by Amelia Jade
“We have to wait for a bit,” she told Stoen, who had hung back to survey the interior of the bank.
They hadn’t been seated more than three minutes before a young woman in a white blouse and gray pencil skirt strode out from the back and greeted them.
“Hello, I’m Daniella. If you’ll come with me we’ll get you to your deposit box immediately.”
Rose looked at Stoen, who nodded. They followed the woman into the back, the place she’d gone the first time. So far everything felt normal to her. Next would be an elevator ride up a floor or two—she wasn’t sure exactly.
“In here, please,” the woman said, indicating the elevator.
Stoen took her hand, but she squeezed it reassuringly, letting him know that it was all to be expected. If they were being led into a trap, then it was a well-laid one, because they weren’t changing a thing or taking her somewhere different.
The elevator ride was swift, and they exited into a narrow hallway where Daniella showed them into a private room with two chairs and a table and nothing more. “If you’ll wait here we’ll have your box retrieved for you right away.”
Stoen abruptly stepped forward, extending his hand. “Thank you.”
Daniella’s eyebrows rose in surprise. “Oh, you’re welcome.” She reached out to clasp Stoen’s hand, but he missed and grabbed her wrist instead, holding on to it for a moment before dropping it.
“Sorry,” he mumbled, backing away, acting sheepish.
Daniella shrugged it off, nodded at Rose, and then she was gone.
That was awkward.
“So far so good,” she remarked once they were alone, deciding not to mention the little interaction. “Maybe you were right after all. Maybe things will go smoothly.”
Stoen didn’t reply. He was staring at the door through which Daniella had exited. Everything about his stance and posture screamed tenseness.
“Stoen?” she asked nervously, wondering what he’d sensed that she missed.
“Something’s wrong.”
“Dammit. What? What did I miss?”
“That woman was very nervous.”
“How could you tell?”
He worked his jaw. “Her heartbeat was highly elevated.”
Rose looked at him, then at the door and back. “How the hell could you know that?”
“I felt it. In her wrist.”
“Wait, you mean you planned that little mis-grip the entire time?” she asked, shaking her head in disbelief.
“Yes. I thought I saw added tension in her shoulders and temples. I needed to be sure. Now I am. They’re aware we’re here, and they’re going to stall for time to get a response arranged for us.”
Rose bit her lip. “That doesn’t sound overly pleasant. Not like a reception where everyone welcomes you.”
“Oh, I’m sure we’ll be welcomed with open arms and drawn weapons.”
They both fell silent, imagining trying to exit through the narrow hallway with people shooting at them. It would be impossible; they’d be gunned down in a heartbeat.
“Should we leave then? Try to get out before they’re ready?”
Stoen shook his head. “We need the pictures. Without them a judge will throw the case out. We have to wait. They’ll bring it to us, to buy more time if anything. That way they can say they didn’t open the case either. We did. Just one more loose end tied up without compromising themselves. These guys are smart. They could have opened it themselves, but this way they can show video proof that we did it.”
Rose hissed, cutting the sound off sharply as the door opened. Stoen moved to flatten himself to the wall next to the door. The position allowed him to strike an attacker unsuspectingly. She was too far away to hide, forced to remain standing in the middle of the room.
A man came through the door, holding the box in both hands. He smiled at her, a cold look that didn’t translate past the edges of his lips. There was no doubt this man wasn’t friendly. He was tall, with black hair styled to pristine perfection and a short beard with cuts sharp enough to indicate he didn’t do it himself.
His eyes flicked warily to the side as Stoen came forward, but that was all there was time to do before the closed fist slammed into his temple. The bank worker wavered, his eyes ran up into his head, and she thought he was going to pass out. But then he settled—just in time to take another blow to the jaw that dropped him hard.
Stoen snatched the box from midair, plunking it on the table before the unconscious man had finished settling on the ground.
“What the hell was that for?” she hissed.
