Page 55 of Savage Prince
“What’s going on? Who do I need to kill for interrupting the little man’s dinner?”
Valentina rises. “There are my two favorite guys. Thanks for coming down so quick.”
He pulls her in close to his body and leans down to press a kiss to her lips. “Always, duchess. What the hell is going on?”
I stare at them with a longing I didn’t know I could feel. This beautiful badass of a man is charging to her rescue, complete with a smiling baby. My ovaries are toast.
“This is Temperance. She works at—”
“Seven Sinners, for Mount’s woman,” he finishes for her, his eyes narrowing on me.
I nod, not feeling the same welcome in his tone that came from Valentina. “That’s right.”
“You here to cause trouble? Because we don’t need it,” he says, and a shaft of disappointment shoots through me.
“Rix!” Valentina smacks him on the shoulder. “Be nice. She’s had a crap day. She came to show me a sculpture, and someone stole her car.”
He studies me with suspicion rolling off him in waves.
“It’s okay. I’ll get help from someone who doesn’t look at me like I’m a criminal.” I lower the glass to the desk and grab my purse. “Sorry to waste your time, Valentina.”
I’ve taken two steps when he speaks.
“Why didn’t you call your boss? Pretty sure you’d find your car a hell of a lot faster that way.”
I look over my shoulder. “They just left to go on vacation. This isn’t an emergency worth bothering them over. I can handle it myself.”
His brows dive together. “Really? Pretty sure Mount would have heads rolling for this.”
“Not necessary, but don’t worry. I’ll figure it out. I’ll head to the precinct to file a report and call my insurance company.”
“Oh no. You’re not leaving. He’s helping you, and he’s going to be nice about it too.” Valentina’s voice brooks no disagreement.
“Is that right?” He reaches out and clasps his wife’s hand with the baby between them. “She one of your people now? Adopting her?”
I’m not sure what he means, but when Valentina nods, his face relaxes and he smiles at her.
“Shoulda figured. Only for you, duchess. Only for you.” He presses a kiss to the back of her hand and releases it before turning back to me. “Give me all the vehicle details and I’ll get a BOLO out. If it’s rolling around, we’ll get a call. I’ll let my boys know it’s priority.”
“Make sure you tell them that there’s a very valuable piece of artwork in the back, and I will personally bake cookies for whoever makes sure that sculpture comes back unharmed,” Valentina tells him as she presses a kiss to the baby’s head.
Rix smiles again, this time laughing. “Duchess, I thought you wanted them to bring the art back, not make sure you never see it again.”
Valentina growls at him and reaches for the baby, and my heart pangs with envy.
I want that.
Chapter 24
Temperance
Twenty-four hours and no sign of my Bronco, and Elijah says it hasn’t shown up in any chop shop in town that he knows. He’s still looking, and so are the cops. I’ve left three more messages on my brother’s phone—which never rings before kicking me to voice mail—and sent him a dozen texts. I’ve gotten zero replies.
It’s not unusual for him to go radio silent for a few days every once in a while, but he always tells me first and then gets back to me as soon as he can. My gut says this is different.Bad different.Or maybe that’s just my stomach churning from the fact someone stole my damn Bronco.
Keira kept her promise to Mount and never called work today, and I decided to wait until Monday to tell her about my car.
Surely, I’ll find it before then, right?I sure as hell hope so.
