expression blank. Damn it, why didn’t he just look the way he
felt? It’d make things a hell of a lot easier. She wouldn’t have to wonder if
he was pissed, or still horny, or just fucking disappointed in the way things
had shaken out.
Mia didn’t bother to ask if they needed help, she just did
it. Garrett tried to stop her from putting a case into the duffel, but he must
have been able to sense that her raised eyebrows meant “back off, I’ll help if
I want to”.
Once all the equipment was bagged and the last cop car
finally left, Garrett turned to Mia. “I’m sorry about this.”
“For what? Saving my ass at the race? Keeping me here with
you to make sure I’m okay? Consider yourself forgiven.” Mia crossed her arms.
Yeah, she was being a little short with him, but worry and fear were swirling
in her stomach.
“I’ll take you back to the convention tonight, hang around
through the rest of it, make sure Ford isn’t targeting you. But don’t worry,
you won’t see me.”
“How do you have time for that?” Mia lowered her brows. “I
thought you’d be trying to figure out if they’re relocating the drop. Won’t
they have a backup plan?”
Garrett’s mouth fell open. “Well, yeah, I mean, it’s…”
“You can’t track them down if you’re babysitting me for the
weekend.” Mia turned to Trent. “Talk him out of this. He can’t afford the time
away.”
Trent quirked a smile, then talked over Garrett’s bluster.
“Me and the other guys are going to jump on it. Seriously, we’ll be okay here.
You and Garrett can head off. We’ve been doing this for a while, Mia. We’re not
going to let Ford get away, not when we’re so close.”
Mia shoved hair off her forehead. “I can’t help but think
I’ll be costing you guys time. Garrett, you don’t need to take me back. I’m
nobody, they won’t bother me. I can take a bus or a cab or something.”
Garrett’s brows lowered and he took a step toward her. “Are
you fucking crazy? Number one, you don’t have enough money for a cab back to
your hotel. And two, do you seriously think I’m going to let you waltz out of
here alone and hang out at a bus stop for an hour in the dark? Ford’s guy was
just here!”
Mia stood her ground, staring up into his eyes. “You’re
right. But I’m pretty sure the boys in blue took care of him. I appreciate the
concern, but you’re not my husband, my boyfriend or my daddy. You’ve got shit
to do, and I’m just in the way. I’m an adult, and I can take care of myself.”
“I brought you here, so getting you home safe is my
responsibility.”
“You don’t owe me anything. I’m holding you up from what you
want—no, need —to do, so let me take care of myself. I’m not going to get
murdered at the fucking bus stop.”
Garrett winced visibly.
“Catching this guy is a big deal to you, so don’t let me
hold you up any further.” She stepped backward, not looking away from him. “I’m
going downstairs. Trent, can you let me out?”
She didn’t wait to hear Trent’s answer, just turned and left
the office, her bare feet not making a sound on the stairs. Once she’d reached
the ground, she pulled on her wedges and waited.
Voices floated down, one hushed and calming, the other
growly and full of tension. Mia smiled to herself despite the churning in her
stomach.
Why did it matter if Garrett took her back?
If she was honest with herself, which she wasn’t too often,
she’d admit she didn’t really want to say goodbye to the guy. The last
twenty-four hours had been so full, it seemed like a lifetime. She didn’t want
it to end, didn’t want to see Garrett ride off on that bike, the one he’d bent
her over and fucked her on. Even the thought that he’d be somewhere around the
convention didn’t comfort her. He’d said it himself—she wouldn’t see him.
It would seem too fucking final. Better she leave on her
own. Besides, with the cops swarming around, she’d be fine. Garrett
felt? It’d make things a hell of a lot easier. She wouldn’t have to wonder if
he was pissed, or still horny, or just fucking disappointed in the way things
had shaken out.
Mia didn’t bother to ask if they needed help, she just did
it. Garrett tried to stop her from putting a case into the duffel, but he must
have been able to sense that her raised eyebrows meant “back off, I’ll help if
I want to”.
Once all the equipment was bagged and the last cop car
finally left, Garrett turned to Mia. “I’m sorry about this.”
“For what? Saving my ass at the race? Keeping me here with
you to make sure I’m okay? Consider yourself forgiven.” Mia crossed her arms.
Yeah, she was being a little short with him, but worry and fear were swirling
in her stomach.
“I’ll take you back to the convention tonight, hang around
through the rest of it, make sure Ford isn’t targeting you. But don’t worry,
you won’t see me.”
“How do you have time for that?” Mia lowered her brows. “I
thought you’d be trying to figure out if they’re relocating the drop. Won’t
they have a backup plan?”
Garrett’s mouth fell open. “Well, yeah, I mean, it’s…”
“You can’t track them down if you’re babysitting me for the
weekend.” Mia turned to Trent. “Talk him out of this. He can’t afford the time
away.”
Trent quirked a smile, then talked over Garrett’s bluster.
“Me and the other guys are going to jump on it. Seriously, we’ll be okay here.
You and Garrett can head off. We’ve been doing this for a while, Mia. We’re not
going to let Ford get away, not when we’re so close.”
Mia shoved hair off her forehead. “I can’t help but think
I’ll be costing you guys time. Garrett, you don’t need to take me back. I’m
nobody, they won’t bother me. I can take a bus or a cab or something.”
Garrett’s brows lowered and he took a step toward her. “Are
you fucking crazy? Number one, you don’t have enough money for a cab back to
your hotel. And two, do you seriously think I’m going to let you waltz out of
here alone and hang out at a bus stop for an hour in the dark? Ford’s guy was
just here!”
Mia stood her ground, staring up into his eyes. “You’re
right. But I’m pretty sure the boys in blue took care of him. I appreciate the
concern, but you’re not my husband, my boyfriend or my daddy. You’ve got shit
to do, and I’m just in the way. I’m an adult, and I can take care of myself.”
“I brought you here, so getting you home safe is my
responsibility.”
“You don’t owe me anything. I’m holding you up from what you
want—no, need —to do, so let me take care of myself. I’m not going to get
murdered at the fucking bus stop.”
Garrett winced visibly.
“Catching this guy is a big deal to you, so don’t let me
hold you up any further.” She stepped backward, not looking away from him. “I’m
going downstairs. Trent, can you let me out?”
She didn’t wait to hear Trent’s answer, just turned and left
the office, her bare feet not making a sound on the stairs. Once she’d reached
the ground, she pulled on her wedges and waited.
Voices floated down, one hushed and calming, the other
growly and full of tension. Mia smiled to herself despite the churning in her
stomach.
Why did it matter if Garrett took her back?
If she was honest with herself, which she wasn’t too often,
she’d admit she didn’t really want to say goodbye to the guy. The last
twenty-four hours had been so full, it seemed like a lifetime. She didn’t want
it to end, didn’t want to see Garrett ride off on that bike, the one he’d bent
her over and fucked her on. Even the thought that he’d be somewhere around the
convention didn’t comfort her. He’d said it himself—she wouldn’t see him.
It would seem too fucking final. Better she leave on her
own. Besides, with the cops swarming around, she’d be fine. Garrett
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