a chance they aren’t sure they’re following the right person. Ifwe send out decoys, they’ll know you’re in the city.” He reached for the door handle. “Ready?”
“I guess.”
They stepped out of the car and Levi pulled her into his arms again as they stepped onto the sidewalk. “As a precautionary measure, you should probably still keep your face out of sight. We don’t need anyone recognizing you—no matter who they are. By now I’m sure the international news hasreported the attack on your family. People everywhere will have seen your picture on their televisions. If they see you walking around their city, there’s bound to be a fuss.”
“We don’t need a fuss,” Isabelle agreed, keeping her faceturned toward his shoulder, although his closeness was too fresh a reminder of the fantastic kiss they’d shared. But she was determined to follow his instructionsuntil they’d reached safety. Then she could worry about keeping her distance from him.
Levi set a leisurely pace, stopping now and then to pull her into his arms, though she knew he was looking past her, not looking at her. She feared at any moment someone would leap out from behind a tree, but after some time, Levi surprised her by saying, “Here comes the car again.”
“Is the coast clear?”
“I guess we’ll find out.” He tugged her back to the vehicle and they slipped quickly inside.
They drove around for a few more minutes before Levi leaned back from conversing with their driver. “This may be our best chance.” He scooped up her hand and met her eyes.
“Chance?”
“We’re getting out a few blocks from headquarters. I don’t want to risk leading them there, but I think—” he cast a glancethrough the back window “—I think we’ll be okay.” He opened the door and they stepped out onto a bustling sidewalk.
With her face turned toward Levi and her eyes on her feet, Isabelle wasn’t even sure which part of the city they were walking through, but she stuck close to Levi and trusted him to get her to Sanctuary. As they crossed one street and then another, her hopes rose that they weregoing to make it to safety after all.
When they turned down an alley, Isabelle wanted to ask Levi where he was headed, but he quickly picked up his pace and, a moment later, broke into a run.
As Isabelle ran beside him she felt even more grateful that she’d been able to buy a pair of sneakers. She could hear footsteps pounding the pavement behind them. They had to getaway! She tried to sprintfaster. Seconds later a large figure jumped Levi from behind and he went down.
Thick arms wrapped around her, lifting her off her feet. She caught a glimpse of Levi struggling with two attackers as the thug who held her spun her around, carrying her quickly back up the alley the way they’d come.
Whipping her arm back, Isabelle managed to catch the brute in the nose with a hard jab from her elbow.His steps faltered as blood poured from his nostrils, but he kept moving.
Kicking at his legs as he carried her, Isabelle attempted to knock the man’s feet out from under him. She could see a car running up ahead, parked at the entrance to the alleyway, its windows tinted just dark enough that she couldn’t make out who waited inside.
She couldn’t let the man get her inside that car!
Jabbingher feet toward his legs with desperate strength, Isabelle finally caught the man square on one knee. The joint buckled and he sagged toward the ground. She whipped back with her elbow again, this time catching him full in the face and sending his head snapping back with a grunt.
His grip loosened slightly and she flung herself from his arms, spinning around and tearing back down the alley towardwhere Levi was fighting off two other large men. With her loose hair streaming past her eyes she couldn’t see much, but she ran toward him with everything in her, hoping to jump the attacker nearest her as soon as she reached him.
Footsteps tore up the alley
“I guess.”
They stepped out of the car and Levi pulled her into his arms again as they stepped onto the sidewalk. “As a precautionary measure, you should probably still keep your face out of sight. We don’t need anyone recognizing you—no matter who they are. By now I’m sure the international news hasreported the attack on your family. People everywhere will have seen your picture on their televisions. If they see you walking around their city, there’s bound to be a fuss.”
“We don’t need a fuss,” Isabelle agreed, keeping her faceturned toward his shoulder, although his closeness was too fresh a reminder of the fantastic kiss they’d shared. But she was determined to follow his instructionsuntil they’d reached safety. Then she could worry about keeping her distance from him.
Levi set a leisurely pace, stopping now and then to pull her into his arms, though she knew he was looking past her, not looking at her. She feared at any moment someone would leap out from behind a tree, but after some time, Levi surprised her by saying, “Here comes the car again.”
“Is the coast clear?”
“I guess we’ll find out.” He tugged her back to the vehicle and they slipped quickly inside.
They drove around for a few more minutes before Levi leaned back from conversing with their driver. “This may be our best chance.” He scooped up her hand and met her eyes.
“Chance?”
“We’re getting out a few blocks from headquarters. I don’t want to risk leading them there, but I think—” he cast a glancethrough the back window “—I think we’ll be okay.” He opened the door and they stepped out onto a bustling sidewalk.
With her face turned toward Levi and her eyes on her feet, Isabelle wasn’t even sure which part of the city they were walking through, but she stuck close to Levi and trusted him to get her to Sanctuary. As they crossed one street and then another, her hopes rose that they weregoing to make it to safety after all.
When they turned down an alley, Isabelle wanted to ask Levi where he was headed, but he quickly picked up his pace and, a moment later, broke into a run.
As Isabelle ran beside him she felt even more grateful that she’d been able to buy a pair of sneakers. She could hear footsteps pounding the pavement behind them. They had to getaway! She tried to sprintfaster. Seconds later a large figure jumped Levi from behind and he went down.
Thick arms wrapped around her, lifting her off her feet. She caught a glimpse of Levi struggling with two attackers as the thug who held her spun her around, carrying her quickly back up the alley the way they’d come.
Whipping her arm back, Isabelle managed to catch the brute in the nose with a hard jab from her elbow.His steps faltered as blood poured from his nostrils, but he kept moving.
Kicking at his legs as he carried her, Isabelle attempted to knock the man’s feet out from under him. She could see a car running up ahead, parked at the entrance to the alleyway, its windows tinted just dark enough that she couldn’t make out who waited inside.
She couldn’t let the man get her inside that car!
Jabbingher feet toward his legs with desperate strength, Isabelle finally caught the man square on one knee. The joint buckled and he sagged toward the ground. She whipped back with her elbow again, this time catching him full in the face and sending his head snapping back with a grunt.
His grip loosened slightly and she flung herself from his arms, spinning around and tearing back down the alley towardwhere Levi was fighting off two other large men. With her loose hair streaming past her eyes she couldn’t see much, but she ran toward him with everything in her, hoping to jump the attacker nearest her as soon as she reached him.
Footsteps tore up the alley
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