The Beautiful Thief (Stolen Hearts #2)(19)

“They take ’em to the gator farms. After a few years, most of them end up in soups and souvenir shops, but seventeen percent are released back into the wild. More than would’ve lived naturally.”

“And Billy just walks up to a nest and starts taking eggs?”

“As long as mama isn’t around.”

“And he does this for money?”

“Money and fun.”

She shook her head. “I don’t get you.”

“That’s what makes me fun. Now where’s your car?”

“My car? I thought we’d drive separately.”

“So you can ditch me now that you have your archnemesis’s name? I don’t think so. I know you parked here, and Billy was nice enough to not borrow any of your shit.”

“I’m overwhelmed with gratefulness,” she deadpanned.

She started for the car, but then Adam remembered something and set a hand on her arm to stop her. “Your gun,” he said.

“What about it?”

“We’re flying out of here. Unless you’re flying with a legally registered weapon, I’d rather leave it with Billy.” She tightened her lips and he added, “Unless you’re still afraid of me.”

She reached in her bag to pull out the body of the gun he’d left her with. “It would be stupid to not be afraid of you.”

“God, you’re sexy when you say smart things like that.” Before she could react, he took the gun and walked up the dock toward Billy’s shack.

As he left some of his valuables he needed Billy to keep a closer eye on and the gun, she took a close look at the place, even looking in one of the windows. “I can’t believe Billy lives out here.”

“He doesn’t live here.”

“What? But this is where everyone told me I could find him.”

“It’s his land and where he always is. But he usually sleeps at my house.”

“Your house?”

“On land and everything.” He took a second to enjoy her shock. Though he probably lost some of his air of mystery now that she knew he hadn’t completely surrendered to the swamp yet. Even though he had a house, he didn’t like to stay there. Too many memories. Too many nightmares. Melody didn’t need to know that. “Let’s get going.”

She followed him as he led the way to where she’d left the small rental car. “Going where exactly? I have contacts I can reach out to to find a location, but you seem to have an idea in mind already.”

“I do. After Greg Stranger bailed on his entire life, Forbes offered me a chance to work for his people in Chicago. That’s how I ended up on Belli’s payroll. Even if Forbes isn’t in Chicago now, that’s his normal base of operations. It’s a good place to start.” He stopped at the driver’s side door and held out a hand.

“It’s my car,” she said.

“I can tell from a mile away that it’s a rental.”

“A rental that only I’m allowed to drive.”

“I know these roads better than you.”

“That’s what my GPS is for.”

“If you want to try to move me, feel free.”

The keys flew at his face, and it was pure instinct that allowed him to snatch them before contact was made. He gave her a victorious smile as he unlocked the doors and popped the trunk. As soon as his stuff was secured, he adjusted the seat and the mirror and backed out and onto the road.

Melody immediately plugged her phone into the car charger. “How long will it be before we get to the airport? I’ll book tickets to O’Hare.”

“A few hours still. I need to see a guy before we leave.”

“See a guy about a horse?”

“Long story.” He debated telling her, but considering she was still on the fence about wanting him dead, he avoided making the mistake of thinking they were friendly.

“When we stop, will there be a chance to change? I refuse to get on a plane in these things.”

Adam glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. Even if she had been in the outfit for over a day and probably slept without taking a thing off, she still looked good to him.

But that was pretty much the norm. Every single thing she did looked damn right delectable to him. Well, except the way those fingers were moving over her phone. From this angle, he couldn’t tell what she was doing. Even though she said she was booking tickets, he knew that with that little device she could be doing almost anything.

Suddenly the phone rang and Adam’s fingers tightened on the wheel as he waited to see what Melody was going to tell whoever was on the other line. Except she never answered, instead sliding her finger across the glass of the screen until the noise stopped.

“Keeping me your dirty little secret?” He turned onto a back highway.

“Just until I know how much you’re bullshitting me.”

Interesting. He’d think she’d want backup while figuring out whether he was trustworthy, which he wasn’t. But Melody had already put her death wish front and center more than once. Her family should be grateful she was with him, but he doubted they’d see it that way. “Hard to keep on good terms with family when you do what you do.”

That seemed to surprise her as she shifted in her seat to look at him. “We’re not on bad terms.”