The Cocky Thief (Stolen Hearts #1)(44)
It looked as if Austin was about to say something, but the ringing of one of their new burner phones interrupted. They both reached for their individual phones, Jennifer to her clutch and Austin in his pocket, but it was Austin’s ringing.
“Yeah?” he asked. “Okay. We’re on our way.”
“Is that Scott?” asked Jennifer.
“Yep. They’re waiting downstairs.”
She let her eyes drift closed and she took a deep breath.
But before her eyes opened, Austin took her hand in his and gave her a gentle squeeze. “We got this,” he said softly. “I’m going to be with you the whole time.”
Her eyes opened and Austin was right there, still holding her hand. “For the last six years, I’ve always worked alone.”
“I’ve worked alone my whole life. Sometimes things change.”
“That sounds like a commitment.”
He raised a brow, but didn’t say anything. Instead, he released her hand as he collected the last few things he’d need for the night and they both left the room together.
Would they work as something more? On one hand, they would make a hell of a team. She didn’t trust her life, or her family’s life, with just any old crook. But Austin was a pro and he had as many connections in the underworld as she did.
While the elevator went down, they didn’t hold hands, but they stood so close together that the back of their hands touched. Her fingers just started to wrap around his as they reached the lobby and Jennifer and Austin immediately took a step apart. Good grief, she was acting like a lovesick teenager, not a woman on a rescue mission. When—not if—but when she got Mel back, she was going to buy her so many drinks.
“There you are,” said Isobel once the elevator door opened. “Toni is going to get our names on the list, but it would be best if we arrive separately.”
“You just don’t want to ride in the van,” said Jennifer, knowing her mother all too well.
Isobel squinched her face. “The van smells. I don’t dress this nice to arrive to a function smelling. I’m supposed to blend in, not stand out.” Isobel was dressed nice. Her black dress fell to the floor, but the dangerously high split up the side would give her plenty of room to move, if necessary. Her red hair was up in an elaborate updo that looked as if it had been done professionally, but Jennifer knew that Isobel was just an expert at making herself look expensive.
“It’s fine, Mom. We’ll ride in the van.”
“Good.” She gave Austin a quick smile that was much too sweet. “Do you mind if I borrow my daughter for one second?” Before he could answer, she continued, “Thanks.” She reached for Jennifer’s arm and they walked until they were out of earshot.
“Everything okay?” asked Jennifer.
“Nothing is okay, but I’m good at faking it,” said Isobel. “I wanted to talk to you about Austin Miles.”
Jennifer tried not to show any signs of stress. “What about him?”
“You and he seem to have grown...close.”
She prayed like hell that her mother didn't notice her sudden blush. “He saved my life, Mom.”
“Don’t bullshit me, Jennifer. I wrote the book on bullshit and I take it as a direct insult when one of my own children tries to turn the tables on me.”
“Fine. We’re close. What do you want me to say?”
“I want you to have your priorities straight.”
Jennifer had to bite the inside of her cheek to point out that it was Isobel’s mismatched priorities that had gotten them in this mess to begin with. “Melody is my number-one priority. I swear, no bullshit included.”
Isobel frowned as she stopped to face Jennifer. “It’s an easy thing to say now. But when in the heat of the moment, when you have to choose between the lover you just met and the sister you’ve always had, you make sure those priorities are in line.”
Isobel dramatically turned and walked out of the hotel before Jennifer could even dignify that with a response. For the love of— Jennifer was a grown woman and she’d been on more jobs since she’d left Isobel’s guidance than ever before. How dare she accuse Jennifer of not having her priorities in line? Even so, guilt over what had just happened in the room hit her.
“I don’t think the heat vision is working.” Austin moved to stand next to her.
She looked over at him. “What?”
“The way you’re staring at that door,” he pointed to the door Isobel had left out of, “it’s like you’re trying to shoot lasers out of your eyes.”
“You were so cool and now you have to go and prove you’re a comic book nerd.” Jennifer started to walk and forced herself to calm the bitch face that had apparently overcome her.
“Or you’ve revealed yourself as a comic book nerd because you know a Superman reference when you hear it. Now, what did Isobel want to talk about?”
They took turns going through the revolving door and then they were both out on the street. “If it was any of your business, you’d be the first one to know,” said Jennifer with a smile as they approached the van.
“Funny. From what I could tell, it definitely was my business.”
Austin held on to the table in front of him as the van went over another bump, careful not to touch anything. He had no idea how Toni had gotten this all set up in a day, but he was impressed. Hell, this thing looked as though it had enough hacker power to take down the Pentagon. Five monitors were hooked up to the left side of the van and along the right-hand side was a row of car batteries used to power everything and a whole other mess of electronics that even Austin didn’t know the purpose of.