Page 86 of Clawed
Glancing in his rearview mirror once more, he tried to get a decent look at the driver, but to his annoyance, the guy behind the wheel of the Audi was also wearing a hat with a low brim.
“The police?”Stiffening, she twisted to get a look in her nearest mirror.
“It’s a red Audi.”Taking his foot off the gas, he allowed the car to slow, watching to see what the other driver would do.
“Unmarked, maybe?”
He loathed the strain in her voice, deciding then and there that from then on, no one else was allowed to cause her stress.Only hewould have that pleasure.
“Maybe.”He wasn’t convinced, and the fact the vehicle appeared to be slowing to match his current speed did little to quell his rising trepidation.“But the police would have signaled to pull us over by now.Do you recognize the car?”
“No, sir.”She shook her head.
“I’m going to pull in at the next service station and find out what they want.”
Lawes was done with running.
He understood he and his little girl would need to be careful, even in Scotland, but his focus was only on cultivating their relationship.He was ready for the days of looking over his shoulder at every passing car to be over.
“But, sir!”Panic spiked in her tone, a sound he usually relished, but not then.“What if itisthe police?”
“If it’s the police, then you talk to them.”The sign ahead said it was only two miles until the next rest stop.“Tell them there’s a mistake, and you don’t want to press charges.”
“I’m not sure it’s that simple, sir.”She looked delectable, her eyes widening as her chest rose and fell.“What if it’s about the stolen car?”
“Uniformed cops would use their lights and sirens, Hannah.”His gaze scanned the front of the Audi for the hundredth time.“And unmarked cars don’t deal with petty car theft.That’s not what this is about.”
She frowned.“It’s just...after everything we’ve gone through, I don’t want to lose you.”
“You won’t.”
He had no way of knowing that for certain, of course, but in typical Lawes fashion, he was surer of himself than before, sensing whoever was driving that car wasn’t the police.If the authorities had found him, they’d have whacked on the sirens and tried to arrest him by that point.
Whoever the Audi driver was, they were someone else.
“Mark.”Her hand was cold as she reached for his.“Please, be sure about this before you leave the main road.”
“It’s okay, little girl.”He didn’t love the way she’d used his name, but there would be time to address that error later.Glorious, wonderful ways he couldn’t wait to enact...“I know it’s one hell of an ask, but trust me.”
She pulled in a breath, nodding as she settled back in her seat.“Okay, sir.”
Pulling off the main road, his attention flitted back to the mirror, watching his unknown follower take the same course.
“Let’s see if whoever they are wants to talk.”His anxiety was morphing into something freer, a sense of infallibility that, with Hannah by his side, he could conquer anything.
She gripped the edge of her seat when he pulled over to the far perimeter of the parking lot and waited for the red car to follow.Duly, it slid into a space a few away from them.
“I’m worried, sir.”Watching the other car, her gaze returned to his.
“You stay here and let me deal with this.”Reaching for her, he squeezed her knee.“And that’s an order, little girl, not a suggestion.”
Her lips curled, although the unease remained in her eyes.“Okay, I’ll be good.”
Leaning closer, he captured her lips in a passionate, unhurried way.Whoever the hell was driving the Audi would have to wait until he’d taken his fill.She groaned at the contact, one of her hands rising to the back of his head to pull him closer.
“Please be safe,” she whispered as they parted.
“Stop.Worrying.”Though he adored that she cared so much, it was time for his little girl to start doing as she was told.“Stay here and wait for me.”
