Page 45 of The Coffee Shop

All of them.

“I have an idea,” I grit, drawing their attention, “but you’re not going to fucking like it.”

Chapter Twenty-Two

SEBASTIAN

“Idon’t fucking like it,” Luke states, staring at the live feed from the updated surveillance system we set up in the coffee shop.

“I don’t like it either,” I say.

“This wasyouridea,” he says.

“Yeah, because her father is doing a shit job at figuring out who’s after her. You and I both know that we are more capable of catching these guysandkeeping her safe than any of the carjackers or drug dealers on his payroll.”

He’s quiet for a long moment.

“I still don’t fucking like it,” he says.

“Yeah, Lu, well neither do I, neither does Leena, but this is the best shot we have. Sending her right back to the place they expect her to be will draw them out. They’re probably too stupid to realize it’s a trap and even if they aren’t, there’s no way they’ll pass up this opportunity.”

“We’re serving her up on a fucking platter,” he grounds out.

I rub a hand over my face, because we have been over this. In fact, we have been over this several times a day for the past week while we were setting the wholething up and playing musical hotel rooms with Leena.

“Lu,” I start, my tone exasperated.

“I know. I’m sorry, I’m just…worried,” he says. “Do you think this will actually work?”

“It better. This is the best shot we have.”

—

It has been five fucking days that Luke and I have spent sitting in the tiny little attic of the coffee shop. And after all we’ve been through,thismight be what breaks us. Leena usually just works the morning shift, but she ended up working a double today, which would explain the extra tension.

“Do you have to chew so fucking loudly?” I bark out.

“Do you have to be a moodyfuckall the time?” Luke says, throwing the chips in my face.

“Nice, Lu. Very mature.”

We both take a deep breath and stare back at the monitors that are stacked three high all around us. We have a view of every square inch inside the coffee shop along with every building, alleyway and parking lot for a three block radius. And because this building also connects to a nearby parking garage, the three of us can come and go with the daily traffic without giving away the fact that this is in fact, a stake out.

I lean over, bumping my friend’s shoulder. Then I do it again and again, until he glances over and smiles, releasing the tension between us. Because as much as I want to murder my friend after being stuck up here all day, life at home has beengood. And I mean, really good.

Even though a hotel is not a home, and we have a new one every night, it feelsnormal. Going homewith them, hearing about Leena’s day, even though we watched the whole fucking thing already, and curling up with the two of them every night, it’s been the best few weeks of my life.

“Fuck,” Luke breathes out, leaning forward.

“What is it?” I say, panicked, until Luke pulls up one of the smaller images to full screen on the monitor in front of us.

“Holy shit,” I say, unbelievingly, moving my chair closer.

The coffee shop closed nearly an hour ago, and it’s been thirty minutes since Leena’s co-worker left for the night, leaving her on her own to close up.

“What the fuck is she doing?” I say, watching Leena on the screen. The image is perfectly clear, and I’m instantly grateful that we sprung for the nicer cameras for this. Because Leena is standing in the break room completely topless. I watch as she puts her shirt in her locker, then takes off her shoes.

I glance over at Luke, his eyes are wide, and he has that little smirk on his face. He looks at me, and we give each other a “is this really happening?” sort of look before putting our attention back on Leena.

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