Page 74 of Stolen Goods
“Everyone deserves the chance to be a hero,” Addison whispered, so sincere and so compassionate he had to turn away. She rubbed her thumb over his skin and squeezed his fingers tight. “Whatever that means to you.”
The gentle hum of sirens filtered through the air.
“Listen, Thad,” Jo cut in, getting straight to the point. “These men are evil, and now you have a chance to stop them. Seems pretty black and white to me. I trust Nate, and if he tells me the Feds can keep everyone safe, I believe him. Don’t use me or anyone else as the scapegoat to keep punishing yourself.” She paused to swallow. The sirens wailed louder. It was now or never. “I won’t make this decision for you. If you want to go, go. I won’t get in the way. But if you want to stay, and finish what you and my father and your father, and hell, even I started, I’ll be right by your side to help you every step of the way. We’re not just partners in crime, we’re partners in…partners in…partners in—”
“Partners in life?” he offered, words bringing him back a few minutes before to the moments he thought would be his last.
“Yes! I love that. We’re partners in life too. Partners in justice. We could be a new age superhero duo or something. Well, I’m not sure I’d gothatfar, but…”
While Jo rambled, Thad’s gaze slid to the fingers woven tightly through his, dainty and feminine yet firm as an anchor to the shore, as though the power of Addison’s touch alone could keep him there. Maybe it could, because he had no desire to leave, no desire to run. He wanted to stay. He wanted to live. Not a half-life. Not a ghost-life. But a full one.
“Ryder!”
Thad flinched.Well, the peace was nice while it lasted.
“Why does Nate look like he wants to kill you?”
“I don’t know.”
Jo deepened her tone. “Thad.”
He shrugged.
“Thad.”
“I may have judo-chopped him in the throat.”
“What?” she snapped.
“And put him in handcuffs.”
She gasped.
“And thrown him out of his car. Oh, and”—Thad reached into his pocket—“stolen his phone. Though, that last one probably wasn’t such a big deal, in the grand scheme of things.”
“Ryder!” The ground practically shook with the Fed’s pounding footsteps.
Thad sighed.
Jo groaned and jumped to intercept.
“Don’t worry, Jo Jo,” Thad called after her. “I’ll win him over with my charm. I always do.”
But he knew he wouldn’t—not this time. The jig was up. He had a few seconds left, and he didn’t want to waste them. Thad looked up and met Addison’s warm gaze. Deep within her eyes, he saw freedom. Not the kind he expected to find, but the sort he now wanted more desperately than anything.
There was so much to say.
Too much.
He didn’t know where to begin, so he started simply. “Thank you.”
Addison tilted her head to the side, shaking it slightly. Her lips parted.
“Thank you for saving my life, Addison,” he whispered before she had the chance to speak. If he didn’t get it out now, he might lose his chance forever. Boots thundered over his shoulder, an imminent storm. Thad pulled their clasped hands to his face and pressed a soft kiss to her inner wrist, thrilled to watch the fire in her gaze spike. “And I don’t just mean today. These past few days, everything that happened—you saved me. You—”
But time was up.
Hands grabbed his shoulders and his arms, then pulled him to his feet.
