Stolen Lust (Beauty in the Stolen 1)

I’m living on food his money pays for and under a roof his money secures. I don’t have a job, and now my ex-boss is dead. All because my path crossed with Ian’s.

Standing on the pavement, I hug myself. I feel utterly alone, more so than when my parents died. I have no one to turn to and no options left. I’m backed into a corner.

When the cab arrives, I get into the back and give him my address. Twisting the bracelet around my wrist, I look through the back window. The only other vehicle on the road is a motorcycle. When we turn, the driver of the bike follows. The man. The one Ian has put on my tail. He knows I’ve been to the station. He’ll no doubt report back to Ian.

At my building, the driver parks his bike under the trees. He doesn’t remove his helmet, and I don’t look at him as I hurry to the entrance and let myself in. I run all the way upstairs to the false safety of my apartment and drag in heaving breaths of air when I’ve locked the door behind me.

Scrubbing the heels of my hands over my eyes, I pace. I cry and pace, and pace some more. I have no idea what I’m going to do. All I know is I can’t put off the call I have to make. I flop down on the sofa and take my phone from my bag. I stare at it for a long time before I go to the contact list and find the only number. Ian saved it under his name. Pressing dial with a shaky finger, I wait for the call to connect.

He picks up on the first ring. He sounds happy but not surprised. “Baby doll.”

“Ian.” My voice breaks on a sob. Tears wash out the rest of my words.

“Cas?” His tone goes tense with alarm. “What’s wrong, baby?”

“Ian.” I rest my forehead in my hand. Big drops of tears plop on my knees. I manage on a hoarse whisper, “I’m in trouble.”

“Stay right there.” A click sounds. Footsteps. “I’m on my way.”

Chapter 16

Ian

Cas’s tears make me want to kill someone.

I don’t hesitate. Abandoning the half-eaten steak and baked potato I was having for lunch on the deck, I go inside, click the door shut behind me, and grab a bag from the closet as I say, “Go to the bathroom and turn on the shower.”

“W-what?” she asks in a small voice.

Putting my phone on speaker to free my hands, I unlock the safe in my closet. “Do as I say.”

There’s a moment of silence. As I shove a stack of money and a Glock into the bag, the sound of running water comes through the line.

She sniffs. “I’m in the bathroom.”

The phone I gave her is secure, but the cops may have planted bugs in her apartment. The noise of the water will drown out our voices.

“You okay?” I ask, zipping up the bag and making my way to the main building.

She’s battling to control her tears. “The police took me in for questioning.”

Fuck. It was a possibility, but I hoped they wouldn’t put her through more interrogations.

“You can’t come here,” she says.

I stop dead. “What did they do to you?”

More tears. “It may be a trap.”

Ringing sounds in my ears. “What did they do to you, Cas?”

“They think I’m an accomplice.”

Rage fuels my steps. My legs eat up the distance with long strides. Even as I feel like punching to death the asshole who accused her, I can see how the cops would’ve worked that out. I can see how the dots connect.

I know how they work. They’re going to arrest her or cut her a deal. A deal would involve a statement and testimony. They’ll be after me, Leon, and Ruben, and the witch hunt won’t stop until we’re behind bars or dead.

“I’m coming for you, Cas.” It’s not negotiable.

“They’re watching me.” She adds in a panicked tone, “They know who you are.” More sobbing. “They’ve got pictures of us in the pool.”

I slam a fist against the rail of the bridge that crosses the stream. “Pack a bag. Take only your valuables. There’s a guy on a bike downstairs. Go down and get onto the bike.”

“Why? Where is he taking me?”

“Do it, Cas.”

My voice is hard. Leon and Ruben are having lunch on the deck of the main building. They look up as I approach.

“I don’t even know him,” she says, getting more hysterical by the moment.

For her sake, I force calm into my tone. “You can trust him.”

“Ian, I—”

I stop next to the table and drop my bag to the floor. “Go. I’ll be there as soon as I can.” Cutting the call, I dial the pilot and say to Leon while I wait for the call to connect, “I’ll be gone until tonight. Keep the fort.” I look at Ruben. He was planning on spending a few days in Mozambique. “Both of you stay here.”