Stolen Goods (To Catch a Thief Book 2) Read online

  But he was still a stranger and a criminal, no matter what Jo said—and no matter how her body reacted. Addy returned to the bathroom and retrieved the scissors he’d discarded on the floor. They were sharp. They were pointy. They’d do. Carefully, she shrugged her apron over her head and folded it into a tight bundle, hiding the makeshift weapon inside. Then she followed him out the door.

  - 11 -

  Thad

  He had to get out of that room, away from her, before he burst. The blood rush beneath his skin flooded like a river through a dam, wild and untamed. The bathroom was too small. Her skin was too soft. Her eyes—dammit! The way she looked at him was unnerving, as though she could see right through him, could see to the deepest part of him, even though they’d only just met. She seemed to trust him, to trust Jo. She’d even tried to comfort him—her apparent kidnapper—when he was in pain. Thad wasn’t sure if that made her foolish or brave, but either way, the act had touched him in a way that would stick long after their little adventure was done.

  I shouldn’t have cut her hair.

  She was beautiful before, but now she was striking, a bullet to the chest, one shot and bam!

  Thad jerked open the trunk and threw his duffel inside. The Degas, however, required a gentle hand. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and exhaled slowly, forcing the tension out with the air. The attraction between them was undeniable, but it was to be expected. With the adrenaline rush, the high of escaping death, what else was supposed to happen? He was a man, after all. She was a woman. A little lust was natural—and that was all it would ever be. He just needed to get through the next few days. After that, this would be nothing more than a memory. As soon as I figure out what to do about Emma, I’m gone. This will just be a wild story she tells her friends. Nothing more.

  “What’s in that?”

  He spun on his heels, unused to being taken off guard. But there she was, standing demurely behind him, persistently attempting to tuck a loose, short curl behind her ear.

  He raised a brow in challenge, responding in the only way he knew how—the way that ensured he’d keep his distance. “Do you really want to know?”

  She pulled her lower lip into her mouth in a way that made his abs clench. “No, I guess I don’t.”

  “Good,” he said and turned back to the car. Thad gently placed the Degas in the trunk and secured it in a safe spot beneath the back seats. Then he walked to the passenger side and opened the door. “Get in.”

  Addison obliged. Thad shut the door, then left her behind as he ran to the office, paid for the night, and asked for directions to the nearest department store. By the time he returned, she was lost in thought with her eyes glazed over. They drove in silence, Addison undoubtedly ruminating over the crazy situation she’d found herself in and Thad meticulously trying to plan a way out of it. He had to get to Emma as quickly as possible, which meant they were going to Arizona. The drive alone would take somewhere around twenty-seven, maybe twenty-eight hours, but there was no way he could do it straight. For starters, he’d hardly slept more than an hour or two last night, and he couldn’t exactly trust Addison with the wheel. They’d have to stop for rest and food, which meant he had two, maybe three days to figure out how to disappear while somehow still protecting the few people he loved.

  When they pulled into the mostly empty lot of the department store, Thad finally spoke up. “Don’t make eye contact with anyone. It’ll make us easier to forget. And if anyone asks if we need help, just say no politely.”

  Addison nodded.

  Thad parked and grabbed his baseball cap from the dashboard, then pulled it low over his eyes. “There are definitely security cameras inside, so I’m going to mostly keep my head down. You should go in first and I’ll be about a minute behind. We don’t want to be seen together on film, just in case. I’ll meet you in the dressing rooms. You grab some stuff to try on, while I grab some other things we might need. And then I’ll pay while you head back to the car. Okay?”

  Again, a silent nod.

  Thad turned to the side, heart pinching at the slight fear in her eyes. Without thinking, he reached out and put his finger beneath her chin, forcing her to look up.

  “You’re going to be fine,” he whispered. The words he should have said back in the room instead of running away. But they were better late than never. A warm rush of gratitude filled her bright eyes. “In a few days, this will all be over. I just have to see someone, and as soon as I do, I’ll find a way to reunite you with Jo. I’ll make sure you’re safe. A few days is all I need, and I promise, in the meantime, I won’t let anything happen to you.”

