Page 3 of Caged By the Ruthless Thief

“What were you doing in there?”

“We’re good.” He nods at me like he answered my question and glances at my bag. “What do you have in there that you need to keep dry?”

We stare at each other. I know that look. He’s not going to answer my question. I pat my bag. “Not much.” I pull out the ledger, careful to keep it closed. Eros doesn’t need to know what a mistake Holter and Nico made, transferring all their money to me. “It’s pretty empty, just a few clothes to make it look like I’m not a drug mule and my fake documents.”

Eros pulls out a pouch, and I hand him my things. The dry pouch looks like something a high-tech camping enthusiast might use, but it’s ten times lighter and completely waterproof. They were all over the Veiled City. He takes my bag—it’s designer, something Castor’s assistant bought—and steps to the trash bin. I look mournfully at it.

“Did you want something else out of here?”

“No, I just don’t like being wasteful.”

He stares between me and the bag. “Do you want this?”

“No.” But it comes out as one of those noes that mean yes. “I don’t want it, but I really hate dumping it in the trash.”

“Wait here.” He leaves me there again. This time, when the door opens, I hear him speaking in fluent Greek. He comes out, and a woman about the age of my aunt follows. She’s grinning ear to ear, holding my bag.

“Thank you.” At least, that’s what I think she says.

“I told her you’re American and going home tonight and can’t fit these things in your luggage.”

The woman nods and pulls me into a hug.

Eros smiles at me. “She runs a homeless shelter for women.”

I’m on the verge of tears. My aunt and cousin lived in a shelter for a year while they were on the run. The woman gives me another good squeeze and pats my back.

“Eros.” I’m not sure what I’m trying to say. He says something to the woman.

She launches into a long string of Greek. And then she enunciates in English, “You are too kind.”

Eros shakes her hand, handing her something. Money. The woman puts it straight into her bra. Eros takes my arm. “Let’s go, Sunshine.”

“What did you do?”

“Nothing. Let’s go.”

The road curves and winds to the right, and there’s nothing on either side. While I can smell the ocean on the breeze, I can’t see it. “Go where?”

“Up ahead. It’s not too far. I never enter the ocean at exactly the same place.”

“Paranoid much?” It reminds me of something Nico would say. I hope he’s okay. I hope Holter is doing okay too. My mates. I need to get back to them.

With a straight face, he says, “Right, you never know when someone might kidnap you.”

“True.” I accept his waiting hand.

2

ANNABELLE

Eros’s definition of a little way up the street isn’t anywhere near mine. My jacket swings open with each step. Every last one of them. It’s been at least two miles. This is the right thing to do. I feel it with each step of my borrowed shoes. Eros is smiling at me. Beaming.

“What?” I shake my head.

“You said yes. I’m happy.”

“Right.” My lower jaw snaps up, and I turn back to the road. I’m kind of happy too. But there’s a lot of steps between there and here. “How much farther?”

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