Page 70 of No More Secrets

“Toya made them for us.” Their neighbor next door to Sophie and behind Ivy’s apartment. “Her espresso machine is badass. Did you know she’s a retired barista?”

“Are you always in your neighbors’ business?” He drinks the coffee, and his stomach turns over. He sets it aside.

“You’re a bucket of sunshine in the morning. Do you know where Finn lives? I asked you last night, but I’m not sure if you remember.”

“Uh-uh.” He wags a finger in her face. “Who sent you, and why are you here?”

“I need a ride to my car.”

“You know that’s not what I’m asking.”

Her mouth flatlines. “I told you. Don’t ask me to explain. I’m already in enough trouble.”

He grinds his teeth. What is she hiding? Who’s she protecting?

His eyes narrow, and she holds her gaze, even lifts her chin. He swears. He doesn’t have time for her games. Shiloh is out there, possibly alone and hurt. He made a mistake when he didn’t go after Lily. His sister spent her life running from Ryder Jensen. He tried to kill her. What if Ellis is Shiloh’s Ryder? What if Finn is? Shiloh could be just one of many underage girls he preys on through that half-baked app.

He isn’t going to make that mistake again. He’s going after her.

“Answer me this,” he says pointedly to Sophie. “Do I need to worry about you calling the cops on me?”

“Depends on what you have planned.”

“I’m going to find Shiloh, then I’m bringing her here.” He heads for the bathroom.

“You can’t force—”

He shuts the door in her face.

After a quick shower, he towels off and returns to his room. He pulls on jeans and a shirt and goes to retrieve his boots when he notices the envelope of cash is missing. “Fuck.” He shoves on his boots as he jerks open the dresser drawer where his laptop should be. “Fuck, fuck, fuck.” He slams the drawer and strides into Shiloh’s room. The bed is a mess, the sheets balled at the foot of the bed, the pillow on the floor. He tears off the sheet and shakes it out. Nothing. “Fuck!”

Sophie appears in the doorway. “What’s wrong?”

“She took it.” He looks under the mattress, livid not because she stole from him. Rather, with the cash and laptop, she could be anywhere now. She only needed Finn for a ride. She’s young, naive, vulnerable, and alone in a big city. And he has no way to reach her. No way to help her.

“What did she take?” Sophie asks.

“My laptop.” He rakes fingers through his hair, looking up at the ceiling. “My cash. She took everything.”

“How much?”

“Five grand.”

“You need to report her.”

He swings around to face her. “Are you kidding me?”

“It’s theft, Lucas. Enough that it’s a felony.”

“Do you remember anything of what I told you last night?” he asks. She can haul him to jail, but he’ll never go out of his way to contact the police, especially on Shiloh. They’ll send her to juvenile detention. He’d never expose her to what happened to him.

“I’m surprised you do.”

He scowls and her eyes soften.

“I’m sorry for what happened to you. Those guys should have been tried and convicted. But—”

“I don’t need your pity,” he interrupts. He swipes up his keys and wallet and heads for the door.

---