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‘Is that what you did?’ He could feel her gaze boring into him.
He shrugged. ‘Guess not.’
‘Alex—’
‘Listen Sarah, I can’t talk about this now. I need to think. Please, can you just leave it?’
She seemed to retreat into herself again, which made him feel like an ass. He knew he was being abrupt, but he couldn’t discuss this now. He turned his focus back to the poorly-lit road. The moon was in hiding and streetlights were few and far between.
Another hour passed before Alex pulled the car over. They were on the outskirts of an industrial area where high fences protected the darkened outlines of sheds and factories.
He looked at Sarah, placing his hand on her arm. She looked both broken and resolute. His heart ached for the pain he was still causing her.
‘Wait here, I’ll be one minute.’
Leaving the engine idling, he exited the car. The wire gate pushed open, as he knew it would and the key to the building was under the front mat.
‘Thank you, Nigel,’ he whispered with relief.
The key turned in the lock easily. Remembering the directions he’d been given last week before he left Australia, he headed to the left, his hands out in front to ward off the blackness. His fingers collided with the wall and he felt his way along until he found another door. Opening it, he stepped into the garage. Seeing nothing but shapeless shadows, Alex edged forward until he found the garage door. Pushing it up, he was relieved his efforts made only the slightest noise.
He slid back into the driver’s seat, noticing Sarah huddled against her door. ‘Just one more minute.’
Alex backed the stolen car up and nosed it into the black mouth of the garage before cutting the engine. The driver’s door clunked open and the car rose slightly as he got out. He moved quickly to the garage door, which he pulled closed, cocooning them in a void of pitch-black nothing. Feeling his way around to the passenger side of the car, he opened the door; the click sounded like a gunshot in the silent tomb. He could feel the vibration of her body shaking; sobs quietly echoing in the car.
‘It’s okay,’ he whispered as he snaked his arms around her trembling body. Sarah’s breath came in jagged gasps as she clung to him. He could feel her terror.
‘Let’s go inside.’ Alex pulled her gently from the car.
Sarah stood on shaky legs, swayed for a moment and then passed out in his arms. If only he’d stayed put in front of her flat, and not given The Devils a chance to get inside. None of this would be happening.
The combination of adrenaline surging through his body and her slender frame made it easy to carry her into the abandoned warehouse office. Placing her on a sofa pushed up against one wall, he methodically checked her for injury in the muted moonlight, then sat back on his haunches in relief when he found nothing physical. Emotionally, he was pretty sure he’d scarred her for life.
Alex released the breath he’d been holding and allowed himself a moment to take in her profile up close in the half-light. She’d always been beautiful. It wasn’t just her blonde hair and green eyes, perfect figure and soft skin. Her beauty radiated from the inside out. Sarah was the kindest, most courageous person he’d ever met. And the damn sexiest. Not that he could let any of those thoughts intrude now.
He moved a lock of long blonde hair from across her face, allowing his finger to trace the outline of her cheek. It took every ounce of self-control not to brush his lips against hers. He had no right and despite everything he’d put her through tonight, and in the past year, he drew a line at stealing a kiss while she lay unconscious.
Best to let her sleep while she could, and besides, he was pleased to not have to dodge her questions again. She had every right to ask, but he needed time. Time to get them far from London and the reach of The Devils. Who knew how many Zep had sent after him? Brodie could be mustering an army right now to finish him, and Sarah, off.
The car he’d stolen could well have been reported to the police and he couldn’t risk being pulled over. He needed supplies. Money, passports, transport. He had some money and the passport that he traveled to England with; not in the name of Alex Riley, but he couldn’t trust the new identity was not already blown. Everything had happened so quickly, he never even had time to pick up the new passports he’d arranged. Could The Devils know about his contact?
He racked his brain to come up with someone else to call, sorting through the names, places and numbers he’d memorized. He didn’t have a choice. He needed his money, some wheels and those new passports. He pulled out the burner phone and dialed the London number he’d committed to memory. It answered after two rings.
‘Hello.’
‘Nigel? It’s Alex’
‘Yeah man, I’ll have everything you need by tomorrow morning.’
‘No good, I need it now.’
‘Man …’
‘I’ll pay you double if you can get it to me tonight—plus those tickets we discussed. Two tickets.’
He never actually thought he’d need those tickets for the Dutch ferry, or the plan he’d concocted for getting Sarah and him out of London. He wanted to be prepared for anything, so he’d come up with this contingency never believing he would need it.
‘Alright, I need an hour, maybe two.’
