Ride with the SEAL (Norse Security 1)

“You mean besides the buzz cut and the caveman attitude?”

“Funny.” With a sigh and mumbled curse, Cam flicked on the turn signal and merged off the highway onto the exit ramp leading toward the gas station. “I’m going to stop and I’m going to buy gas. If you need to pee I’ll walk you to the restroom and wait outside until you’re done. Understood?”

“What are you? My boss? I don’t think so.” Everly narrowed her gaze. “You’re going to buy gas and then we’re going inside to eat because I’m starving. The only reason I’m still in this car with you is because I choose to be. I’m not letting this baby out of my sight until it’s returned to me again. You have nothing to do with it.”

“Wow. For a second there, I almost believed you.” He gave her a flat look as they pulled into the gas station lot and up to a pump. “You make a break for it, sweetheart, you’re on your own.”

“Like I said, I’m not going anywhere until I get this car back. Sorry to disappoint you.”

“Not disappointed,” Cam said as he climbed out of the car. “Annoyed. Irritated. Confused. Yep. All of the above.” He slammed the door before she could respond.

Arrogant ass.

While Cam pumped the gas, Everly finally pulled out her phone and checked her messages. Yep. It was as bad as she’d thought. The text shined in bright black and white in the dull florescent lights of the gas station overhang:

Get that car & the guy back here in 48 hrs

or forget the money

Dammit. Everly shut off the phone and raked a hand through her hair, leaning her elbow against the door. This wasn’t going to plan. Not at all. She’d known since the age of five that to cross the mob was nothing but a death sentence. She’d seen how brutal and violent they could be firsthand. She still couldn’t shake the memories of the day she’d snuck away from home to visit her father’s body shop and seen them beating her father to within an inch of his life, all for making one lousy decision without getting his capo’s permission. She shuddered at the remembered blood and gore and the deep-seated fear her father would be killed before her very eyes.

He hadn’t been, thank God. Only black and blue for weeks afterward, but young Everly had learned her lesson well. Never step outside your box and you’d be safe. Her box, these days, consisted of working in the body shop, repairing cars during the day, and stealing and chopping up hot bikes and vehicles at night for the local mob. She’d dreamed of getting out and getting a place of her own, a legit garage, a legit life, but had never had the means until now.

That’s where the Aeon came in.

This one car, this one job, could net her enough to start her own business and live debt free for at least a year. Then Camden Thursday had to show up—all brains and brawn and pure, infuriating obstinacy—and fuck it all up. Potentially.

According to the text, she still had forty-eight hours to correct her mistake and return the Aeon. Forty-eight hours Everly planned to use to her advantage.

Failure wasn’t an option. Never had been.

Cam climbed back into the car and hooked up his device again. She tried to peek at the passcode, but he covered it with his hand, shooting her a dark scowl.

“Who do you work for?” he growled, his expression dark. “You wired?”

“What?” Everly didn’t try to hide her disgusted tone. “No. And if anyone’s wearing a wire around here it’s probably you. You working for the feds?”

He froze for a second, then jammed the Start Engine button again once his device beeped. The Aeon roared to life and he pointed toward the deserted pizza joint attached to the gas station mini-mart. “That where you want to eat?”

She made a smartass show of looking all around them. “Unless you plan to gnaw on some raw corn from that field over there, yeah.”

Irritation oozing from his every pore, Cam zoomed forward into an empty spot in front of the door and shut the car off again. “I’ve had about enough of your attitude. I forgot what a smart mouth you have.”

“Really?” She got out of the car and chuckled. “I still remember what a stick in the mud you were back in school. Did they have to surgically remove your head from the principal’s ass or what?” Everly smacked him on the shoulder as she headed inside the restaurant. “And don’t worry, Geek Squad. I’m just getting started.”

He shoved into the place behind her and they stared around the em

pty booths and tables. One gum-smacking pregnant gal stood behind the counter, watching the all-night news channel. Cam stalked over to a booth in the far corner without asking Everly.

By the time she got to the table, he was on his hands and knees, peering beneath it. She slid into her seat and propped one foot on the bench, staring down at him like he’d grown a second head. “What the hell are you doing?”

“Checking for bugs.”

“Like roaches?”

“Like listening devices.” He finally straightened and slid into his side of the booth, those broad, muscled shoulders filling out his black leather jacket nicely. Not that she was looking. Nope. This was not the time and he was definitely not the guy to hook up with. Back in school, Camden Thursday was nothing but a teachers’ pet, always got good grades, always did the right thing. Basically the polar opposite of Everly. Hell, he was probably on some divine mission from God to get the Aeon back.

Too fucking bad. She was going to get that car and get it to her potential buyer or die trying.