“Wolf shifter. Not actually a bank worker.” He snorted. “I guess they didn’t get the memo that I was in here with you.”
Rose gaped at him. “You didn’t—”
Stoen pointed at the table, cutting her off. “Open the box. Time is of the essence now.”
She got to work, pulling the key from around her neck. “I still don’t understand how you knew that.”
“I could smell him the second the door opened.” Stoen paused. “I’m not some kind of Neanderthal; I knew what he was. You should trust me a little more.”
The lid popped open to reveal her camera, just as she’d left it.
“I do trust you. It’s just…I don’t know. I’m not used to the violence. As a PI I really just looked at things or followed people and watched them from a distance.” Taking the camera out, she inspected it. The memory card was still there.
“In the wrong context that sounds quite creepy. Just like in the wrong context, me punching out a dude disguised as a bank worker makes me sound like a brute thug.”
“You are a bit of a brute.”
He snorted. “Maybe. Here, give me that.”
She started to hand him the camera.
“No, just the memory card. You hold the camera. Act like it’s what we really want.” He came over and hunched over her, kissing her head and putting one arm around her shoulder while she took the memory card out.
“What are you doing?”
“Blocking the camera. Ready?”
She closed the camera hatch and stood up. “Yes.”
“Good, because it’s about to get really interesting.”
“Why do you say that?” she asked, trying to ignore the sinking sensation.
Stoen grinned evilly. “Because unless I miss my guess, which never happens, we’re going to have to fight our way out of here.”
Chapter Fifteen
Stoen
Opening the door, he stuck his head out to take a quick peek at the situation.
“Odd.”
Rose hung back behind him as he eased his way out into the corridor.
“What’s odd?”
“It’s empty.” Stoen stood up, looking in both directions. “I expected them to be waiting for us, truthfully. Maybe they thought we were going to look at the pictures or something?”
Just then the woman, Daniella, came around the corner at the far end of the hallway opposite the elevator. She saw Stoen, gasped and started to back up, but he crossed the distance in a flash, once more snatching up her wrist. This time he wasn’t nearly as gentle.
“Listen, Daniella, if that’s your real name, I really would prefer not to have to hit a woman. Like, really really. But I can’t have you calling any more corrupt police officers on me. So don’t scream, and don’t try to get away, and you’ll be perfectly safe, okay?”
He tightened his wrist as she took in a deep breath, likely in preparation to scream. “Ah-ah, I wouldn’t do that.”
She started to shake. “Please don’t hurt me.”
“You know, believe it or not, we’re actually the good guys here. The men who want us are all responsible for the kidnapping and disappearance of dozens of people,” he said jovially, dragging her back to the room.
Rose stood outside the door, holding the camera tight to her, just like he’d instructed. It had to look like they really care
d about keeping it. The memory card was safe, wrapped in several layers of carpet ripped from the floor and then coated in a protective layer of quicksilver to ensure it wasn’t damaged if he took a rough blow.
“But they’re police,” Daniella protested.
“Cell phone?” he ordered.
She frowned. “Does it look like there’s anywhere to store a cell phone in these clothes?”
“Rose?” he asked, looking for confirmation.
“She’s probably telling the truth.”
“How are you supposed to contact them then?” he snarled, pushing her onto one of the metal chairs.
Daniella shook her head. “I wasn’t. He was supposed to.” She pointed at the downed wolf shifter. “I…I was just trying to get back upstairs after telling him, before anything else happened.”
Stoen ripped the legs off the other chair and bent them around her arms, using them like restraints. “Stay there.”
He quickly searched the unconscious shifter and found his cell phone. Rising, he gave him an extra kick to the head.
“Keep him down a little longer,” he explained to the horrified Rose.
“Oookay.”
“You,” he said, turning back to Daniella as an idea occurred to him. “Is there any other way out of here besides going back up the stairs?”
She shook her head, then stopped.
