Hollywood Flirt - Alexa Aston Page 0,96
hadn’t been paying attention where Wake drove. After a minute, she got her bearings. As she directed him back toward Santa Monica, they hit heavy traffic. She thought maybe as the car came to a standstill, she might be able to make a run for it.
If she could get away from Wake.
His hand still held hers tightly. Not only would she have to pry their locked fingers apart, she’d have to remove the seatbelt he’d insisted she wear and get her door open as she scooped up her purse. She wanted to have Dash’s phone so she could call the police for help.
Wake grew more agitated with the snarled traffic. His right leg bounced up and down, as it usually did when he got antsy. Sydney’s eyes widened when she caught sight of the gun tucked under his thigh. She’d missed it since Wake’s pants and the car’s upholstery were both dark. Even if she managed to free herself, he might shoot her as she fled—or someone else. His father had taken him hunting and skeet shooting when he was growing up. Wake always bragged about what a great shot he was. Sydney couldn’t risk running. She had almost been responsible for Herc being hurt. She wasn’t about to be the cause of an innocent bystander being caught up in this situation, much less give Wake the pleasure of shooting her as she tried to escape.
Worry for her father coursed through her. Monty Revere knew she’d been married before but he had no idea that her ex-husband had been semi-stalking her. With her dad still weak as he recovered from his heart attack, she didn’t want anything to upset him. Especially crazy Wake Marshall telling him that his daughter was about to wed her ex-husband again. That might drive Monty Revere straight into the grave.
Gradually, they worked their way back to Santa Monica. Wake’s patience had eroded over the past hour, thanks to the continual, heavy traffic typical in LA. He was more on edge than before. Sydney had him turn right at a light. Before she could give him further instructions, he said, “Okay. I know where I am now.”
And then he passed the turnoff for her street.
Should she redirect him? Let him know he was more confused than he thought?
As Wake turned left at the next intersection, it hit Sydney—he was driving them to Dash’s house.
Wake had tracked Brenda to that address and delivered two different bouquets of white roses there. He’d even seen Sydney at the house earlier today. No wonder he thought she lived where Dash did.
How could she warn Dash? Somehow, she needed to get to the phone. That meant getting her hand free.
Sydney sneezed. Then sneezed again. And coughed for good measure. Wake had a tendency to be germophobic. Sure enough, he released her hand. Immediately, Sydney dipped to the floorboard and grabbed her purse.
“Gotta get a tissue,” she said. “I was afraid I might come down with a cold. Several of the crew members have been passing one around for a week now. I hate summer colds. They’re the worst.”
She dug in her purse and pulled out a tissue holder, blowing her nose extra loud for good measure. Wake shuddered involuntarily beside her, his grasp tightening on the wheel until both hands were white-knuckled. Sydney moved the purse back to the floorboard and slipped the phone from its outer pocket until it sat on the seat next to her right thigh.
Glancing down, she saw the call had been disconnected. Dash was no longer on the line. A sweeping sense of sadness overwhelmed her. Was he so angry with her that he’d hung up? Her mind raced. She didn’t have his passcode. Her thumbprint wouldn’t be able to unlock it.
Wake’s open palm appeared in front of her. “Hand it over, Sydney.”
She looked up, trying to hide her panic. “It’s nothing, Wake.”
“Give it to me,” he ordered as they pulled into Dash’s drive and Wake cut the engine. The rental car shuddered in response.
Sydney handed the phone over. Wake glanced at it and threw it out the window. It hit the concrete with a thud. Before she could come up with an excuse, he backhanded her. Stars exploded in her head, vivid colors against a sea of black.
As her vision cleared, her mind calmed—thanks to her training in Tae Kwon Do. To put any of it into practice, though, she’d need to be out of the car in order to take Wake down. Sydney could