He took out a small notebook. “Ma’am, do you know Mr. Palazzi?”
She tensed and felt MacGyver’s hand on her back. “Yes, Officer. We were supposed to be married yesterday, but I couldn’t go through with it. I wasn’t in love with him.”
The officer scribbled in his notebook before glancing between them. “When did you two meet?”
MacGyver’s arm slipped around her waist. “Last night. I found her in a bar, still dressed in her wedding gown and trying to drink her sorrows away. It was love at first sight, right sweetheart?”
Guilt fluttered in her belly as she forced an embarrassed smile. “There was an instant attraction.” Kellie leaned into MacGyver, placing her hand on his abs. “I’m not usually so rash, but maybe it was just what we needed. If he hadn’t asked me to marry him, we’d have gone our separate ways this morning and never seen each other again. I’m not sorry. Are you, honey?” She tilted her head and played her role, feeling every bit the fraud she was.
“Not on your life, cupcake.” MacGyver winked. “Our marriage certificate is packed away, but I’ll dig it out if you’d like to see it, Officer.”
For one heart-stopping second, Kellie was sure Officer Jensen would take MacGyver up on his offer, but then he folded his notebook and shoved it in his shirt pocket. “Won’t be necessary, folks. You’re free to go. If I were you, I’d stay away from that guy. Tony Palazzi is a dangerous man. Wish he’d given us an excuse to take him downtown.”
“Thanks, Officer. We appreciate your help.” MacGyver shook Jensen’s hand.
“Enjoy your honeymoon.” As the officer turned toward his cruiser, Kellie felt a weight lifting from her diaphragm.
“Cupcake? Really?” She caught a fleeting glimpse of the amusement sparkling in his eyes before he grabbed the handle of her rolling bag and hurried her toward the Mustang.
“We’ll talk pet names later,” he said with a cheeky grin.
She’d been so afraid she’d mess up and Officer Jensen would detain them. She couldn’t afford that. Her pop was out there somewhere on his own, and the need to find him left her anxious and impatient. Even though their story had sounded ridiculous to her, sadly, the officers hadn’t seemed surprised.
MacGyver made sure she was settled in the backseat before he tossed her luggage in the trunk and climbed into the front. Travis shifted the car into drive, and no one spoke as they pulled away from the hotel.
It was easily apparent her two protectors were still on high alert. MacGyver kept an eye on his side mirror as they squealed onto the Strip, heading south. In the rearview mirror, Kellie could see Travis’s eyes every ten seconds or so as he checked the street behind them. Clearly, they expected trouble. She slowly slid lower in the seat.
“Black Corvette—five cars back—just joined the parade in a hurry,” MacGyver said.
What?Someone was following them? Kellie looked to Travis as he adjusted the rearview mirror and divided his attention between the cars behind them and the road ahead.
“Got your seatbelt on, Kellie?” MacGyver clicked his in place as he glanced between the front seats.
“Is he following us?” She hooked a thumb in her lap belt to show him it was tight.
“We picked up a tail, but I doubt it’s Tony. Probably one or two of his hired men.” He scanned the road behind them through the back window.
Like that’s any better?
MacGyver swiveled toward Travis as he rested his elbow on her knee. “He’s making his move.”
“I see him. Kellie, get down and hold on.” Travis’s warning came an instant before he whipped the wheel left at an intersection, crossed four lanes of traffic and headed the wrong way down a one-way street.
Kellie was already as low as she could get and still stay seatbelted in place, unable to take her eyes off the oncoming traffic. Cars braked abruptly, and others sped up to get out of their way. Panic and confusion seemed to reign, except in the front seat of the Mustang.
“He’s gaining.” MacGyver gave the play-by-play, for which she was grateful, even though the news wasn’t good.
Travis fishtailed onto a bypass ramp, putting the car into a spin until it was facing the proper direction—with the traffic, this time. That didn’t keep him from zipping in and out, passing cars on the left and the right and tearing through a flashing yellow light without slowing.
Kellie covered her eyes with one hand and reached for MacGyver’s with the other. She couldn’t explain the need to make physical contact with him—to feel the strength pulsing beneath his skin. Normally, she cringed when strangers got too close. Whatever the reason, he must have understood because he wrapped her hand in his and hung on.
“How we doin’?” Travis stepped on the gas, and the car roared to the top of the ramp, where they merged into three lanes of traffic heading north.
“I don’t see him.” MacGyver alternated between the side mirror and the back window, obviously watching for the black Corvette to appear behind them.
Travis switched lanes until he was as far left as he could go and then he must have floored the gas pedal. The Mustang flew along the highway, and, soon, MacGyver released her hand and rotated his upper body toward the front. “We lost him.”
Travis and MacGyver exchanged a glance, broad smiles on both their faces as though this had actually been an enjoyable experience.