Page 17 of Stolen By the Billionaire
Eventually.
Sarah argued, “He seemed like a nice guy who didn’t want to have to do it. And he said he’s a former Navy SEAL. I feel bad calling the police on a man who served.”
Tiffany scowled at that. “Maybe he just said that. Maybe he’s a criminal. Actually, he is a criminal because he threatened to murder you.”
“But he didn’t. I’m fine. Everything always works out in the end.”
“No, Sarah, it doesn’t. Sometimes, people get hurt or killed because some people are bad.”
“Muffintop liked him.”
“I always knew that cat was a traitor. You can take the cat out of the barn, but you can’t take the barn out of the cat.”
“It was all over in, like, fifteen minutes. And then he gave me a lot of money for my trouble.” Sarah frowned. “He didn’t have to do that. He’s probably a nice guy at heart. I'm pretty sure he did serve in the military. He had that march when he walked, and there was some kind of tattoo on his forearm. He was really ripped, too. His arm was muscular, and he moved like he was all gristle.”
And when he’d looked into her eyes, she was riveted and wished she could see him again.
Tiffany struggled to her feet and towered over Sarah seated in the chair. “Please, for the love of God, tell me that you aren’t attracted to the guy who broke into your house and held a knife to your throat while he threatened to murder you.”
Well, when she put it like that— “Of course not. But he was really sorry he had to do it.”
“He was trying to get you not to call the cops.”
Sarah blurted before thinking, “And he had a nice voice and pretty eyes.”
Tiffany shook her head and spat her words. “Even if this guy was a fae prince with an eight-foot wingspan, you still should never see him again. And if you do, call the cops. Or shoot him.”
And that’s why Sarah had to poke at her. “But definitely not call him my big bad zaddy.”
“Jesus is Lord, Sarah. You have been out on that farm all alone for too long. Come to church with me next weekend, and we will set you up with some nice Christian man because, at this point, I’m afraid you’re hallucinating the crazy psycho who broke into your house and held his knife to your throat. And that’s the better of the options.”
“Except I paid you back for Katie’s wedding present, so some sort of miracle must have occurred.”
“Tell me you’re not going to try to find this guy.”
Sarah lifted her hands in exasperation. “I don’t know his name. I don’t know what continent he lives on. I wouldn’t have any idea where to start.” Probably the rental car places near the Cedar Rapids airport. Maybe local hotels. “I promise, I’m not going to look for him.”
Tiffany threw the tea-soaked dishtowel in the sink, where it landed with a shlop. “Good, because this guy is nothing but red flags, and you’re just feeling the flutters.”
7
Logan, Part I
Blaze
Blaze Robinson sped east on I-80 toward Chicago.
He drove with one hand on the steering wheel of his Aston Martin Vantage Coupe and wiped extra-large makeup-removal towelettes over his face with the other, the thick paper coming away green and gray with camouflage grease paint. A fellow SEAL had gotten the idea from his wife to use the wipes and brought them on an op where they’d had to fade into a population fast.
He didn’t feel particularly good about how the op had gone down. Sarah had been so scared and yet stood up to him, which was admirable. Still, this heaviness about the aims and methods of the op was why he’d retired from the US Navy and the SEAL program. He hadn’t wanted to be responsible for causing the violence for no other goddamn reason except politicians being insecure about their dicks.
Yeah, this op was regrettable. Even the fifteen large wasn’t enough to make it up to Sarah. He’d send more money her way in a few days or figure out another way to help her.
Mary Varvara Bell had better have gotten his goddamn message because Blaze wasn’t going to mess with Sarah anymore. He’d have to find another way to pressure the mafia boss if needed.
Kidnap her, maybe.
After Blaze passed Iowa City with the University of Iowa’s many stately buildings and West Branch that had none, cornfields and open prairie surrounded the road.
