Page 52 of The Woman with the Wallet

What the fuck was he up to?

I mean, there was no way he could expect to sneak out and drive back to the city without me noticing, so it couldn’t have to do with his bosses or anything like that.

Which only meant one thing: he was leaving to do something that had to do with the diamond heist.

Without me.

Well, we would see about that.

I was never good at sitting on my hands while someone else did all the work.

I rushed to my duffle, shoving some of the essentials into the small purse I’d packed, sliding my feet into my shoes, and then rushing out into the hall.

I went past the elevator, sights set on the stairwell, so I didn’t run into Miko while I tried to figure out what he was up to.

I pushed open the stairwell door just in time to watch Miko move out the front doors, making a beeline for his car.

That fucker.

I rushed behind him, putting my finger to my lips so the doorman didn’t greet me. I didn’t want Miko to cause a scene in front of everyone. I just wanted to rush behind him and get to the car just a second behind him.

That was exactly what I did.

He bleeped the locks and climbed in as I ducked low and rushed up the passenger side.

I whipped open the door and jumped in before his head even had a chance to whip over and see me.

“Get out.”

Oh, he was all businesslike and bossy right then.

I was annoyed at myself for thinking that was hot.

“Absolutely not.”

“Max, I don’t have time for this.”

“And yet you’re still sitting here,” I said, shrugging as I reached to clip in my seatbelt.

“Max, seriously. Get out.”

“You’re gonna have to drag me out,” I told him, chin lifting.

He watched me for a second, a frustrated muscle ticking in his jaw as he came to the right conclusion. That in a battle, I would out-stubborn him every damn time. And take pleasure in it.

“You’re a pain in the ass, sugar, just so you know.”

“Oh, I am fully aware,” I agreed as he turned over the car, shifted into reverse, and whipped out of his spot so quickly that my arm flew up to grab the ‘Oh, shit’bar.

I wasn’t so distracted by him trying to sneak out that I didn’t realize this was the best possible thing that could have happened. It immediately forced away any potential awkwardness that might have come from the littleincidentback in my hotel room.

I was all too happy to skip right past that and get back to business.

“I’m assuming this has to do with that phone call. What the hell kind of ringer was that anyway?”

“One so different from my normal phone that I wouldn’t accidentally confuse them,” he admitted as he turned off onto the highway.

“It’s your burner?”

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