Page 28 of Tangled Lies
Me? The others? Black was pretty versatile, but none of us had a suit jacket, making us look more like the help.
“Let us know if you want back up, sweetheart,” I hollered as he pulled open the door to the stairwell. At the last minute, I saw him tuck hands in pockets, hiding the blood we hadn’t stopped to wash off. I sighed.
“When was the last time we had such an eventful day?”
No one was answering me. I leaned onto my bike and waited for the next thing to happen.
“Anyone find it odd Knox is the one who volunteered to go in without having to be asked?” Talon finally asked, breaking the calmness of the parking garage, where the only sounds were of tires squealing here and there.
We all glanced at the new message on our phones.
Pretty girl: restaurant
“Do we follow Knoxy or do we just wait?” I asked. It was more a question to myself. What was the best plan? Whoever she was with wouldn’t know we were here. That was perfect. But with that meant we also didn’t know much either.
“Give him a second. He’s probably almost to the restaurant. Talon, where are the exits?”
Ronan watched the fire door to the stairwell like something was going to happen. Maybe it would. Talon was typing away on his phone to our guys. They could pull up anything we needed, not that Talon couldn’t if he had his computer. He was a master at this shit even without their help.
“The restaurant’s on the top floor and views Fremont street. There’re not many exits up there. However, if you give me asecond…” He stopped talking for a second. His fingers spread out on the screen, making something bigger.
“They have to come down to the main lobby. There’s a bathroom down the same hall as an exit to the stairwell that would lead her right back here. Text Knox and see if he has eyes on her.”
I didn’t have to be told twice and typed out the message.
Me: Do you see her?
Knox: Yes. Harrington and Thornes all in a row.
Me: Talon has a plan.
Knox: Better be fucking good.
We’d crammed all the bikes into a space not far from the stairwell assuming they wouldn’t be noticed for quite some time. Everyone except Ronan.
“So you’re the getaway bike then?” I asked, my thumbs hooked in my pants pockets, and glanced down at my shirt. Black hid blood well, but I could still feel the stiff movement of my shirt as it dried. It also made this a bit easier. Good news was that with a quick glance at the three of us, it would be hard to tell who we were when we finally got her.
Talon shot me a few instructions.
“You’re getting her from the lobby down that hall. You use those skills of yours.”
I nodded and got into place, removing my helmet, because now I needed to look like the help.
“Is this really smart, Roe? All this for just a little girl?” I asked, but truthfully I hated the way my heart did this strange little pitter patter around her. Fucking hell, she made me smile.Having her in my room? Well shit. That should have been like some kind of red flag to me, but instead. I wanted to show her all my books. I wanted to play my guitar for her. I’d even let her touch the thing, and the way she smiled up at me? Well, it was pretty strange that the girl seemed to be really happy in a stranger's house and not begging to be released. I liked her brand of crazy.
Knox: They’re moving.
“I’m heading in.”
I jogged toward the stairwell without waiting for anyone to say anything. Talon and Ronan knew where to go. My job was to pick her off from the group.
Me: Pretty girl. First floor bathrooms.
I sure hoped she was good at reading between the lines. I wasn’t even sure she’d see that. Not if Uncle Asshole was as controlling as we assumed. I made it to the hallway of the restrooms. Where would be the best place to grab her if she got this far?
I looked around the exit into the main lobby.
Vegas-style elegance with a retro flair meant lots of large planters and big furniture. No one knew I was here, so why not just sit and wait?
