The Dangerous Thief (Stolen Hearts #3)(28)

Willa had no idea how any of this worked, but she did believe that Toni knew what she was talking about. Getting into the phone was easy. Jadon was a phone addict, so he liked to check it every few minutes, which had given her hundreds of opportunities to sneak a peek at his pass code. So she went to the website, which was tonihateseverything.com. Once she was there, the only thing visible was the button to download the app. Boom. That was surprisingly easy.

Except it wasn’t instantly downloading. It slowly ticked up from one percent to twenty percent. That was when the waiter came over and quickly started to dab at the tablecloth and cleaning anything possible. Willa was forced to turn on the home page and she put the napkin over the screen as she stepped aside. If her father saw her with his phone, she had no idea what he would do. Maybe she’d gone too fast. Maybe she should’ve waited until she had more time. What harm would another day or two cause?

But before she could worry any longer, Jadon and Stan came back to the table and she had to hope that the download was finished and any evidence of what happened was gone. Toni’s instructions hadn’t said anything about clearing any screens. All it said was hit the download link and return phone.

Luckily her fear easily translated to annoyance, and annoyance was her go-to when Stan White was around. She didn’t even fake a smile as he pulled a chair over to their table. “Stanny,” she said, using the name she was well aware he didn’t like. “How nice of you to interrupt my private dinner with my father.”

The forced smile Stan gave her was practically screaming obscenities. “Willa. I trust you had a nice time on your spontaneous vacation.”

She set her fork on her plate. It was a shame to waste such a nice cut of fish, but between the phone thing and Stan, she didn’t think she could stomach another bite. Before she could think of any snarky response to Stan’s dig at her failed attempt to run away, she saw Jadon looking at his phone. The waiter had been proactive enough to refill the wine she’d spilled and she took a drink so it wouldn’t be noticeable that she was staring as he put in his code and the screen lit up. She held her breath, but the download screen was gone. It was just his home screen.

“Sorry about this,” said Jadon. “It looks like I might have to go back to the office to handle a few meetings.”

Thank goodness. She’d gotten the phone cloned and now she didn’t have to suffer through the rest of this dinner. This was all working out. “I guess I’ll just hang out with Stan then,” she said petulantly.

“Oh, you don’t have to stay.” Jadon waved his credit card at the waiter, who immediately came over to ring up the expensive meal. “I hear there’s some hot new club that your friends Stephanie and AJ have been going to.”

Well, that was concerning—and not just the fact that her father had just used the words hot new club. “I didn’t know you knew about Stephanie and AJ.” Her life was a consistent rotating door of friends, but Stephanie and AJ had been a pretty firm presence in her life recently. She hadn’t mentioned them to Jadon for some reason. Maybe because they never came up. Maybe because some part of her subconscious wanted to protect them from a man she didn’t even know was dangerous.

Either way, he seemed to know about the twins now.

“In my line of work, it’s nice to know things. I’m sure Stan will give you a ride.”

Just when she thought her dad was on her side, he had to throw a bombshell like that at her. “I’m sure Stan has better things to do.” From the annoyed look on Stan’s face, he definitely had better things to do.

“Nonsense,” said Jadon. “Besides, this will give him a chance to show off his brand-new Maserati he hasn’t been able to shut up about.”

Being alone with Stan and having to listen to him talk about his new car? That was a hard pass. “Really, Daddy, I’ve got that security guy tagging along. I think all of us in a car will be cramped. I’ll just call a car.”

Jadon shook his head, as though he was just remembering something. “I’m sending him home. I know we’re shorthanded, but the guy does need some time to himself.”

Willa’s eyes immediately widened, but then she recovered and went back to normal. “I thought the security was for my protection. Do I not need protection anymore?”

“Of course you do, sweetie. I’ll have Ike send someone to meet you at the club.” At that moment, the waiter brought the check back and after a quick signature, Jadon stood. “I’m sorry again.” He turned to Stan. “Are you sure this is the group that Sterling recommended?”

Willa’s ears were suddenly at full attention. “Who’s Sterling?” It was forward, but her father was about to leave, so she might as well go for it.

Jadon waved a dismissive hand.

Apparently she wasn’t getting any answers tonight. She took another sip of her wine and looked across the restaurant at James. She wondered what he would do when Jadon told him he could go home. Would he be able to talk his way out of it? Or would he go back to regroup with Toni and the other guy, Scott Hart?

But as she braced herself for the blowout when Jadon approached James, it was rather anticlimactic. James nodded as if it was no big deal before he turned and left the restaurant. Which meant she was now alone with Stan.

Maybe she was overreacting. Maybe Stan wouldn’t be that bad. “I don’t know what Daddy was thinking. You don’t have to take me anywhere. Go home and enjoy the night,” she said, trying to sound friendly.