The Beautiful Thief (Stolen Hearts #2)(45)

The white Jeep that pulled into the parking lot next to him pulled him out of his moment of self-pity. “Weston’s here.”

Willa stiffened in the passenger’s seat. He felt for her. She was running away from everything she knew and she was bouncing between one set of wolves to another.

When Weston got out of the Jeep, Adam knew that the mercenary’s appearance wasn’t going to do anything to calm the girl. Weston was big. He probably had a few inches on Adam, but strength-wise they were pretty evenly matched. Which was saying a lot, considering all the weights and hard labor he needed to do to keep up his fighting shape.

Weston’s light-brown hair was cropped close to the face, making his somber expression look even more severe.

“You have the number Melody gave you?” asked Adam.

Willa nodded, for once speechless. Melody couldn’t give out her own number, but Toni apparently had a secure line that Willa could get in touch with. He wanted to give her some other form of comfort, but there was nothing to say. He didn’t know this guy. He couldn’t give her any guarantees about her safety.

All he could do was get out of the car and nod at the new guy.

“Smith?” asked Weston.

Adam nodded. He didn’t like handing Willa off to a guy he didn’t know, but Toni had sent him a picture so at least he knew it wasn’t one of Forbes’s or Belli’s guys pulling one over on him.

Even though Adam felt bad for the girl, he had a certain amount of sympathy for Weston too. Hell, he and Weston had a lot in common, from what he could tell, so it was only fair to warn him. “She’s a talker.”

Weston didn’t seem too concerned. “I can handle her.”

“How did the roads in look?”

“Crowded. Lots of red and blue lights.”

Yep. There was their confirmation that they couldn’t drive Melody out of town. Maybe they could get a truck to smuggle her out in. She was small and it wouldn’t be too hard to hide her, but that was a risk. Walking out was a slower but more secure option, unless there were choppers in the air. Even if there were, they’d hide in a barn for as long as they needed to. He had all the survivalist skills she’d need to get out of this Podunk town, and then with the help of Toni, they could get anywhere in the country.

They. There was the problem. The second her sister showed up and this Scott guy she kept talking about, there was no they. He might as well book a flight back home now. Maybe drive. He could use the peace of the road for a while.

He opened the passenger door for Willa. “This is your stop, hun.”

She looked as if she was going to be sick, but she didn’t beg to stay or ask any more of her rapid-fire questions as she got out of the car, holding her bag close to her chest.

“Willa, this is Weston. He’s going to get you out of town.”

She nodded and her eyes were wide. For the first time, he saw through the annoyance and she just looked innocent and scared. He set a hand on her skinny shoulder and gave a quick squeeze. “We’re going to keep Belli from getting to you, okay?”

“Thanks,” she said as she met his eyes and gave a little smile that didn’t reach her eyes. Then she walked to where Weston held his passenger door open for her. Weston didn’t even say hello before he shut the door.

“We’re good,” said Weston. “Tell Toni I’ll make contact once we’re past the roadblocks.”

He headed for the driver’s side, but Adam moved to stand in his way. “Take care of her,” he warned.

“I thought you said she was annoying.”

“Yeah. Nowhere near as annoying as I’ll be if I find out she got hurt on your watch.” With that, Adam turned back to his own car. After he watched Weston drive off, he dialed the motel and had them connect him to the room Melody was in.

“Hello?” she answered after a few rings.

“It’s me,” he said, purposely not giving a name. “Weston picked the baggage up. I’m on my way back.”

“You don’t need to.”

Adam’s head fell and he rubbed at his temples. “Mel, you need—”

“Toni’s here now. Scott is on his way. I’m all set. You don’t need to put yourself at risk anymore for me.”

“I don’t—”

“Adam, please. You’ve already done too much.”

He looked up and somehow the world didn’t look the same. It seemed duller. Gray. Fucking useless. He was quiet for a few moments, but there was really nothing to say.

“Adam?”

He hung up and tossed the phone on the passenger seat. What the fuck did she want from him?

He wasn’t going to beg. What kind of moron would beg for a chance to be with someone like that? He knew from the second he’d kidnapped her in the first place that she was out of his league. Even a princess rolled around in the dirt once in a while. Now it was time for him to go back to the swamp and her to go back to the castle.

But he’d definitely have to hit a lot of bars before he ever made it to Louisiana.





“Don’t say it,” warned Melody as she hung up.

“I don’t need to say a damn thing.” Toni sat on the motel bed without a care for how dirty it might be. “You look like you just shot a guy. That says more than I ever could.”