  Addison swallowed and nodded, but uncertainty still darkened her features.

  He dropped his hand away. How can I make this better? How can I steal the fright from those eyes? “Maybe it will help if you pretend this is all a game, or a, I don’t know, role play or something. Like we’re Bonnie and Clyde, gone rogue, on the road, not a care in the world, confident that nothing can touch us?”

  “Weren’t they executed by the police?” Addison murmured.

  “Shit!” The word popped out as his eyes bulged. The corners of Addison’s lips twitched. “Were they? Then maybe we’re, um… Why can’t I think of any road-trip movies? All I’ve got is Dumb and Dumber, and that’s not really the vibe I was going for.”

  “Crossroads?” she suggested.

  “Never heard of it.”

  “Britney Spears goes to LA to pursue a singing career—”

  “Britney Spears was in a movie?” Thad frowned, then shook his head. “Doesn’t matter. Forget I said anything. You don’t have to pretend to be anyone else. Just be you. All we need to do right now is go into that store, buy some clothes, and come back out. You took out a Russian operative with a rolling pin last night. This is easy.”

  That hint of a smile widened to the real thing. “I guess you’re right.”

  Addison laughed, not quite as easily or as loudly as she had with Jo on the phone, but it was something. It was a start. And it lifted his mood right up.

  “Addison Abbot, I think you’ll come to find, the more time you spend around me, that one way or another, I always am.” She rolled her eyes, but the grin remained, as did a subtle flush across her cheeks. Reluctantly, Thad forced himself to look away—they’d wasted too much time already. He nudged his head in the direction of the entrance. “Go, and I’ll be right behind.”

  Addison left.

  Thad watched in the rearview mirror, half expecting her to dash across the parking lot, screaming for help and shouting that she’d been kidnapped by a known fugitive. Hell, he wouldn’t have blamed her. He probably deserved it, which was why he let her go first, just in case a quick getaway was in order. To his surprise, she didn’t. She walked calmly, step after step, and waited patiently as the automatic door opened before slipping inside.

  Thad gave it three minutes before he followed, keeping his hat pulled low, subtly peeking around the rim to locate the security cameras—one on the outside of the building, one just inside the door, two on the registers, one on the dressing rooms in the corner, two more focused on the wider area of the store. He perked the collar of his jacket, hung a shopping basket over his arm, and idly tossed things inside: snacks, some waters, sunglasses, a first aid kit, toothpaste, toothbrushes, markers, and a small tool kit, just in case. There were no maps, but they’d have to stop for gas soon anyway, so he’d find one later. He grabbed himself another pair of dark jeans and a few plain T-shirts, just to have an excuse to go to the dressing room.

  As soon as he got there, he stopped cold.

  Addison stood in a tight black dress, looking over her shoulder to admire her backside in the mirror. Almost immediately, those turquoise eyes found his in the reflection and she jerked around.

  “Uh, what do you think?”

  Are you trying to get us killed?

  “Absolutely not,” Thad ordered and then walked right by her and into his own small stall, trying t
o keep up the front that they weren’t there together and needing space to breathe. It was no use. He’d seen too much. Every curve that had been hidden beneath her full A-line skirt and loose blouse was now burned into his mind. Thad’s normal type was leggy and lithe and always too hot to put up with his bullshit. Addison was…different—short, voluptuous, and seemingly unaware of her own beauty. It was endearing, alluringly endearing.

  Forget about it.

  He ripped off his pants and pulled on the new pair of jeans.

  “But it’s black,” she said, voice dripping with disdain. “I never wear black. Isn’t that what you wanted?”

  “What I want is plain, something that can be easily overlooked,” he explained and opened the door to his dressing room, meeting her confused gaze. Even though he was fully prepared for the sight of her this time, a breath still caught in his throat. He crossed his arms and leaned against the doorframe, trying to appear as nonchalant as possible. Damn lust. He blamed her for what came out next. “And you, in that dress…you’re anything but invisible.”

