Hunt Me (Love Thieves #3) by Heather Long Read Free Book Online Page B

faltered when Jarod didn’t move. “ Pardon, Monsieur . Mademoiselle and I have much to discuss.”
    Her gut twisted, but Jarod didn’t move. “The lady has other plans.”
    Louis paused, and his pleasant demeanor evaporated completely. “Oh?” His cool gaze swept up the stairs and draped her in its chill assessment. “I believe our business won’t take very long, Monsieur . You can wait.”
    Unpredictable, volatile, and dangerous. Those words didn’t do Louis justice. Shifting the bag against her shoulder, Kit finished her descent and slid her arm through Jarod’s. If surprised by her choice, the man gave a brilliant performance because it didn’t show. “Yes, Viscount duMonde, I am busy. You know better than to try and ambush me.” She tsked. “And at an airport of all places. Where are your manners?”
    Jarod tucked her hand into the crook of his elbow and led her toward her car, putting himself firmly between her and Louis. She appreciated the gesture, but the adrenaline flooding her system kept her wary and watchful. The two men at the car didn’t move, but she could almost feel the weight of their gazes.
    Louis cut around to block their path and reached out, catching her face in his cold hands, and pressed a pair of even cooler kisses to her cheeks. At her right cheek, he murmured, “Lose the boyfriend, or I’ll remove him for you.”
    Before she could respond, Jarod hauled Louis off her and had his hand in a thumb lock. The Frenchman staggered, his face a twisted mask of pain. “Allow me to remind you, Viscount duMonde, one doesn’t touch a lady unless she’s invited it.”
    The two men at the car started in their direction.
    “Jarod.” Kit put a hand to his shoulder, but a glint of light bounced off metal in one of the goons’ hands, and she swallowed her next words.
    “You stay right there, gentlemen. I’ve already contacted airport security.” The rasp of metal being locked and loaded echoed through the hanger accompanied the co-pilot’s verbal warning. She didn’t dare take her eyes off Louis’ men.
    Jarod glanced from the men to the co-pilot to Louis. Fury simmered in the viscount’s face. “You have this?”
    “Yes, sir. If you would like to go ahead and escort Lady Hardwicke, we’ll take care of this,” the captain answered. He’d exited on the other side of the plane and walked around her, a handgun in his hand, now trained on Louis.
    “Excellent.” Jarod gave Louis a little shove as he released him. The Frenchman didn’t fall, but he did stumble back a few feet. He held out a hand to Kit, and she took it. Relief swamped her but didn’t take the edge off her worry. “Shall we?”
    “Absolutely.” She found the word, surprised it didn’t tremble. He led her to the car, giving the others a wide berth. So focused on them, she barely noticed when Jarod tucked her into the passenger seat, set their bags in the backseat, and circled around to slide behind the wheel. Kit never looked away from Louis.
    This wasn’t the first time she’d crossed him.
    But the hatred on his face promised her it would be the last.
    Jarod backed the car up and pulled out of the hanger ahead of the flashing security lights driving up. He reached over and put his hand on her leg. “You okay?”
    She shuddered, fumbling for a way to fill the silence. “I think I messed up your meeting.”
    “Eh.” He shrugged, and she caught a brief glimpse of his teeth flashing in the illumination from the dashboard. “I don’t like to do business with assholes anyway.”
    She laughed.
    “And now I think we’re three and one, don’t you?” At his smug tone, she laughed harder.
    “Touché.”
     

Chapter Four
     
     
    She fell asleep, head tipped back and turned toward the window. Jarod sighed and rested his wrist against the steering wheel. They headed north and west, away from Los Angeles County. She’d said Malibu, initially, but the barest of hitch in her words after their encounter suggested to him