He misses my sarcasm. “And when we’re old and married, we’ll be able to tell everyone the story of how we met. Of our … meetshoot.”
I blink at him. “Don’t try and turn this into a sweet moment.”
“How I knew instantly that I couldn’t kill you.”
“Ah. So we’re going to turn ourhow we metmoment into a story of how you committed a crime and got away with it.”
“Almostcommitted a crime.”
“Sorry, do you somehow think shooting a man in the earisn’tillegal?”
“Well … only if you’re … caught.”
I give him a blank look, and the hopeful one I get back is too much. “You’re making this up to me,” I say, hating how easily I’m folding over something I should be holding against him for all time. “Later. For the rest of our lives, probably.”
His grin springs to life. “That almost sounds like a proposal.”
“Yeah, well, now we know that I’m actually okay and not at all being hunted, I guess we’re fifty percent closer to that being a possibility.” Because, what the actual fuck? This is … this is so beyond the realm of fucking anything that I really don’t know what else to say. All week, I’ve been running and hiding and stressed for my life … forno goddamn reason.
“I need to sit down.” I’m almost numb with relief as I sink into the nearest armchair.
“I need a drink,” Lars says. “A big, strong drink.”
“Hold on there, handsome,” Arlie says. “This guy might be okay, but we haven’t solved the Colin issue.”
Shit. Colin. I’d forgotten about him for all of a few seconds, and the relief that washed over me completely disappears again. Imight not currently be in danger, but Perry’s still facing the threat to either turn in Colin or be offed instead, and I don’t like either of those options.
“Where do we start?”
Tommy cracks his knuckles. “Give me what you know, a strong coffee, and about fifteen minutes. I’ve got this.”
CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
PERRY
It takes morelike nineteen minutes, and he doesn’t touch his coffee until he’s done, but Tommy does it. He finds a guy who looks the least like St. Clare it’s possible to look while still clearly being related. Unlike St. Clare, this guy’s expression is permanently terrified, and maybe that’s his real face, or maybe he’sactuallyterrified. I’ll hold out my judgment until I meet him.
Tommy tracked him from security camera to camera until we reached SODO and then … nothing. So I guess the first place we’ll start looking is there.
“It’s a big area to cover, so we’ll organize supplies and meet back here tonight,” Ever says. “It’ll be easier to search when it’s not busy.”
“What type of supplies?” I ask, picturing night-vision goggles and flare guns.
“Comms equipment.”
Huh. Well, that’s still cool, even if slightly less cool than my first thoughts.
A yawn rips through St. Clare. “Tonight? I might try to get some sleep before then.”
“Yeah, we didn’t have any last night,” I add, which makes it sound sexual but actually wasn’t.
“First rule is to always be well rested,” Arlie says. She’s in take-charge mode, which is one of her hotter modes for sure. “You can’t watch anyone’s back if you’re not at your best.”
Lars’s voice is more eager than usual. “Of course. You’re so right.”
You’re so right?
I narrow my eyes, amused and suspicious. Does Larsy-boy have a crush? I mean, I can’t blame him. Arlie is a force. And hey, if he’s all schmoopy over her, then that’s total confirmation that he’s not going to suddenly turn around and decide he’s in love with my pookie-bear. Maybe once this is over, I can play matchmaker. I’ve never created romance on purpose, so it could be fun.
