Page 48 of Marked

“Stop!” Sophia flicked Nash’s hand away from the keyboard and pointed at the screen. “There’s the van.” She lifted her wide, doe-like eyes to Cole’s, her cheeks flushed.

“Sure looks like it,” Cole said. “We couldn’t get close enough to the license plate, but I’m pretty confident it’s the same van.”

Her slick pink tongue jutted over her bottom lip. “What are we waiting for?”

Cole brought his fingers to her elbow, not just to level with her but because he couldn’t stop himself from touching her. She didn’t pull away. Instead, her eyes searched his, and he’d be damned if there wasn’t a hint of longing glowing in her embers.

“It’s best if we can wait until dark.”

She swallowed, the action making her throat bob. Glancing at the clock at the bottom of the computer screen, she scrunched her face in anguish. “It’s only 2:00 p.m. That’s hours away.”

“Yeah, but we need to wait for Dare anyway. Dallas, too,” Nash said from his seat on the desk. Cole refused to take his eyes off Sophia. No doubt his idiot brother would sense whatever the fuck emotion was churning inside his chest and rib him for it later.

Sophia swung her gaze back to him and tensed. “But Bella’s in there now.”

Cole moved his hand from her elbow to her waist. His face heated under the stares of his brother, Tess, and Lexi, but he didn’t give a damn.

Sophia’s chin quivered. “We can’t wait.” Tears hovered at her lashes.

Cole blinked and shot a pointed look to Nash. His brother stood and made a lame statement about needing to talk to Tess and Lexi in the hall. The office door closed, and Sophia turned to lean back against the desk, making his hand drop away. He flexed his fingers at the absence of her flesh in his palm.

Her arms folded around her middle. The tears still clung to her lashes, but she’d gathered a bit of composure, her jaw now firm.

“I want to go now.”

Cole snaked his hand through his hair. This whole situation would be a hell of a lot easier if he weren’t going out of his mind. He was getting too attached. Roped into Sophia’s turmoil. More than that, he’d been pulled into Bella’s case on a personal level.

Mistreatment of kids made him plain fucking wild with rage.

Moving in front of her, he brought his hands to her arms. God, it felt good to be near her. “I know. But we have to play this right. If we go in broad daylight, there’s a better chance we’ll be spotted.”

She inhaled through her nose, her gaze dropping from his to land somewhere on the floor. “I get that.”

“Besides. Dare won’t be here for another hour and a half or so. He needs to give us more intel on where the guards are stationed. Then we’ll grab a bite and leave here around 6:30. We’ll get into position and make our move once it’s dark. Okay?”

She slumped. “I guess that’s not too far off.”

He gave her a little shake. “You’ve made it this far. Let’s not screw it up by acting too fast.”

She slowly squeezed her eyes shut. “It just hurts so much. I need to hold her.” Sophia’s voice tripped on the words, and something inside Cole broke.

He pulled her to his chest, folding his arms around her. She buried her face against his sternum, and soft cries racked her body. He grasped at words, needing to offer comfort, but Jesus, he was the last person to come up with a soothing sentiment. All he could do was be there physically. “Shhh,” he said, stroking her hair.

She turned her face to rest her cheek on his pec. “Sorry. I thought I could keep it together...”

“You’ve done a kickass job so far.”

A delicate snort came from her throat. “Hardly. I’ve cried on you more times than I ever did on my ex-husband.”

Her words sent an odd wave of satisfaction through him. “I’m not sure if that’s a compliment, but I assure you I don’t mind.”

She tilted her head back and the slightest, sexiest smile hovered on her lips—enough to hint that she didn’t mind either. “I’m not usually this emotional. Or needy.”

“I’m not usually this nice, so we’re even.”

Her hesitant grin cracked into a full-blown laugh. “I wouldn’t exactly call you nice, but maybe a little less menacing than when we fought in the alley.” She eased out of his arms and swiped the heel of her hand over one eye then the other. “Gosh, I’m a mess.”

He flicked back a strand of hair from her temple. “Not a mess. But not your best either.” It was a lie. Sophia looked good enough to fucking eat, and if he had her alone for long enough, he just might.

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