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I woke with a start hours later, clapping my hands over my mouth in case someone was listening.
I tuned into the surrounding sounds, straining to hear anything that didn’t belong, but the only noises to reach me were cars pulling into the storage lot and the lady working the front desk playing a game on her phone.
So I was alone and safe, or BDD was on the other side of the door waiting for me, just like at the compound.
I rubbed my neck. Sleeping on the ground hadn’t done me any favors, but I had to figure this nut out.
It was likely the king already knew who I was and where I lived. But there was no way he could have tracked me here. I’d made sure there wasn’t a stitch of paperwork linking me to the storage unit.
Chances were, I was alone here. But I couldn’t stay. I had to feed. I needed a damn shower.
I took a breath, got myself together, and crept to the door. Silently, I undid the latch I’d drilled into the floor to keep any busybodies from bothering me while I was here practicing with Lola.
I gripped the bar handle at the bottom of the garage-style door and threw it up as fast and as quietly as possible. I blurred out, slamming the door closed and locking up in a streak of movement before hauling ass out of there.
I had to take the long way, so I didn’t cross into midtown again—no way was I setting foot anywhere near the king’s compound. I stuck mostly to side streets, so the soles of my feet, which had just healed as I slept, were getting a fresh beating courtesy of the asphalt. They’d heal again though, even if I got strange looks when I entered the high-end jewelers in the center of the shopping district.
The young saleswoman’s eyes rounded as I entered the store. “Honey, are you okay?”
I’m sure I looked a mess. Windblown hair, dirty, wrinkled cocktail dress, no shoes. “Oh, yes, I’m fine. Thank you. Is Liam here?”
Her face went stony, gaze clouding over with hardness. “He’s in the back,” she clipped out.
Guess she didn’t like her boss’s extracurricular business dealings. I nodded, gave her a forced smile, and strode passed the cases of sparkling jewels and watches to the unmarked green door. I knocked once. “Liam. It’s Eden.”
“Eden, you’re early. Come in.”
I eased the door open and froze in place.
Fuckity motherfucking FUCK!
Hovering next to the Irish jeweler stood mother fucking BDD.
He reached for my neck, but I scrambled out of the way.
BDD shook his head, his big brown eyes pleading. “You got me in trouble, Eden. Just come back to the compound. The king only wants to talk.”
Wants to talk? What could the king possibly have to say to me except give me back my diamond and prepare to die?
I inched backward, away from the hulking hired gun.
“Did you think he wouldn’t find you, Eden? Just come back with me and…”
I backed out of his reach once more and casually headed for the front of the store, gambling there was no way he would make a scene here. “No thanks, BDD, I’ve got other plans.” I didn’t know what those other plans were yet, but they definitely included getting the hell out of Laurel Cove. And finding another fence.
Before I reached the engagement ring case, BBD blurred to me, moving faster than even I thought possible.
Jeez, way to stay casual, man.
He snatched me by my upper arms. “You’re coming with me, Eden. Or the king will—”
Unbidden, my fangs descended and my eyes went full dark. “What?” I hissed. “Hunt me and everyone I care about down before jamming a stake in my heart?”
The saleslady shrieked like her hair was on fire.
I mean, fair, but BDD started it.
He rolled his eyes and tapped at his ear. “I need a cleanup in the shopping district. ASAP.”
