Heart Shot by Elizabeth Lapthorne Read Free Book Online

mean that,” she said in a soft, contrite tone. “I was talking wildly.”
    “No. You’re right. It could be I’m the one leading you into danger.”
    Never had she felt so conflicted, so lost and confused. Until now every mission had been quite clear-cut. Paranoia and self-doubt rarely had any place with her. But she’d been inundated with both from the beginning of this.
    Looking around, she spotted a dozen CCTV cameras, as well as the Underground’s own security systems. If anyone thought to look, she’d bet they were on dozens of monitors.
    The feeling of possibly being watched, tracked— hunted made her skin crawl. Not just for her own safety, but Fin’s as well. Sometime in the last hour she’d come to care for him, and now she valued his well-being—not just her own.
    She’d meant to guilt him into leaving her, despite the pang it caused in her chest. But he seemed to think her words had merit. For the first time, she pondered if he might truly be in danger.
    Anger stirred in her. This handsome, intelligent man couldn’t be taken from her. She felt sick at the thought of him being hit by a sniper’s bullet, or gutted like a fish.
    Not while I still draw breath.
    For the first time all week things snapped perfectly into place. She scanned the area like the professional she was. The long tunnel was not an ideal place to mount a good defense from, but neither was it where she’d try to make an ambush. The warren of corridors on the levels above them though, that was a different matter. There’d easily be a dozen places she could make a sniper’s nest in.
    With the multiple entrances and exits, as well as the sheer volume of people strolling around, it was an assassin’s wet-dream for a hit. No one knew where they were, but they’d been standing here long enough had someone thought to send out a discreet alert for them…they could be ambushed in minutes.
    “We’re leaving,” she said curtly, her tone blank but firm.
    “Wait. What?” Fin looked around wildly probably thinking she’d seen something he hadn’t.
    Emily threaded her arm though his and steered them toward the exits. “We’re sitting ducks down here,” she explained softly. “We need to move. It’s much harder to track us that way.”
    “Em, you’re super-hot like this, all protective and professional, but I’m not convinced those guys were after me.”
    Emily nodded to indicate she’d heard him, but her focus remained in seeking the safest route out. On the escalators she turned her body so it would appear as if she was talking to Fin, but with her back to the wall she could easily glance above and below them and monitor any unusual movement.
    A few minutes later they were out on the street. Emily had thought her heart-rate would slow when they were out of the confines of the tube station, but that wasn’t to be. The street was busy, filled with people. As she scanned the area, looking for anything that gave her the sense of being off she wished they were somewhere far quieter.
    Nothing leaped out at her, but it would be far too simple for even a mediocre assassin to blend into somewhere like this. Swiftly, she glanced around once more, calculating their options.
    “Maybe we should go to my office,” Fin suggested.
    Emily noticed a double-decker bus rounding the corner. “No. We need time to sort this out ourselves, first. Let’s catch that.”
    After jogging the short distance and weaving among the pedestrians, Emily finally reached the bus stop and lifted her hand to indicate to the driver. He swerved and pulled up at the curb. Emily noted there were a dozen or so people up on the top floor, but only a couple in the front with maps in hand. She and Fin moved to the back and sat next to each other.
    The bus pulled into the traffic and continued on its route. Emily surveyed the street, finally satisfied that for now at least they’d be all right.
    “I might not know everything, but you’re definitely a professional,”