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Once I finished the sandwich, I washed it down with the last of my coffee. While the sandwich had been good, it was the coffee that really tasted like more, even if we didn’t have the option to make more here.

“Bones?”

He flicked his gaze up and it wasn’t hard to read his surprise. If he could use my name then I’d use his. “Grace?”

“Thank you.”

Not asking me for what, he just said, “You’re welcome,” and oddly, that really was enough right now.

Chapter

Ten

GRACE

Right on schedule, we left the hotel the next morning without going by the desk. Checking out remotely let us slip away unnoticed. The night before we’d watched three different news programs. The aborted bank robbery in Lyon turned up on all of them. The bank video that had been made available didn’t really get a good look at either of us.

I hoped that was a good sign, but Bones had only shrugged. “If they have cleaner video with a clear way to ID us, they’ll use it firstthenshare with the rest of the world.”

When I made a face, he’d merely chuckled.

“Whatever they have,” he’d continued. “We’ll handle it.”

He punched up the confidence in the last three words so much that I just nodded. “Okay.”

“Okay?” Surprise danced beneath those two syllables.

I spared him a look as I pulled on my hoodie. “Would you rather I argue?”

He didn’t answer immediately. Then, later after he collected our bags and we were out of the hotel and heading for the parking structure, he said, “Maybe.”

The single word left me stumped for a response. A suggestion of a smirk touched his face before he put our bags away and opened up the back for Goblin to climb in.

It was early and rather than stop at theboulangeriehe put miles between us and Lyon before choosing a small place an hour outside of the city. “You walk Goblin, I’ll get us all some food and coffee.”

“That sounds like a plan?—”

He caught my arm before I could climb out of the car. Then beckoned me to face him with a curl of his fingers. When he slipped his hand inside my hoodie, I blinked. The weight of a weapon slid into an inner pocket.

“Taser,” he reminded me. “Your gun is still secure, in a case beneath the seat. This isn’t quite as illegal here.”

I put a hand over the familiarity of it. “Thank you.”

“Of course.” Then he leaned back and slanted a glance toward the green area. “Stay in sight.”

“Yes, sir,” I said with a salute that I only meant partially in jest. The fact it made his eyes narrow was just a perk. I slid out of the car and let Goblin out. Poor guy was more than ready to go for a walk.

I needed to stretch my legs as well. We made our way through the drizzling rain. Despite the lack of sunshine, it was a lovely morning. A mist rolled along the green and around the trees. It made me think of some kind of fanciful story with magic and wonders rather than something dark and ominous.

Maybe it was the hints of light piercing the drizzle and giving a suggestive glow to the mist itself. Goblin was efficient with his business, and clearly, he’d waited long enough. But even after I’d cleaned up behind him and disposed of the poop bag in the garbage, we didn’t head straight back to the car.

It was just nice to walk and think. The weather seemed like a barrier to the rest of the world and for these few minutes wedidn’t have to worry about anything. Bones’ reminders to let Goblin alert me to any potential threats whispered in the back of my mind.

There was a comfort in being able to trust his instincts, Goblin’s, Voodoo’s, Alphabet’s, Lunchbox’s—and Bones’ too. As if summoned by the thought, he reappeared from inside the shop with two large boxes, three bags, and two huge cups of coffee.

Gawking, just a little, at the sheer volume of food he purchased, I shook my head. I would still keep any complaints to myself. I’d eaten both lunch and dinner the previous day. Smaller portions than either him or Goblin—the pair couldeat, but I had eaten.

It seemed to satisfy him and he kept any other potential criticisms to himself. Thankfully, he also helped to make sure I had options that weren’t overly sweet or loaded with carbs.

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