“Speak,” he snarled, stepping closer and looming over her as intimidatingly as he could.
“There’s the employee garage?”
He grinned. “Excellent. We’ll need to borrow your car as well. Where are the keys?”
“My desk drawer. It’s down the hall around the corner, second on the right. Top right drawer,” she said, sagging in defeat.
“I’ll get them,” Rose said, already moving.
Stoen smiled. His mate was perfect, always thinking. “The government will reimburse you for any, uh, damages, that are likely to occur to your vehicle.”
“Okay,” Daniella said, having given up all hope. Her head dropped until her chest almost rested on her chest. “What a day.”
Halfway to the exit he stopped when she spoke again.
“You’ll need my badge to get the gate open.”
He stepped back and ripped it from her shirt, careful to only grab the plastic card. The last thing he needed was Rose to think he was copping a feel, not that he expected her to, but better safe than sorry. Plus, he wasn’t a pervert. Mostly.
“Just tell the cops that I forced you to give up all that information with the threat of violence. You’ll be fine.”
He walked out, stepping on the prone shifter as he went. Was that a rib he felt give way?
Oops.
Rose came back around the corner jingling keys in her free hand, and they dashed to the elevator. It wouldn’t be long before the cops upstairs got antsy or someone watching video told them what was going on. They had to move.
The doors closed and the elevator started down. He looked over at Rose, giving her his best reassuring smile. “It’ll be okay now. We’re going to—”
He stopped as the elevator came to a halt, chimes sounding to announce they’d arrived.
“Uh-0h,” he muttered as the doors opened on the lobby.
“FREEZE!”
Half a dozen men were waiting for them outside, two dressed in police uniforms, the other four wearing something more suited to private security.
“Hiya, fellas,” he said cheerfully, ignoring the guns. “How’s it going?”
“Put the camera down and slide it to us,” one of the officers snarled.
Wolf shifters on the local PD force. Interesting. I’ll have to bring that up with Coltaine. I didn’t think we allowed any of them to hold positions of authority like that.
“Okay. Nothing to worry about there,” he said, reaching out to Rose. “Here, I’ll take that from you.”
With his back turned to the officers, he flicked his eyes to the side. “Hit the close button,” he whispered, turning so that his bulk blocked her from view until she could shuffle to the side, out of the line of sight of the gun-toting men in the lobby.
“Here we go, gentleman.” He bent over, set it on the ground and pushed it to them. “Enjoy!’
Waving, he backed up. The instant he was clear of the doors Rose hammered the close button and held it down. A roar went up from the shifters and they charged after them. One of the gunmen dressed in all black was faster than the others and dove into the elevator just before the doors clanged shut.
“You’re a brave one,” Stoen joked, reaching down to pick him up by the collar.
“Maybe. Maybe not.” A hand came up, grabbed Stoen’s wrist, and pulled him down. Their heads clanged together and Stoen reeled backward in astonished surprise. His opponent leapt to his feet and went for Rose, but Stoen intercepted, grabbing him in a tight hug and slamming his back into the elevator wall.
“Big mistake,” the shifter snarled, wrapping his arms around Stoen’s midsection and squeezing tight.
“Oomph,” he gasped as the air was crushed from his lungs. “You’re no wolf.”
“No, I’m not,” the shifter agreed, grinning as he lifted Stoen from the ground in a mighty hug named after his animal. “And you’re going to learn just how big a difference that means.”
“You’re. Forgetting. One. Thing,” he wheezed, trying to suck in air through the incredible grip of his foe.
“I don’t think so. Say good night.”
Stoen’s hands came up and gripped the crushing biceps of the bear shifter. “No,” he hissed, and quicksilver poured down his arms, coating his hands.
The bear shifter screamed in agony as the happy chimes of the elevator sounded once more. Stoen dropped to his feet as the doors opened, the shifter’s grip loosening. He slammed his head into his attacker once, twice, and then followed up with a knee to the groin. It was foul play, but he didn’t care. Shouldn’t have gone for my mate.
