Page 12 of Wraith
“We can’t just take this,” Amelia said.
“How else are we getting out of here?” Liam asked, inspecting the underside of the vehicle carefully. In the wheel well, he found a tracking device. He dislodged it and crushed it under his foot. Opening the door, Doc hopped in and pushed himself between the front seats to the back. “Get in.”
She seemed to hesitate for a moment, and he walked around to the driver’s side and climbed behind the wheel. He hotwired the SUV and by the time he shifted into drive, Amelia was in and buckled up.
He drove them away from the cabin knowing he probably could never go back. No matter how this game ended, the cabin wasn’t his home anymore. It saddened him, but he kept the thought to himself. “Your father saved the life of a prince’s son many years ago,” Liam explained. “This was before I met him. As thanks, the prince gifted your dad a painting called The Land of the Seven Moons by a painter named Gogit Lala.”
“Never heard of him.”
“Not many have. Those who have, know his paintings are worth almost a hundred million dollars, each.”
“And this prince just gave this one to my dad?”
“What price are you willing to pay for your son’s life?”
“I don’t have a son.”
Liam refrained from rolling his eyes. “The truth is, the prince loves his son more than anything in the world. This kid is to carry on the prince’s lineage. It’s kind of a big deal. Your father never wanted the painting but it…”
“It’s disrespectful to say no.”
“Precisely. So, he took it and hid it away. He knew a lot of people would be after it, so he didn’t tell anyone where he hid it. The thing is, rumor has it, he used your retinas as the code to open the vault to where ever he has it hidden.”
“I’m sorry—he did what?”
“I said it was a rumor. I don’t believe it. I mean your father wasn’t a stupid man. But it doesn’t stop people from wanting to see if it’s true.”
“Okay, so if they’re after me now that means someone figured out where he hid this Lala painting or they’re hoping he told me where it is.”
“Either could be true. Or they’re close to finding it and want to have you around for when they do.”
“That’s reassuring.”
Liam checked his mirrors. The road behind him was clear except a moose who chose then to run across the street behind the SUV. He refocused on the road. “My plan is, to get to the Lala before they do and move it somewhere else.”
“If you can figure out where it is.”
“Right. In three days, we have a flight to catch. In the meantime, we’re going to have to find a place to lay low.”
“How do I know I can trust you?” Amelia questioned. “For all I know you’re in on this.”
He glanced at her quickly. “If I wanted you dead, you’d be dead. And the best part, you wouldn’t have seen it coming.”
She shrank back into her seat.
“Do you think I went out of my way to move to god’s nowhere because I’m after some stupid piece of art? The minute you’re safe, I’m putting you and that cursed painting in my rearview. Got it?”
She said nothing for a moment, and he looked at her again then back at the road before hanging a sharp right. The look on Amelia’s face told him she hadn’t expected him to be so brutally truthful. Honestly, Liam couldn’t say he cared much. All hell was about to break loose and he couldn’t stop to spare her delicate sensibilities no matter how sexy she looked in one of his shirts.
Chapter 4
The heater in the SUV sounded like breeze blowing through leaves in the summer time. Amelia remembered how cold it had been outside and figured she’d enjoy he warmth while it lasted. She made a mental note never to complain about the winter in Toronto again, before reaching forward to open the heat vents a little wider.
Settling back into her seat, Amelia tried relaxing. She wanted to make the thoughts in her mind shut up. Every time she looked over at Liam, the questions screamed louder. Finally, she took a deep breath and turned her vision outside. For as far as Amelia could see, along the side of the road, was snow. She kept her gaze there for if she didn’t, she’d stare at Liam. She’d admire his chiseled cheekbones, the proud stance of his nose, the beautiful pout of his lips.
Nope, couldn’t happen.
Liam was out of her league and only doing her father a favour, therefore, not husband material. Once this whole mess was over, if she was still breathing, she’d go back to Toronto and try to salvage what was left of her life.
