tucked her into his side and moved over to the phone box where he replaced the dangling receiver.
Checking the area for her jacket and purse Brent realized her phone wasn’t the only thing she was missing and decided death would be too merciful for Smithe.
“Come on. Let’s get you home.”
