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“By the way, I’m driving myself.” Dove’s declaration had him arching a brow.
“No, you’re not.”
“I want my car.”
“So you can make an escape?”
“Because I want my car.” She did something he’d rarely seen from her and jutted her jaw in a stubborn—and adorable—fashion.
“I’m not letting you out of my sight, Dove.”
At that moment Rain returned carrying a heavy black bag, cutting their disagreement short.
He restated the plan, and only after gaining the agreement of both women did he slowly open the door.
The corridor was empty, so he stepped out first. “Rain, close the door behind you.”
“Okay!”
“And be quiet!” Dove added in a violent whisper. “Quaide, I’m driving.”
“You’re not driving. You don’t even know where we’re going.”
“I would if you told me anything.”
Their gazes met. He knew what she meant. They didn’t need to drag out that old disagreement and air it in front of her sister. Dove always harbored frustrations that he wasn’t upfront about how he saw their future.
It was all crystal clear inhismind. He just wasn’t willing to share it with her until he had a plan in place, dammit.
Swiftly and on high alert, he moved the three of them to the elevator and then out of the building. A quick glance at the parking lot showed nobody around, but he couldn’t get them to his vehicle fast enough.
“Stick close. Keep your heads down.” Before they walked out, he wasn’t thinking about their shining blonde hair being a beacon to anybody looking for Rain, and now he regretted not instructing them to put on hats or wear something with a hood.
He might have spent too many years sitting behind a desk and his skills could use some sharpening. He was rusty—and thatcouldn’thappen.
Dove set off walking at a fast clip for her small SUV. Before he could stop her, she whipped open the back door. Rain tossed her toiletry bag inside.
“What are you doing? You’re not the only person here.” Dove’s whisper dripped with murder.
“This is all my important stuff. It cost me a fortune too.”
“You mean it cost your drug dealer boyfriend a fortune,” she muttered.
Quaide barely heard the soft, low clicking sound over the sisters arguing, but he acted on instinct, whipping his arms to yank them away from the SUV just as it exploded.
* * * * *
“Guess you’re driving after all.”
Dove stuck a finger in her ear and wiggled it to stop the ringing from the explosion. She might be cracking jokes, but it was only to combat the paralyzing fear thundering through her right now.
Her baby sister was sprawled out on the pavement, crying. Dove needed to get to her.
She flipped over and crawled the few feet to where Rain lay.
Rain pushed into a sitting position and reached for Dove. “Oh my god, Dove! Are you okay?”
She wrapped her sister up in her arms and pulled her close. Over her shoulder, she met Quaide’s gaze. One glance and she knew how this moment would go down. She already saw him gearing up to crack open that rulebook he lived by, but there were no rules for moments like this.
