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“Baby, it’s always okay.” I reached into my pocket and withdrew the key to the cabin. It unlocked all of the locks, including the main deadbolt. “Here.” I placed it in the center of her palm. “Just hold onto this and…” I couldn’t finish the sentence. I didn’t want to. She knew what it meant.
“What? Now you’re making me nervous. You’re giving me a way out of here?”
I shook my head. “No, I’m… I’m just giving you the key. That’s all. There’s nothing more to it.” Something in my stomach was churning.
“Lunch. You promise?”
“Of course.”
“Because the entire office will notice when neither Crew nor I show up for work. That’s going to be noticeable. I have to be there today.”
I exhaled. I didn’t want her in the office. It seemed like an unnecessary risk, but I understood. “Yes, I’ll get you to the office. I promise.”
She smiled. “And, just so you know…I love you too.” She reached on her tiptoes and kissed me. I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to break away from it. The way her tongue danced in my mouth made me want to take her back to bed and repeat the entire morning.
I pushed her from me swiftly and headed out the door towards the city and the airport.
13
Knight
I was early. I waited outside t
he baggage claim exit. I was at the international terminal with strict instructions to keep circling every five minutes. Kimble was easy to spot in any crowd. I thought it made him both a bad bodyguard because he drew attention, but also an asset because he was large and intimidating to most people.
The door to the backseat opened and he tossed in his bag before sliding into the front seat.
“Any updates?” he asked before his seatbelt was even buckled.
I took my foot off the brake and merged into the flow of traffic. “No.” It wasn’t the answer I wanted to give him. It was close to nine and there was still no ransom note or call. I was running out of back roads and alleys to explore. Crew’s parents weren’t going to wait much longer.
“Where were you? How long was the flight?” I glanced at him quickly. He didn’t give me a flight number or an airline, only an exact time to circle around baggage claim.
“Working on something for the boss.” I’d never heard him refer to Kennedy that way before. It didn’t sound natural.
“How long were you gone?” I was willing to push this cat and mouse game as long as I could. I had seen him two days ago at Kennedy’s house after a long stare down. Nothing about his trip made sense to me. I didn’t think there was enough money to force Kimble away from his boss.
“Not long enough to get everything I wanted accomplished,” he grunted.
“Well, that I believe. You look like hell.” The giant’s face was pale, and his eyes slanted from too little sleep. I knew he had taken whatever flight was available, but there were still many unanswered questions.
“It seems I shouldn’t have left.” I felt his eyes on me. The stare was hard. Brutal.
“Is there something you want to say?” I taunted. “If there is, just go ahead and say it.”
“Just get me to the house. I need to pick up a few things there.”
“And take a shower?” I scrunched my nose. “You stink, Kimble. Like a man who hasn’t showered. Ever.” A quick flash of my morning Kennedy shower almost distracted me.
He exhaled, not interested in responding to my crass assessment.
“Just drive.”
“You do realize I didn’t want to call you.” I should have held my fucking tongue, but I couldn’t help it. Kennedy still wasn’t safe as long as we didn’t know who the kidnappers were. “You were the last person I wanted to ask for help.”
“That’s not really your call to make. She was almost kidnapped while she was with you. On your watch.”
I pressed the brake at a red light. I turned my head. “Is that an accusation?”
