Page 86 of Mr. Dangerous

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Naomi

Idroveus in near silence away from the police station, as the sun set thatevening.

"You sure know how to show a girl a good time," I finally said, flipping down the visor because the sun was inmyeyes.

"You're not going to hold thatagainstme."

"They took my lock-picking kit." I had spent hours crafting those picks. I couldn't believe I'd let Rob know about it in the first place: it was the most random, slightly embarrassing hobby to have picked up. I couldn't believe Rob had beenimpressed.

"They didn't charge us withanything."

"Not being charged with a crime is not how I want to come todefine agoodday."

"Sorry,"hesaid.

I didn't want Rob to apologize. I felt bad for badgering him, if that was how he took it. I wanted to make him feel better. To make small talk. To be playful even though all I felt wasexhausted.

"It's all right." I pulled over into the minuscule parking lot of a city 7-11. I’d been too eager to get away from the police, and we hadn’t talked about where we were going besidesnot jail. "Where do you want to go now?Hospital?"

"No," he said shortly. "No good going there, he's not awake. We can head back to the housefornow."

"Andthenwhat?"

"Then I'm going to do whatever it takes to get to the bottom of this. Make sure you and my familyaresafe."

"And in the meantime..." Itrailedoff.

"In the meantime, you can take avacation."

"There's no such thing as a vacation for me. Especially not with your grandmother in thehouse."

"I told her, she can make herowntea."

"You said that to her?" I glanced over at him fromtheroad.

"I did. We Delaneys are blunt with each other, atleast."

"Rob. She must know..." I hesitated. I couldn't put it on him, not right now, that his grandmother might be interfering with my business. The whole thing seemed too preposterous to say out loud. Why would Rob’s grandmother see me as a threat to his eventual marriage to an appropriately WASP-y, Ivy-educatedtype?

Rob shrugged. "I told her,I'm worried Naomi is in danger because she's been seen with me.Which is true. That's the only reason that man might have accosted you in the hospital. Otherwise, no onewouldknow..."

Rob's voice was cool, but his hands flexed, as if he were fighting the impulse to makeafist.

I couldn't resist. "No one wouldknowwhat?"

The look he gave me was pointed. "Naomi."

I shrugged, turning back to the windshield. Fat plops of rain began to ping against the glass, and I hit the wipers. "What are you going todonext?”

"Are you trying to drive home that I don't have much ofaplan?"

"I'm trying to figure out wherewe'regoing, actually. As yourchauffeur."

He sighed. "Once my brothers fly in, you don't have to worry about that. As soon as we make sure you're safe, everything can go back to normalforyou."

"Oh."

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