Page 52 of Hidden Rocco
“Still, I would think just searching my name in the database would matter.” How had she done it?
Brickenridge pointed across the street to a diner. It took a second for Rocco’s gaze to focus but then he saw Mica waving at him as his lawyer said, “There’s Miss Murphy now, sir. Have a good night.”
She had waited for him.
Her smile was brighter than the moon that was now starting to show up on the horizon. He was transfixed as he crossed the street and walked into the warm restaurant.
Jacob was in her lap trying to touch banana slices on her plate. Rocco halted in front of Mica. She went on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek, holding onto his arm as she said, “Glad you’re out. We need to eat and then get going.”
He nodded his agreement. Mica needed more protection than he could offer and right now all he wanted to do was stick his bruised face in the freezer. He sat opposite her at the table. “Where to?”
She shrugged and then sipped her iced tea. “I have no idea, honestly. I just know we need to get moving. They've found me and won't stop until…”
If she ended up leaving the country, he’d go if she asked—he just wanted to see his mother before leaving. “My mother-”
She took his hands. He stopped talking and breathed in, searching for calm. She nodded like he’d asked a question and said, “Florida is a couple days by car and I want to avoid registering a flight path. Are you game for a car ride?”
Adrenaline rushed through him again. He was a wreck, but she was a beautiful angel. “You’ll take me… home?”
She let go of his hands and sipped her tea like she was in total control and nothing out of the ordinary had happened today. “And you’ll protect me. Sounds fair to me.”
The aches in his cheek muscles where he’d been beaten with metal ached, but he didn’t complain. Being able to see his mother meant the world. She leaned closer. “Are you hungry? I’d like to drive for an hour or two to get away from where I turned on my tracking app. Then we’ll stop and sleep.”
App? Somehow he'd missed a beat but that wasn’t the first time in his life he’d been behind and confused. He scratched his head and decided not to ask as he leaned back. “If you want me to drive, let me know.”
She blinked and pushed a menu at him. “You didn’t answer my question. Are you hungry? You should order something while we’re here.”
He glanced around the diner that had metal walls and red chairs that reminded him of the 1950s and didn’t bother to open the menu. “Oh. Yeah. A coffee will be fine for the road to keep the adrenaline up and maybe a cheeseburger and a soda for now.”
The waitress in a blue-striped skirt stopped and Mica told her the order. “Burger it is then. I’ll go with a cranberry chicken salad. For take-out, let’s get coffee and some snacks. I’m thinking popcorn and an order of fries.”
The waitress wrote everything down. “Yes ma’am.” She gave him the once over but didn’t say anything.
Once they were alone, Mica squeezed both of his hands. “Rocco?”
Her touch set off sparks he shouldn’t have. He sighed and said, “Mica, I just want to thank you.”
Her brown hues darkened with confusion. “For what?”
“For sending your lawyers. I wish… I wish I’d had someone like Mr. Brickenridge at my side a few years ago.”
Her cheeks reddened as she glanced at him. “You have me.”
She was the best person he’d ever met. Until now he hadn’t thought anyone might ever be on his side. He sat straighter, took his hands back and said, “Mica, I should probably call you Miss Murphy from now on.”
Her nose wrinkled and she lowered her head as the waitress came from the back and headed toward them. ”From you, that’s worse than ma’am. Just call me Mica as I said. And we need to talk…” The waitress put the plates of food down and Mica briefly closed her eyes. “After we eat.”
She seemed upset about something, when she hadn’t done anything wrong. “Then let’s eat and get going. This isn’t the best town to be caught in if international bad guys start showing up.”
She pointed toward the door and the huge windows that overlooked the station he’d just left. “Or it’s the best, as we’re this close to the police station.”
True. He picked up his burger. “As long as you and Jacob are safe. That’s what matters.”
Rocco hardly tasted the food he ate. His mind kept replaying today. The cops should have known who he was. He should be in jail, but somehow the sweet angel in front of him had saved him.
Chapter 15
Mica’s heart raced so fast she was absolutely sure that she might just melt into a pile of water.
