Between Shadows by Chanel Cleeton Read Free Book Online Page B

intersection. Luke switches lanes in between a cab and a large SUV. The cab driver honks angrily at us. My heart pounds.
    I tighten my arms around his body, no longer caring about anything other than not falling off. We’re taught evasive driving at the Academy although we’re usually never close enough to being caught to need these skills. Whatever Luke’s been doing in the two years since he left, he’s kept his driving skills in shape.
    Luke weaves in and out of traffic, narrowly missing the front of a Mercedes. We’re no longer headed to Kensington. I peer over my shoulder, loosening my death grip on Luke’s waist. The sedan is still behind us in traffic, farther back than before. 
    The light in front of us turns red.
    Shit.
    Congestion is too heavy for Luke to risk it; even with the bike’s easy maneuverability, London traffic is insane.
    I turn back around, just in time to watch the sedan’s doors open. Three men step out of the car, dressed in black. Our gazes meet.
    Shit.
    They know we’ve made them, and they’re definitely professionals.
    I jab Luke in the stomach. “Three men. Armed. Headed this way. Go.”
    “Fuck.” He maneuvers the bike around the rows of traffic, cutting in between lanes of cars. He floors the bike through the intersection, almost hitting a car turning in front of us. I look back—
    They’re still there.
    Something whizzes past me, hitting the car next to us. My mind goes blank, and then I realize—
    “They’re shooting at us,” I yell, crouching low over the bike.
    Gun violence in the U.K. is rare—nearly nonexistent—and though we receive firearm training at the Academy, I’ve never had to use one on an assignment.
    Luke cuts down an alley, the bike tilting to the side, our bodies moving in tandem with the turn. We race down another street and I instantly recognize the bright lights of one of the busiest sections of London—Leicester Square. It’s the perfect place to escape and get lost in a crowd.
    I turn back, the wind whipping against my face. I no longer see the black sedan in pursuit or the men on foot, but I can’t shake the memory of being shot at. In all my time as an asset, I’ve never been on the receiving end of a bullet.
    Until tonight.
    Luke pulls the bike to a stop, turning to face me.
    “Go to the movie theater on the corner. Buy a ticket for whatever romantic comedy is playing. Sit in the back. Wait for me.”
    “What are you going to do?”
    “I’m going to figure out who they are.”
    “Alone? Let me help. You’ll have better odds if there’s two of us.”
    “Can you do what you’re supposed to for once? Get off the bike. Wait for me.”
    I hesitate for a beat.
    “Go.”
                 

 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Chapter Five
     
    I sit in the rear of the crowded movie theater, my gaze glued to the entrance, my back against the wall. 
    Groups of girls surround me, chattering with anticipation for the coming attractions. I chose my movie wisely; it’s one of those splashy romantic comedies. The girls giggle, eating popcorn and talking about their plans for the evening. My hands shake.
    I check my watch again, the numbers glowing in the dark. It’s been thirty minutes since Luke dumped me in Leicester Square, each minute creeping by with agonizing slowness. There’s a procedure for these situations. If we’re in trouble, we’re supposed to call a special number within the Academy and a team will be dispatched to assist us.
    “Hot guy incoming,” a girl in front of me whispers, her friends breaking out into nervous giggles.
    Relief fills me at the sight of Luke climbing the theater steps. I temporarily forget I’m angry with him, that things are fucked up between us. In that instant, he’s the same Luke he’s always been. And most importantly, he’s alive. 
    “Babe, sorry I’m late.” Luke slides into the seat next to me. His arm wraps around my shoulders, pulling me closer to him. I