  Addison’s cheeks immediately flushed. Her mouth dropped open and her eyes widened, holding his for a moment, before she swiftly spun and marched back into her dressing room.

  Thad released a breath and closed his eyes, shaking his head. That was a mistake. Angry, he yanked his shirt off, not bothering to close the door. He was halfway into pulling on a new one when he heard her door swing open. A shocked little gasp crossed the space between them. With a sigh, he finished putting on his shirt. Defenses ready this time, he tossed a sardonic glance in her direction, fully anticipating the embarrassed approval written across her features. Even so, the sight warmed his heart. Her innocence was adorable, if only because it was so different from everything he was used to.

  Addison slowly pulled her gaze from his navel to his nose, meeting his eyes as the blush spattering across her cheeks deepened. The air around them thickened, heating a degree or two. Ignore it. Ignore it. He had to remain focused on the job. He had to keep his head clear. Not to mention Jo would absolutely murder him if he broke her friend’s heart—which was what he would do if they went down that road, because it was what he always did. He was leaving at the end of all this, no matter what.

  The best offense is a good defense, Thad thought as he lifted a brow and gestured down toward his abs, goading Addison on. “Like what you saw?”

  She flinched. “Huh?”

  “You’ve, uh…” He paused, gesturing toward her chin as the corners of his lips twitched, fighting a smile. “You’ve got a little drool there.”

  “I do not!” She straightened her spine indignantly, lips curling into a frown as her entire expression shifted. Her hands came to her waist as her hip cocked to the side. “Well, what about you? Is this invisible enough for you?”

  No, Thad thought, raking his gaze up and down her body, catching the tight swallow she tried to hide. She had on charcoal leggings, the kind girls loved to wear that men didn’t really understand, and a bright pink racerback tank top. The look was more sporty than girly, despite the color, but still far too tight for his liking.

  “Couldn’t you find a pair of jeans?”

  She narrowed her eyes. “Look, you…” Her entire face twisted into a charmingly frustrated scowl. “Look, you. I’m petite, okay. I’m curvy. You might not understand that, dancing through life with your six-foot-two, ripped-from-the-pages-of-a-magazine body, but jeans don’t just magically fit me. Nothing just magically fits me. Pants have to get hemmed. Dresses have to be bought two sizes too big so they fit my hips and then taken in at my waist. Shirts are either too baggy or too tight. Which is why I like loose blouses and skirts that cinch in at the waist! But you said I can’t wear those. So, this is the next best thing, and you’re just going to have to deal.”

  He was trying not to smile, but his lips wobbled and his dimples dug into his cheeks no matter how hard he worked to keep them flat. “Okay.”

  She breathed heavily. Thad couldn’t stop his gaze from dipping down to her breasts as they rose and fell, full and on display. Addison didn’t realize. She spun on her heels and—thankfully—disappeared back into her dressing room.

  “Hang everything you want over the door,” Thad said, filling the silence. “And I’ll go check out.”

  She did, so he did. Ten minutes later, they were in the car unpacking their supplies. Addison climbed into the back seat to change.

  “Don’t peek.”

  “I’m not.”

  “I mean it, don’t you dare.”

  “I’m changing too.”

  “You swear you won’t look?”

  “Just get dressed.”

  There was a lot of banging and groaning, but he kept his word and didn’t peek. She slammed some part of herself into his seat, forcing it to buck, and let out a yelp.

  “What the hell are you doing back there?”

  “Hold on—” Grunt. “I’m almost—” Slap. “Done.” Sigh.

  He flicked his gaze into the rearview, immediately finding her eyes.

  “I said don’t look!” she shrieked.

  He jerked his face forward. “You just said you were done.”

  Addison mumbled something to herself, low and grumbling, but he picked out one very distinct word.

  “Scoundrel? Really?” Thad snorted.

