Page 39 of Hero's Heart

She took it, her fingers resting on his. He held on for just a moment longer than necessary.

Damn it. Why couldn’t he stop touching this woman?

“Ready,” she confirmed, determination once again shining in those remarkable blue eyes.

A few minutes later, they’d cleaned up as best they could, left the room key on the table, and he was leading them out of the room and back out onto the street. A short while after that, they were standing in front of a parking lot connected to multiple shops.

“We need wheels,” he muttered, guiding Sloane toward a beat-up sedan parked on the street rather than the lot. “That one’ll do.”

They made it over to the car, and he glanced around furtively before trying the door handle. To his surprise, it opened.

“Lucky break.” He grinned at Sloane, who raised an eyebrow.

“You’re not actually going to?—”

“Repurpose a seemingly abandoned vehicle that is impeding the flow of commuter traffic?” Callum finished with a grin, already reaching under the steering column. “Beats walking.”

Sloane sighed but slid into the passenger seat. “I suppose beggars can’t be choosers.”

As sparks flew, Callum caught movement in his peripheral vision. A man exited the hardware store, looking directly at them. Callum’s muscles tensed, ready for confrontation. Did he recognize them? Maybe work for the Kozaks?

“Sloane,” he said quietly, “if I say run, you run. Got it?”

She nodded, fear visible on her face.

But the man simply continued walking, disappearing around a corner. Callum let out a breath he didn’t realize he’d been holding. The engine roared to life.

“We’re good,” he said, relief evident in his voice. “But let’s get moving.”

The drive to Chi?inau was mostly silent, both lost in their thoughts and keeping a watchful eye out for being followed. They stopped briefly to get breakfast, but by noon, they were arriving into the city.

“Not long now,” Callum said. As the traffic picked up, he actually relaxed more. The more cars, the more they blended in. “You must be looking forward to getting home, huh?”

Sloane’s response was hesitant. “I’m glad this nightmare is almost over, but…home isn’t exactly a warm and fuzzy place for me.”

He had so many questions about her family life, especially after what she’d told him last night, and the fact that William Getty hadn’t been negotiating for the release of both his daughters at the same time.

“Yeah, I gathered that from what you were saying last night. I have to ask… Have you thought about moving out?”

She sighed, staring out the window so long, he thought she might not answer. “It’s a complicated situation,” she finally said.

“Then I also have to ask… Are you safe there?”

“Yes.”

But she didn’t sound like she completely believed it.

Callum wanted to press further, to try to get all the details, but decided it was better to leave it alone. By this time tomorrow, they’d be headed in their separate directions.

If there was one thing he’d come to understand through all his years of law enforcement—and hell, losing his wife…

You couldn’t save everyone.

But damned if he didn’t want to do something more for Sloane than just send her back to a shitty home situation.

He gripped the steering wheel, shaking his head. There was nothing he could do about that. He’d done what he could. He’d gotten her out of the Kozaks’ clutches and now would get her to the embassy so they could obtain the documentation needed to get out of here.

She’d go her way; he’d go his. He’d hope for the very best things for her.

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