Page 71 of Stolen Goods
Three.
She forced her body to still.
Two.
She took a deep breath.
One.
Tires screeched on asphalt as a car careened around the bend. A hand gripped her elbow and yanked. Addy let go of the scissors, leaving them hidden in her waistband as she stumbled back into a broad chest. His forearm came around her throat, tight enough to suffocate. She wheezed, eyes going wide as the car skidded to a stop. In the exact same moment Thad rolled smoothly from the front seat, icy steel pressed against her skin.
“Don’t move or I’ll shoot,” the Russian growled.
“Go ahead,” Thad murmured with a shrug. Her heart stopped beating in her chest as he lifted his own gun. “I only came for the painting.”
- 27 -
Thad
Her eyes dimmed with gutted disbelief. Thad fought to keep a blank expression on his face.Don’t believe it, Addison. Don’t believe it.But, of course, she did. That was the sort of man he was—the sort to care more about a painting than a person’s life.
Thad didn’t meet her eyes.
It was better this way. Better for her to think the worst.
He kept his gaze locked on the Russian. The man’s eyes narrowed and he clutched Addison tighter, trying to call the bluff. Thad was good at this game. His gun had no bullets, yet he pointed it straight ahead, hands lethally steady. The best thing he could do for Addison right now was pretend she didn’t exist, and make the Russian believe it too.
“Step away from the painting.” Thad paused to lift the corner of his lip, eying the art tube lying on the ground by the Russian’s feet. “Carefully, if you don’t mind.”
The man frowned. “Drop your weapon or I’ll shoot.”
“Fine. You shoot her, then I’ll shoot you.” He shrugged, keeping calm. “Either way, I walk out of here thirty million dollars richer.”
Mobsters understood money. It was their primary motivation. They lived and breathed dollar signs. This Russian was the exact sort of person to care more about a painting than a person’s life. Thad wasn’t at all surprised when the man shoved Addison to the ground and pointed the gun at his chest instead. It was all part of the plan—the plan to make sure Addison was safe.I, on the other hand…
Okay, yes. His odds weren’t looking great. What to do… What to do…Why the hell did I leave all those bullets in the drawer? I could’ve slipped one in my pocket for posterity’s sake.But he and Jo had never been big on guns. They were for criminals and cops, not cons. If a heist ended in gunfire, it was a shitty, ill-conceived plan. And, well, he and Jo simply didn’t do those. At least, they didn’t use to.
“The Feds will be here any minute,” Thad said, buying time. What he wanted to say was,Run, Addison! Run!He had no idea what the hell she was doing just sitting there on the ground by the Russian’s feet, hunched over and clutching her midsection as though frozen with indecision.Don’t worry about me! Run!He didn’t look at her. Even one glance might give the ruse away. He kept talking, waiting for her to get the hint. “If you let me take the painting, we can both get out of this as free men. I’ll slip over the border. I’ll vanish off the face of the earth. That money will be enough for a lifetime. And you’ll be the hero. You can tell your boss he’ll never have to worry about me or my testimony ever again. But if the Feds get here, it’s over. For both of us.”
Inside, Thad’s heart thundered, but outside, he was at ease.If you were smart, you’d shoot me right now, take the painting, and run. Three birds, one very large stone.
The Russian swallowed. His eyes hardened, sharp as a blade’s edge, a murderer with no remorse and no qualms about committing his crimes again. His finger tightened on the trigger. “Or I could just shoot you.”
Touché. You figured it out.Good thing Thad was already two steps ahead. Mental warfare he could do. “I’ll shoot you at the same time. And, no offense, you’re a much larger target. I’m willing to take those odds, if you are.”
Let’s see if you can figure that one out, big guy.
On the ground, Addison finally moved. Relief flooded through him. There was only so long he could keep this up before the Russian got bored and finally shot him. Standoffs always came to an end, one way or another.
She inched backward on her hands and feet, keeping her gaze up. Thad watched out of the corner of his eye. The Russian didn’t bother.
Go.
Go.
She got behind the oaf, out of his eyesight.
Run, Addison!
