“Why not, indeed. What about this wrath you talk about? You’re painting your father out to be a mob boss.”
“Now you’re just being a jerk, Beau.”
“Keeping it real, Covington.”
“I’m not blind, okay? I’m fully aware of my father’s…reputation, that it’s possible he might be into…less than savory things. I also know that he would do anything to protect his family, including revenge if someone hurt one of us.”
“Fair enough.” He stood in indecision. Everything she’d said made sense. But working with a known criminal’s daughter, no matter how sexy and smart she might be, left a bad taste in his mouth.
She pressed the button to unlock the passenger door. “Are you coming or not?”
The sound of another vehicle approaching had him glancing down the road. An unfamiliar white pickup with tinted windows had just turned onto the gravel road at the bottom of the mountain.
“Come on, Beau,” she encouraged him. “Think of it as an adventure. You get to rescue the damsel in distress, kill the bad guy and save the world.”
He arched his brows. “Are you quoting theMummymovie at me?”
“Whatever works. Did it?”
The truck coming up behind them stopped about fifty yards back, unable to pass on this particularly narrow stretch of road.
“I already know I’m going to regret this.” Beau hopped into the Jeep.
Chapter Four
About halfway up the mountain, the gravel road forked off in two directions. As Sierra turned left, she could feel Beau looking at her in surprise.
“Before you tell me your house is in the other direction, I’m not lost, okay? I want to take you to my place first, show you what I’ve put together so far to help us get started.”
“Your place.”
“My rental.”
“Did you know I lived on this same mountain when you rented it?”
“Does it matter?”
He sighed heavily. “I guess not. How long have you been here in town?”
“Since mid-May.”
“You’ve been here two months? I haven’t seen you on these roads or in town.”
“That’s because I didn’t want you to. I’ve followed you a few times. Okay, more than a few.”
“I don’t think so. I’d have noticed if the same car was tailing me repeatedly.”
“Which is why I trade out my rental car every week or so.” She stopped at another fork in the road, checked for oncoming traffic—which was exceedingly rare on these little mountain roads—and turned left again.
“There’s no way this is a rental car,” he said. “No offense, but it’s seen better days. Car rental agencies only rent out new or nearly new vehicles.”
“You’re right. I stole this one.”
She could practically feel his stare burning a hole in the side of her head. When she glanced at him, he narrowed his eyes.
“Wherever you stole it from, we’re taking it back. Right now.”
She started laughing. “Calm down, Chief. I was kidding. It really is a rental. Check the glove box.”