  “You are,” she accused indignantly as she climbed back into the passenger seat, clocking him in the face with her elbow in a move that felt resolutely on purpose. She crossed her arms and stared straight ahead, sticking to her guns. “A complete scoundrel.”

  He needed her to feel comfortable around him—it would make everything so much easier. If she was comfortable, she’d listen. If she listened, she’d be safe. And he knew just the way… Oh, this is going to be fun. “Get that from the pages of your favorite book?”

  “No…”

  “One Night with the Rake.”

  “Huh?”

  “Marrying a Rogue.”

  “Stop.”

  “Seduced by the Scoundrel.”

  “Oh,” she snapped and finally whipped her head around, features growing angrier the second she saw the wide smile on his lips.

  He was close to breaking through her defense, so close. He blurted one more. “Setting Sail with the Scallywag.”

  The change was subtle at first. Her lips pressed together. Her cheeks puffed. The gleam in her eye shifted from fury to joy and the corners of her eyes crinkled. Then she burst. “That one… That one was too much.”

  “We’re drawing the line at scallywag?” Thad commented with a shrug as he turned the car on and pulled out of the lot. “But I have so many more. Miscreant. Bounder. Rascal. Cad. Ooh, blackguard! That’s a good one.”

  “How do you even know all those words?”

  “I’ve read a bodice ripper or two in my day.”

  Addison gaped at him. “You have?”

  “Jo and I used to have this summer book club.” He paused and shook his head at the memories flooding to the surface. “Well, I should start from the beginning. Jo’s mom passed away when she was, oh, fourteen? And after that, she and her father moved to this private island, and I used to live there during the summers. We’d get into all sorts of trouble, most of it encouraged by our fathers. Anyway, she used to complain all the time that she had no one to talk to but me, and I didn’t like any of the things she liked, so she roped me into this whole book club thing. At first, I begrudgingly agreed. But then I got into it. Let me just say, reading a romance novel as a fifteen-year-old boy is an eye-opening experience.”

  Addison giggled, a sweet, melodic sound. “Learn a thing or two?”

  Thad turned, waiting until he caught her eye before tossing her a wink. “You bet.”

  Addison drew her lower lip into her mouth and spun away, trying to hide her reaction, not realizing her modesty was what he found so intriguing, so refreshing and so different from his norm. He’d told himself not to flirt with her—making her comfortable and
acting flirtatious were two very different things. But she made it so damn easy…and so damn entertaining.

  Reluctant to end the game, Thad pulled over onto a quiet side street. Time to get back to work. “Stay in the car.”

  Addison nodded, watching him curiously.

  Thad glanced left, then right, searching for onlookers, but the street appeared to be empty for the moment. Perfect. He jumped into action and opened the pack of permanent markers he’d bought at the store. Kneeling before the hood of the car, he colored in the open side of the 3 on the license plate, making it look like an 8 instead, then drew over the F, turning it into an E. After running around to the trunk, he repeated the process on the rear plates and then took a few steps back, gaze sharp. The alterations wouldn’t hold up upon close inspection, but from a distance they looked legit. Step one complete, he grabbed the tool kit, knelt beneath the open driver’s side door, and unscrewed the cover on the dash to reveal the wires underneath.

  “What are you doing?” Addison asked, peering over to look at him.

  “Disabling the GPS,” Thad murmured, scrutinizing the wires, searching for the little tracking device hidden inside every modern car. There. He followed two of the wires to the antennas, removed them, and crushed them beneath his heel. Then he snipped the remaining wires and reassembled the car. “I don’t think anyone will report the car missing for a few days, so we should be fine. The house I took it from looked empty—I’m guessing whoever owned it was on vacation. But I don’t want to take the chance, just in case.” He hopped back into the car and revved the engine. Luckily, the radio was an AM/FM, so there was no satellite feed he needed to worry about. Things were finally looking up. “So, food?”

  “Food?” Addison asked, amazed, as though he were speaking a foreign language and this was the first time she’d ever heard the word.