Page 119 of A Real Good Bad Thing

As I talked, I sneaked a look at the timer I’d started when I gave Jake the “go” sign. One minute and thirty-two seconds. He should have the safe open soon, if he didn’t already. Just a minute more…

“That is just the most adorable story ever,” Willow gushed. Eli had listened with a smile, and Jade was blissed out on the floor, the mermaid wrapped in her paws. “But we really should be going.”

“True,” said Eli. “We can’t be late to our own event.”

Willow placed her hand on Eli’s arm as if she would let him escort her to the car that way. But her nose twitched with a dainty sniff, and she turned to her fiancé. “Darling. You forgot your aftershave. You never go to an event without it. It’s your signature scent. Go put some on.”

Alarms blared in my head.

My first thought? She must know Jake was upstairs because…go put on your signature scent? I didn’t think they could get any more bougie than “we are throwing a party to help children with our embezzled money.” But Eli thanked her for reminding him and sprinted up the steps.

I clawed the edge of panic to keep it from taking over.

Jake was in the office. Eli was on his way. What had Jake said when I’d worried something would go wrong?

“Then we improvise.”

I had to either somehow lure Eli back down here or warn Jake—or both.

I channeled all my fear, all my terror, that Jake would be discovered, and pointed to the dining room table as if some tentacled Lovecraftian monster was pulling itself into our universe between the chandelier and the mahogany tabletop. With a deep breath, I let out a blood-curdling cry, screaming, “Spider!”

Willow shrieked. Eli doubled back. And I imagined Jake, somewhere upstairs, scrambling for his point of egress while convenient chaos reigned down here. Eli looked high and low for the spider while Willow brushed her hair and shoulders like it was raining arachnids, and then the cat showed up for the excitement, skidding over the floor with her tail bushed out and her eyes like a drug addict.

I dragged my gaze away from this spectacle and turned to make my getaway. As I did, I made a split-second decision and shot my hand out to the marble table like a frog’s tongue nabbing a fly.

“Gotta go or I’ll miss my flight!” I called as I sprinted out the door.

Have a nice life, far away from me.

60

GETAWAY WOMAN

Jake

My woman had some serious lungs on her. I didn’t know why she’d screamed “spider,” and I didn’t stay to find out. I blessed whatever quirk of fate had brought us together and hightailed it out of Eli’s office.

I’d already closed the safe and replaced the books in front of it. Now I just needed to hustle out the bathroom window and onto the roof, without the benefit of the cloak of darkness I’d had last time. I crouched low to stay out of view of neighbors and used the trees to shield me from sight from the street. The plan was to lie flat on the roof and wait until Eli and Willow left. But Ruby’s scream gave me a clue that we weren’t necessarily going to be waiting on them. Seconds later, Ruby tore out of the house at breakneck speed and jumped in her car. With a squeal of tires, she backed up and stopped where we’d planned on a screech. I dropped to the ground while she was still braking, and as soon as I dove into the passenger seat, my getaway driver proceeded to get us the hell away from there.

Hot. That was just hot.

If I wasn’t in love already…She had killer getaway driver skills. Hook, line, sinker. I was a goner.

61

A REALLY EXPENSIVE CHOCOLATE BAR

Ruby

“Spider?” He sounded incredulous but amused, and looked as excited as I felt. As amped up and alive.

“She hates spiders,” I said, laughing as we drove out of Corey’s Landing. Spiders were nothing to laugh at, but the look on Willow’s face had been. “I had to improvise.”

“Look how far you’ve come. Thinking on your feet like a pro,” he said, tossing me a glance like he was turned on.

Well, he probably was. I kind of was too. My nerves tingled with adrenaline and probably would for days. “Did you get them?” I asked. That was the important thing, now that he was safe.

He lifted his backpack and flashed me the world’s most satisfied grin. “Got ’em all.”