Page 64 of Fast Vengeance

Instead of continuing on toward the water as she expected, David wound his way into a cramped back alley and parked behind a building.

Her stomach muscles tightened. “What are you doing?”

“Taking precautions,” he said calmly, and handed her a bag. “Take off everything you’re wearing and change into these. Everything. Bra and underwear too.”

She blinked at him, opened her mouth to argue but realized that would make it look even more suspicious. Except without the tracking chip in her bra, the feds wouldn’t know where she was if they lost visual contact at any point.

“I’ll wait outside,” David said, and stepped out.

Not having a choice, she changed clothes, the task twice as awkward because of the cramped space in the front seat.

She put on the new clothes from the bag and stuffed her own back into it. When she was finished she glanced up to make sure David still had his back to her and fumbled with the underwire of her old bra. He would check to make sure the new bra and underwear weren’t in the bag, so she had to transfer the chip somehow.

Her fingers were clumsy, the stress starting to get to her. She cursed as her grip slipped.

Hurry. Hurry.

The chip was soldered to the wire. She used her nails to try and pry it free. It didn’t budge.

Frantic to do this before David turned back around, she used her teeth, biting down with all her might. The chip cracked free.

Sending up a silent thank you, she quickly shoved it into the bottom of the new bra cups, stuffed the old bra into the bag and smoothed a hand over her shirt.

David opened the door a crack. “Done?”

“Yes.” God, her heart was hammering. She schooled her features into a calm mask, determined to hide her anxiety as he took the bag from her, checked that everything was in it and then walked over to toss it into a garbage can nearby.

“Step out. We’re switching vehicles.”

She got out, stiffened when he pulled something out of his coat pocket.

His dark eyes met hers in the dim light filtering into the alley, a flare of sympathy flashing in them. “It’s a detector wand, not a gun,” he said softly, and stepped toward her.

She stood absolutely still as he ran the device over the length of her body, pausing at the bottom of her breasts. He glanced up into her face for a moment.

Her heart rocketed into her throat. Had he figured out what she’d done? But he merely finished the sweep down to her feet and back up, stopping once more at bra level.

“Underwire,” she explained tightly, hoping the annoyance covered the stress in her voice. “But maybe you’d like to check my fillings too, just to be safe?” She raised an eyebrow, letting some of her resentment bleed through. It was realistic enough to be believable.

David lowered his gaze and shook his head, giving a slight wince. “I had nothing to do with that, by the way.” Before she could say anything, he pulled out his phone and called someone. “We’re ready. All clear? Good.”

He was tucking his phone away when a car pulled into the far end of the alley. A minivan. “This is us. Come on.” He grasped her upper arm and walked her to the waiting vehicle, his grip gentle but firm.

“Where are we going?” she asked, hoping she hadn’t damaged the chip during the transfer. If she had, she was screwed.

“Home,” was all he said.

Oceane climbed into the back with him behind the two men up front, and they drove away.

A sense of unreality hit her. After all this time she was about to face the monster who had haunted her dreams since the terrible night when those armed men had stormed her home. Marking the beginning of the destruction of her entire world.

I’m going to face him for you, Mami, she vowed as she stared out the window as the darkened city passed by. I’m going to get answers.

And then I’m getting us both the justice we deserve.

Chapter Seventeen

Until this moment, Manny had never known time could pass so slowly. It felt like he’d been waiting days instead of minutes for the call to come in.

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