Page 60 of Covert Operation
Zeke leans down, lining his eyes with mine. “Take a deep breath, Savannah.” He tugs off a glove and rests his warm palm against my cheek, thumb stroking my skin. “You didn’t do anything wrong, understand?” He repeats his earlier assertation. “Not a fucking thing?”
Under normal circumstances, I would believe anything Zeke told me, but these are most assuredly not normal circumstances.
His dark eyes dip to my mouth, and for a second I think he might kiss me again. Instead his jaw clenches and he turns away, going back to the tools. A minute later, he holds up a tiny screwdriver, squinting at it before tucking the object into his pocket. He jerks his chin toward the car taking up the bulk of the space. “Get in.”
I blink, looking from the car to him. “We’re stealing a car?”
“No.” Zeke goes to the passenger side and opens the door. “I’m stealing a car. You’re just along for the ride.”
TWENTY-SIX
ZEKE
SAVANNAH’S QUIET BESIDE me, hands wringing in her lap as we speed away from the scene of my most recent theft. I don’t make a habit of stealing cars, but desperate times…
This is definitely one of those times.
I would have done way worse to get Savannah out of there, but I probably shouldn’t share that information with her. I’m not sure she’s ready to hear just how far I’m willing to go to keep her safe.
To keep her with me.
Reaching across the center console, I cover her hands with mine, holding them tight. “You okay?”
She huffs out a little laugh. “I’m not sure yet.” She looks my way. “Ask me again tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow you’ll be fine.” I say it for her and for me. “By tomorrow the rest of Shadow will be here and you’ll be on a plane back to Alaska.”
Savannah’s lips purse. “What about you?”
I shake my head as I scan the area around us, keeping an eye out for anything suspicious. “I’ll be staying here.” I thought the only mess here in Nashville was the one of Vincent’s making, but now I’m wondering if there’s more going on.
And if there’s some reason Alaskan Security might be caught in the middle of it.
“Do I have to go back?” Savannah’s tone takes on a pleading edge. “Couldn’t I just stay in the hotel while you do your thing and then we can go back together when you’re done?”
I love that she wants to stay with me, but I hate what I have to tell her. “We can’t go back to the hotel, Sweetheart. Not right now.”
That sends her sitting up straight. “What?” Her already pale skin loses more color. “Do you think they know where we’re staying?”
“I think I’m not taking any fucking chance they do.” I angle us onto the ramp leading to the highway. “So we’re going to go somewhere else tonight and lay low.” Glancing over one shoulder, I merge with traffic. “Tomorrow we’ll regroup and figure out how to get you home safe.”
Because that’s my top priority—keeping Savannah safe.
She’s quiet for a minute, likely digesting all that’s happened. “Do you know who that was back there?”
“No fucking clue.” It’s not an uncommon position for me to be in and normally it doesn’t bother me, but today it’s annoying the shit out of me. Because today it involved Savannah. Not knowing my own enemy doesn’t bother me. Not knowing who tried to hurt her? That I can’t fucking stand.
“Why would they have blown that place up?” She only hesitates a second before asking, “Do you think Derek had anything to do with it?”
I wish I could give her answers, but I’ve got nothing. “Heidi and Harlow will find out.”
Savannah nods next to me. “They will.” She chews her lower lip. “We just have to give them time.”
That’s the part that’s making it hard to breathe. Waiting when it’s my own life on the line I’m used to. But waiting when Savannah’s in danger? I’m not sure I’m going to survive it.
The only way I will, is to take her somewhere I know she’ll be safe. Somewhere I won’t have to worry about who might find us or if I’ll see them coming.
And I think I might know a place like that.