Stolen Love (Beauty in the Stolen 3)

“Hello, Cas,” Josh says.

“Why, hello, young man.” Cas’s eyes soften. “Aren’t you handsome?”

Lina puts Josh on his feet. “I bought you some clothes,” she says to Cas, “but I’m not sure what you like. I hope they’ll do. Ian gave me your size. If the sneakers don’t fit, I’ll exchange them.”

“That’s very kind of you,” Cas says, flushing as she casts a gaze toward the impractical hooker heels standing next to the bed. “You didn’t have to.”

Lina chuckles. “Of course, I did. You’re not going to feel better walking around in a hospital gown or another woman’s clothes.”

Cas gives her another weak smile.

“Shall we show Cas what we got?” Lina asks Josh.

He bobs his head. “I liked the blue T-shirt, but Mommy liked the purple one, so we took both.”

“You helped with the shopping, did you?” Cas says.

“Yes.” He pushes out his chest. “We also did shopping for Daddy and Josie. Father Christmas brought them gifts.”

Ruffling his hair, Cas asks, “What did Father Christmas bring you?”

He counts off on his fingers. “A car for my tracks, a book, and a Spiderman suit.”

Cas makes big eyes. “Are you a Spiderman fan like me?”

“Yes!” He pouts. “I wanted to wear it to show you, but Mommy said she has to wash it first.”

Lina laughs. “Because Josie turned your bowl of cereal over in your lap. Don’t worry. It’s already washed. It’ll be dry by the time we get home.” Shooting Damian a private smile, she says, “Father Christmas should’ve gotten you two suits. As my mother used to say, one on your body and one in the wash.”

A smile plucks at Damian’s lips. His broody expression warms several degrees as he looks at his wife.

Their private moment lasts another second before Lina turns back to Josh. “Why don’t you unpack the bags?”

While Josh pulls one garment at a time from the bags and shows each one to Cas, Damian pulls me aside.

“The police paid me a visit,” he says under his breath.

My gut draws tight. “When?”

“This morning. They came to the house.”

I lower my voice, making sure the women can’t hear. “Are you sure they didn’t follow you here?”

“Yes, but even if they did, it wouldn’t have done them much good.” His expression hardens. “No one gets entry into my building without my permission, not even with a search warrant.” His smile is calculated. “Not that they’d ever get one.”

“Did you get a name?”

“Does Detective Jim Wolfe ring a bell?”

I drag a hand over my jaw. “He’s the guy in charge of my investigation at SIU.”

Josie gurgles and says, “Dadda.”

Damian bounces her on his hip, an act that simultaneously looks natural and out of character for him.

I glance at Cas, but she’s engrossed with Lina and Josh. “What did they want?”

“Nothing new. They wanted to know if you’ve made contact.”

“What did you say?”

“Same as always,” he says. “That I haven’t heard from you in twenty years.”

I nod, my mind working at a mile a minute. Wolfe is coming after us with everything he’s got. I evaded the authorities for sixteen years as the leader of the Phantom gang, but they didn’t know my identity. Now they do, thanks to my weakness for Cas. It’s not a matter of if Wolfe finds us but when. When he does, there won’t be an arrest or cutting deals. As long as we’re alive, there’s a chance we’d talk. Wolfe can’t risk that.

Damian casts a look in Cas’s direction. “It would be wise to get out of Johannesburg as soon as she’s well enough to move. I suggest leaving the country.”

I brush a hand over my head. “Yeah. They’ll be looking for Leon next to ask questions. Now that he’s back here, they’re going to track him down sooner than later.”

“He’ll need a bogus history.”

I regard my brother. “Such as?”

He thinks for all of one second. “Backpacking through Africa. That’s always a good alibi. It’s difficult to verify movements through Third World countries.”

I nod my agreement.

“Do you need weapons?” he asks.

“I’ve got what I need.”

“I had your helicopter flown to a hangar. You don’t want to flaunt it from one of the highest rooftops in Joburg while the cops are looking for you. Let me know when you need it, and I’ll make sure it’s here.”

“I appreciate that.”

He gives me something that can almost pass for a smile. “You owe me.”

I don’t acknowledge the truth in words. There’s no need to rub it in.

“We better get going.” The wry pull of his mouth becomes a little more pronounced. “Lina wanted the kids to meet their uncle.”

That thing in my chest tightens again. It’s something between regret and hope. Holding out my arms, I ask, “May I?”

Damian pulls Josie closer to his chest, looking like a lion clinging to its cub, ready to rip apart whoever wants to take it from him. Slowly, the tight set of his shoulders eases. After another hesitant beat, he reluctantly relaxes his grip.