The bear shifter slumped and slid to the floor. “Go find the car,” he growled.
Rose just darted from the elevator and a moment later he heard the honk of a car as she hit the lock button repeatedly to find it.
“Sleep tight,” he whispered to the attacker. “Permanently.”
Then he snapped the man’s neck and went in search of Rose.
“Over here!” she shouted.
He ran up to her, skidding to a halt in front of their apparent getaway vehicle. “This is some kind of sick joke, right?”
Rose grinned and held up the keys. She pressed one button and the car next to them honked, its lights flicking on and off again. “Nope. Dead serious.”
Staring in horror at the bright pink vehicle, he reached out and pushed it. The entire thing rocked up and almost onto two wheels.
“It’s a clown car,” he muttered. “A damn clown car. How are we supposed to use this as our escape vehicle?”
“I suggest we start by getting in.”
“You are having too much fun with this,” he grumbled. “I can’t fit into this thing. How am I supposed to drive?”
Rose’s smile grew bigger. “You don’t. I do. Now get in the trunk.”
“Like hell.” He marched over to the passenger side, gingerly opened the door, and then angrily ripped out the seat and climbed in. Even with his back pressed to the trunk he still had to bend his legs to fit. “I’m a fucking circus clown.”
The engine came to life and the Barbie-themed clown car screeched as Rose gunned it toward the exit.
I am never going to live this down.
“Stop badmouthing this magnificent vehicle, okay, Bozo?”
“If you ever call me that again…” Something brushed against his ear.
Looking up, he saw a pair of pink fuzzy dice hanging from the ceiling.
“I give up.”
Chapter Sixteen
Rose
“Yee-haw!” she shrieked as the little vehicle
raced over the top of the exit ramp and into the streets, bouncing wildly as they got a little air.
“If I lean too far to one side I’ll tip us over,” Stoen said glumly from next to her. Or behind her. Whatever.
“Stop being a pansy about it.” She hauled the wheel to the left, and the car actually did feel like it went up onto two wheels for a moment before slamming back down as she angled them around traffic, and then around another corner, never letting off the gas.
Sirens came behind them as a pair of cars gave pursuit.
“It’s not like we can lose them in a crowd,” Stoen observed. “We’re in a bright pink RC car.”
“Shut up and let me drive.” She ran a red light, narrowly avoiding oncoming traffic. Metal crunched next to her. “What the hell was that? We didn’t hit anything?”
Stoen didn’t reply. She chanced a look a second later and saw that his hand had mangled the armrest on the door. “Nervous much?”
“Shut up.”
She laughed, looking in the rearview. The police were gaining, but this was fun. She was probably insane to think so, but they had made it! They’d somehow escaped, and now all they had to do was lose two cars. It could happen.
“They’re going to catch up,” Stoen told her. “What’s your plan?”
“Plan A won’t work, so I’m working on Plan B.”
“What’s Plan A?”
“If we lighten the load this puppy will go faster and I can probably lose them. I’ve taken a few aggressive driving classes while I was a PI. I’m pretty good at this.”
“Lighten the load? What does that mean?”
She looked over at him, arching her eyebrows.
“Hey! That’s not cool. You can’t just eject me like I’m luggage,” he protested.
Rose howled with laughter, the smell of burnt rubber reaching her nose as they skidded through another turn, heading deep into the heart of the city.
“Like I said, that’s why I’m looking for Plan B.”
“I thought you bought that from a pharmacy,” he muttered just loud enough for her to hear.
“Haw haw. So funny.”
One of the police cars had gotten close enough and it tried to spin them out, but Rose avoided the maneuver and zipped around the car onto a side street. The cop car was going too fast and couldn’t stop in time, moving past the opening even as it slammed on the brakes. His partner made the turn though, and they kept coming.