Gypsy King (Tin Gypsy, #1)(97)

“Babe.” I gently shook Bryce awake. “Someone’s coming.”

She roused from sleep, rubbing her eyes. “Do you think it’s them?”

“Don’t know. Come on.” I held her hand, keeping her hidden behind me as I went to the office door. I cracked it an inch, taking out my gun. When the machine came into view, I put it away. “It’s Isaiah.”

“Finally.” She opened the door wider, pushing past me as he pulled into the parking lot.

His face was haggard as he shut off his bike. His shoulders slumped. When he spotted us outside the office, at the base of the stairs that led to his apartment, his frame fell even further.

“Where’s Genevieve?” Bryce asked after he climbed off his motorcycle and walked our way. “Is she okay?”

“She wanted to leave. I drove her to Bozeman.”

“And you left her there?” Bryce’s jaw dropped. “We don’t know who took us. What if he got to her again? He took her from that hotel once, he could have—”

Isaiah held up a hand. “I took her to the hotel and went in and got her stuff. Then I drove her to the airport, waited until her plane took off. She’s on her way to Colorado if she’s not there already.”

“Okay.” Bryce relaxed. “But she’s all right?”

“She’s fine.”

“What happened? Why didn’t you answer?” I asked. “We’ve been calling.”

Isaiah dropped his eyes to the ground, his jaw set tight. He looked awful. More haunted than the first day he’d shown up here, desperate for a job and to get on with his life.

I put my hand on his shoulder. “What happened?”

He didn’t answer. He brushed past us to the stairs, taking each one with heavy footfalls.

“Isaiah,” I called his name.

He paused and glanced over his shoulder. “I got her out of there. Just like I said I would.”

Something else had happened, but before I could ask for more, he was up the stairs and out of sight.

Bryce and I shared an anxious look.

We weren’t going to get any more answers tonight.





Chapter Twenty-Six





Bryce





After Isaiah left Dash and I standing with our mouths hanging open, we went back to his place for the night. I wanted my own pajamas, a brush and clean panties, but I wasn’t sure when I’d be ready to go home, especially in the dark.

As we drove, Dash called his dad to tell him Isaiah had returned. And it was unlikely Genevieve would ever set foot in Montana again.

“Dad said they’re already on their way back,” he told me after hanging up. “They couldn’t get close to the cabin anyway.”

“Because of the fire?”

Dash nodded. “Forest service had a whole crew up there, making sure it doesn’t spread to the trees.”

“Why do you think he burned it?”

“Don’t know. But like Dad said, it was probably to cover his tracks.”

Something in that cabin could have identified my kidnapper, but we’d never find it now. “I wish I had my phone to text Genevieve. Just to make sure she’s all right.”

Genevieve and I had been through so much in a short period of time. But given what had happened, what I’d told her about Draven and her mother’s murder, I didn’t blame her for running.

I probably would have done the same.

“Tomorrow.” Dash took my hand from my lap, threading our fingers together. “Tomorrow I’ll get your phone and whatever else you want from your house.”

“That’d be great.” I’d have to go back eventually, but for now, I was content to spend some time at his place. I had a feeling not many women could claim they’d spent time at Dash Slater’s home. I was too tired tonight, but tomorrow, I wanted to explore. Relax in his space.

After I made sure Genevieve was home safely.

“Do you think Genevieve will be safe in Denver?”

“Might be the safest place for her. Or she’ll be an easy target.”

“She has to be okay, Dash. None of this was her fault. I can’t help but think if I’d only stayed here, stayed away, that—”

“This is not your fault, babe.” He tightened his grip on my hand. “If not for you, we wouldn’t know the truth. Dad would have died keeping it a secret. And it needed to come out. It’s for the best.”

Except it had cost him his relationship with his father. I wasn’t sure what was best now.

“What do we do now?”

“Sleep.” Dash sighed. “Regroup in the morning.”

If my mind kept racing, sleep would not come easily.

Dash led me straight to his bedroom when we got to his house. The room overlooked a large backyard. Was that a hot tub? Before I could get a look at it on the patio, Dash pulled the blinds over the windows shut.

“Bed. Sleep. You can have free rein of the place tomorrow.”

“Fine.” I pouted, stripping off my clothes.

We met in the middle of Dash’s enormous bed, our naked bodies molding to one another as we lay face-to-face.

“I don’t know if I can sleep,” I whispered.