East Bound by Nana Malone (best value ebook reader .txt) 📗

I snuggled into East even more, my heart hammering. It was a comfort to feel the rapid ta-pa-ta-pa-ta-pa of his heartbeat. "That's not where Theroux would place his men. Honestly, if I were him, I'd be very well hidden. You wouldn't even see my men.”

From wherever the hell he was, Ben just muttered. "They're not Theroux’s. Too sloppy."

I watched the one to my left who appeared to be running through the park at a nice and easy slow pace. I frowned because he stopped at a bench to presumably tie his shoe. A shoe that hadn't been unlaced.

And then I saw him press his fingers to his ear. I kept my voice low, but it was clear and harsh. "Abort. Abort."

East's grip tightened on me again. "What? What do you see?"

"To the east, by the bench. He's a cop. I don't know what branch yet, but he's police for sure."

There was cursing ringing on the line, and Bridge grumbled. "East, what's your call?"

East leaned down, his gaze searching mine. His eyes held mine for a long moment before he muttered, "Abort. Meet back at the Long River’s point."

The Long River's point was Bridge's house. There were many ways in and out of Belgravia Square, and everyone on the team all had different exits.

It was then that East leaned low. I knew he was following our protocol for our exit strategy, the one we'd come up with last night, but it was probably apparent that I wasn’t thinking clearly, because he wrapped his arms around me and let out a low rich laugh.

He's playing the part. He is playing the part. Do not buy it.

And then he picked me up and twirled me around easily. The swing and the rush of the air made me dizzy, intoxicating me. When he put me down, I knew what was going to happen next. If he nuzzled me on the left, I was to go around and go with Livy. And so we would kiss, turn back around, head for the cafe, and then we would make some show of having forgotten something. He would then go and retrieve it, presumably from the car. And that would leave me to go ahead to the cafe where I'd meet Livy and leave together. If he kissed me on the right, I was to join Bridge at his post. If he kissed me on the lips, I was stuck with him.

As his lips drew near, I didn't know what I was in for. I didn't know what was going to happen. All I knew was that his lips were coming near me, and I needed to control my response. When his lips brushed over mine, my heart froze. Instant recognition flared in my heart. I knew what it was like to be with him. I knew it as I remembered it, like my own instinct.

Jesus Christ. I was rewarded with the tap-tap-tapping of his heart under where my hand laid on his chest. Well, at least I wasn't the only one being tortured. When he pulled back with a smile, he took my hand and we headed north to our back up. That meant someone had been watching us a little too intently. Jesus Christ. How had this gotten so fucked up?

With my hand in his, we moved with the lazy confidence of people who knew exactly where they were going, knew exactly how long it would take to get there, and how quickly they could move without drawing suspicion.

Two squeezes of his hand told me that we were being followed. Up ahead, there would be a doorway. It would lead to the back of a tavern. We'd follow that, head out the front door, come out on the other side of the square, and then we’d go east.

I couldn't breathe. Jesus Christ. What the hell was going on? What in the world was happening?

When we vanished into the alley, he released his hold on my waist but tugged me through by my hand. "Keep up."

"I can keep up just fine. Let me go."

"Hey, this isn't for my benefit. I'm just trying to keep you alive."

"So sorry to be a goddamn inconvenience."

"Jesus Christ, did I say you were an inconvenience? Is that what I said?"

"Isn't that what you meant?"

"Fuck, woman. Just once, can't you be easy?"

I picked up my pace, running alongside him. "I'm so sorry. I don't live to make your life easy."

"That's not what I fucking meant."

"You know what, just shut up."

We bolted through the back of the tavern, surprising one of the servers. East though, was quick with the lie. "Oh, sorry, my girlfriend wasn't feeling well. We went out to the back to see if she could, you know, exhaust it all up. Didn't though. I left my wallet at our table."

The girl nodded mutely. "Yeah, of course. If you don't find it, check with Travis at the bar. Someone might have turned it in already."

East beamed a smile on her, and she flushed deeply.

Yeah, of course, she did. Because why the fuck not? Inside the tavern, it was packed, crowded, with a lot of boisterous revelers. Someone's birthday maybe. It was difficult to get through. We were jostled and bumped. Then a big redheaded bloke wrapped an arm around me and pulled me close. "Ah, sweetheart, how about a kiss? Where are you heading off to?"

East whirled on him with a fury I hadn't seen since that day with Jameson. "Let her go, mate."

The redhead only laughed. "Easy, mate, we're just having a laugh."

East stepped up to him, his voice low and menacing. "Let her go."

Before the beef turned into something too difficult to outrun, I stepped between them. "Okay. All right, easy does it."

One of the redhead’s buddies said, "Chance, the lady decides where she goes, and right now, it's with him."

The Irishman frowned. "Oh, love, you're breaking my heart."

"Sorry to disappoint."

"Well, there's nothing disappointing about you, love."

The look East gave him was pure menace, and he automatically released me.