Page 129 of Red Marked

I don’t.

I can’t.

“My people are there,” Magma says. “They got in early.”

“What?”

“They’re there, you idiot. They have Star’s ID, but it ended up being a quick in-and-out. They need to be airborne in the next twenty minutes. You have to hurry up and go and fetch the document.”

The mattress creaks. I glance over my shoulder, and Star is already out of bed and on the move, all long legs and bare skin. I have to stop myself from putting the phone down and dragging her right back. She darts into the bathroom, and I hear the faucet turning and water running.

She obviously heard Magma.

I think the neighbors might have heard him; he’s so fucking loud.

“I didn’t want them leaving a fake identity document with just anyone,” Magma says. “You have to fetch it yourself. They’re out of there at nine sharp, and if you miss them, I’m going to have to fly in tomorrow to do the handoff myself. You’ll be wasting my time, Flint. I want to spend the whole of tomorrow with my pregnant mate. It’s Sunday.”

“Okay, okay.” I’m already reaching for my jeans. “Tell me where to go.”

He gives me an address and the name of my contact. “I’ll send you a pin.”

“We’re leaving in two minutes.”

“Again with the ‘we.’ What the fuck?! How does the Red female know you need to leave already?”

“We’re having to share a hotel room. There’s a conference taking place. There’s no time to explain. It isn’t important,” I tell him.

“Isn’t important, you say?” He chuckles darkly. “I hope you know what you’re doing, Flint.” He’s using his “Dad” voice.

“What the fuck is that supposed to mean? And her name is Star.”

“Are you fucking Star?”

“You know what, Magma, I don’t have time for this. I went to bed early, and I overslept, so fucking sue me. I need to fetch that ID now. Goodbye.”

I put the handset down harder than I need to.

Star comes out of the bathroom with her face scrubbed and her mouth minty. I go in past her and brush my teeth in about twelve seconds flat and throw water on my face. Through the open door, I watch her throw on some clothes.

I do the same, running a hand through my hair. It will have to do.

We take the stairs. Star is a step ahead of me the whole way down, her hair in a messy ponytail because there wasn’t time for a wig, and she doesn’t slow until the lot. I hit the unlock on the fob from twenty feet out. The doors are shut before either of us has finished sitting down.

The location pin is waiting on my phone. I hit it.

It’s fourteen minutes to the destination when we only have twelve.

“Fuck.”

I clip the phone into the holder on the dash, put the vehicle in reverse, and swing out of the bay.

“Buckle up.”

Star does as I ask, and she braces one hand on the door.

I push down hard on the accelerator. The first light is green. The next one is amber. I go through it. I get us onto the main road and put my foot down as far as I dare.

I can’t believe I overslept like that.