Page 39 of Marked

Sophia peddled backward. Her heart thundered in her chest, and the vomit hovering in her throat threatened to eject itself. She gagged and covered her mouth, but nothing came up.

Cole turned to the woman, whose face had gone from sheer white to green. “I hit an artery. It’s up to you if you want to call an ambulance and save his life... but you heard this pervert’s confession.”

The woman gulped and shook her head then rushed away into the back room.

Emotions went to war inside Sophia. Anger at Cole for his viciousness. Fear at how ruthless he was. Disgust at how he could so coldly kill another human being.

But worst of all... gratitude.

Because whether she wanted to admit it or not, if it weren’t for his atrocity, they wouldn’t have Bella’s location.

One thing was for sure: her life had been altered irrevocably.

***

Cole moved briskly down the sidewalk, but Sophia stayed a step ahead of him, her shoulders hiked up and her spine ramrod straight with determination. She got in the passenger’s seat of his car at the same time as he got in the driver’s.

He jammed the key into the ignition and turned it then glanced at her as she buckled her seatbelt. He hadn’t seen this much color in her cheeks since she’d barged into his apartment... last night? Had it really been less than twenty-four hours since she’d tipped his world on its axis?

She swallowed, her eyes small, and met his gaze. No words left her compressed lips, but she didn’t need to speak. Her energy and body language spoke volumes.

“I warned you to wait in the car,” he offered. She’d wanted to act as if she were tough, and sure, as a cop she was exposed to more than most women. But he’d be damn surprised if she’d ever shot anyone, let alone used physical intimidation.

She brushed her hair from her forehead and jerked up her chin. “Did I say anything?”

He peeled away from the curb and merged into traffic. If she’d been disgusted with him before, she sure as shit loathed him now. Not that he gave a damn about that. He had one goal and one goal only: returning Bella. Improving Sophia’s opinion of him didn’t make the fucking list. Although, for some reason, it irritated the hell out of him that she thought him such a beast. “Didn’t seem like you approved of my approach.”

She cleared her throat, the sound awkward. “Well. I certainly can’t say I approve.”

He gripped the leather wheel tightly, his brain working as fast as the tires beneath them. “But?”

“But... I’m grateful you’re the one who questioned him and not me.”

Huh. Grateful? That’s one word he hadn’t anticipated.

“Where’s the address? Are you heading there now?” The tentative note in her voice told him she was banking on it.

He gave one shake of his head. “Not if you want to risk them spotting us and shooting Bella before we get there.”

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw her hand flutter to her throat. He wished he could suck back his callous comment, but shit. She had to know there was a time and place to make a move.

“I just mean it’s broad daylight. There will likely be a few men around the property, and if we’re caught, things could go to hell real fast.”

“What do you suggest then? And please don’t say waiting.”

He fought the urge to pinch the bridge of his nose, mostly because if he did, he’d probably crash the car. But his patience was as thin as a thread. “What would the police do? If this were a sting.”

She knotted her hands. “A whole lot of sitting around while a team was acquired. Probably waste unnecessary time.” She paused. “I never looked at it that way until now.”

His gut cinched. Poor woman. Her entire life had been chewed up and spit out. Her job, which she’d surely gotten into to protect people, was showing all its flaws now that the person needing protection was her own blood.

“How about we start there minus the unnecessary waste of time?”

She settled back in her seat while he steered onto the interstate.

“Only thing is we don’t have a team,” she mused. “So we’re a bit limited in manpower.”

“Who said we don’t have a team?” he asked.

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