Page 128 of The Thief

The men had on plain white tees since they were working outside. Lakota’s had an image printed on the front of a wolf sitting cross-legged while reading a book.

“Take this card,” Lakota said. “If you run into issues with the law, this guy will help. No questions asked. He owes me a favor. Just tell him Lakota Cross gave you his info.”

Bear thanked them before loading up the vehicle.

Melody fell back into Lakota’s arms, and he kissed her pink hair. Tak and Hope watched on like nervous parents. The only other packmates present were Montana, Archer, and Virgil.

I scratched a mosquito bite on the back of my neck. “Can someone check on Calvin while I’m gone? I know he’s not thrilled about this vacation, especially since the lunch service has been going so well.”

Virgil snorted. “We’ll order a pizza and have it delivered there.”

“Oh, I’m sure he’ll love that.”

Saying goodbye to my pack left me anxious, and I wanted to be home already. But if I didn’t return the diamond, it would haunt me for the rest of my life. Bear and I needed to enjoy ourselves. How many more trips would we have with our busy schedules?

Melody tightened her ponytail and then gave me a quick hug. “I miss you already. It’s gonna be so quiet with you two gone.”

Hope hugged me next. “Be safe. I know it’s a private vacation, but if you need anything, call.” She flashed a beautiful smile and stepped back.

“You just take care of that little baby,” I said to her. “Don’t be climbing ladders or doing anything dangerous.”

Tak pulled her into his protective arms, his hands flattening over her belly. “You needn’t worry about that. I plan to keep her in my bed the full nine months.”

Hope and Melody laughed simultaneously.

Virgil swooped in and gave me a one-armed hug. “Farewell, neighbor. I’ll miss our late-night cuddles.” Then he flung his arms around Bear. “And I’ll miss you most of all, Scarecrow.”

Bear shoved him off. “We’ll only be gone a week.”

Virgil raked back his tousled hair. “The offer still stands. There’s plenty of room in there for one more, and I love road trips. I’ll even shift and pretend to be your pet.”

Archer grabbed Virgil’s arm and hauled him back. “Ease up, Taz. The last thing a newly mated couple wants is a third wheel on a bicycle built for two.”

After a dramatic sigh, Virgil finally said, “I’m gonna miss your cooking.”

“Same,” Robyn said as she approached the vehicle with a medium cooler in her hands.

Montana took it from her. “What’s this?”

She shook out the towel draped over her arm. “Drinks. I put a bag of ice in there to keep them cold.” She gave me a quick hug. “Now you don’t have to pull over. There are a lot of sketchy stops along highways and no-good people out there. I should know.”

“That was real sweet of you.”

“Do you have any special plans?” Hope asked.

“Bear wants to visit a few popular restaurants and check out their dishes. Maybe talk to the chefs. I’m ready for an adventure, so anything’s fine with me.”

Robyn laid a towel down in the middle row. “Put it here so they can reach it,” she said.

Montana set the cooler on the towel. “Welp, you’ve got everything but the kitchen sink.” He slammed the door and grinned as he rejoined the group.

This was the best goodbye I’d ever experienced. Leaving my childhood home was a nightmare that brought me stress thinking about it. The negative emotions attached were guilt, shame, fear, and anger. But in this moment, I felt love and knew I’d be missed.

“Hold on!” Joy shouted from the porch. She jogged down the steps and ran toward us like a rich woman in heels, but she had on flats, and that was just Joy’s way of running.

Out of breath, she threw her arms around me. “Be careful out there, sweetie. Especially in those Breed-only towns. Avoid them if you can.” Still panting, she pulled back. “Gracious. I’m out of shape.” She handed me a book and said, “This is from Salem’s collection. I thought you might enjoy reading in the car to pass the time. It’s Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. I wasn’t sure what you’d like, but it was either that or some encyclopedia of human anatomy.”

“I’d like to check that one out,” Virgil piped in. “Are there pictures?”

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