Thief: The Dove in the Darkness

by Katlynn Rose

  "I assume you're tagging along," Craig said roughly as the three exited the tourist ghost town.

  "It took me two years to find her. I'm not letting her out of my sight," Lance snapped back, his voice as hard as Craig's. That prompted Craig to stop and spin on the couple, towering over them both as he glared down at Lance. Ashley saw his jaw tick as his teeth clenched, and she squeezed Lance's hand tightly as the tension grew.

  Craig's eyes traveled down Lance's body, sizing him up, and stopped when he saw their clasped hands. He sighed deeply and gave Ashley another wounded look before saying, "You have personals you need to collect from that camp?"

  "I do," Lance nodded curtly. "Just one bag."

  "How important is it to you?"

  "Nothing in it's important," Lance scoffed. "But if you want to keep a missing persons report out of Nikki's hair, I suggest we make a brief pit stop."

  That gave Craig pause, and he gave Lance a rueful grin. "I don't trust you..."

  "Do you have a choice?"

  "But I trust her," Craig finished as if Lance had never interrupted him. He stepped forward and leaned over him threateningly. Lance tensed but didn't back down. Craig growled, "Don't fuck this up."

  Craig spun without another word, and after a quick look shared between them, Ashley and Lance followed. Ashley was lost in the dense woods, but Craig knew right where they were going, surprising Ashley when he stopped them in front of the darkened camp.

  Lance leaned close to her ear and whispered, "Don't worry, Ash. I'll be right back."

  He quickly disappeared into the darkness, but Ashley didn't notice as her heart stuttered and stole her breath. He called her Ash. Finally, the piece of recognition she needed clicked inside her. How many times had he called her that before?

  "I'm sticking my neck out for you, kid," Craig said, scattering her thoughts.

  Ashley smiled nervously and replied, "He'll be back."

  Craig snorted, but less than two minutes later, Lance materialized from the shadows. He was trying to button up his shirt with one hand while he carried a heavy duffel bag with the other. The look of surprise on Craig's face showed how little faith he had in the other man. He eyed Lance carefully before grumbling, "The shirt's an improvement. Now, how am I going to explain you to Nikki?"

  Craig continued to mutter as he led them back to his motor home, escorting the two of them inside right away. Ashley knew he didn't want to give any of the others a chance to start asking questions.

  "Stay," he said firmly to both of them before slipping outside.

  "He's... pleasant," Lance said after the door slammed behind Craig.

  "He's risking a lot," Ashley answered, suddenly feeling shy. She swallowed hard as she sat down on the built-in couch.

  Lance dropped his duffel bag on the table and sat down on the bench seat. He frowned as he glanced around the small motor home and asked, "What now?"

  "Now we're on holiday." Ashley rolled her eyes. "That means we split up for a while. Nikki will call us back in later."

  Lance stared at her, and Ashley found it hard to meet his gaze. His eyes were so intense, so penetrating. She caught her bottom lip in her teeth and looked away. Lance finally asked, "And what does this mean for you? For me? How did you even end up here?"

  She should have been ashamed, but Ashley grinned instead. "Ox found me. Well, caught me actually. I was trying to lift his wallet. Instead of breaking my arm, he offered me a hot meal and a place to sleep."

  "Are you two..." Lance started and visibly swallowed before continuing, "Are you two a thing?"

  Ashley burst into laughter. "Oh, God, no!" She got her words out between giggles, and even in her laughing fit, she noticed Lance relax some.

  The door flew open, interrupting whatever Lance was going to say next, and cut off Ashley's laughter. One of the twins entered, eyed the two of them and gave Ashley a lecherous grin before moving to the passenger seat. Scott followed, snorted when he spotted Lance at the table, and continued past them to flop down on the bed in the back. Craig was the last to enter. He nodded to Ashley before taking the driver's seat, and soon after, the RV rumbled to life.

  As the big vehicle started down the road, Ashley drifting between sweet memories and gnawing uncertainty. Lance sat stiffly in the booth, obviously not comfortable in the presence of thieves, and they rode in silence for a long while.

  They were on the road for over an hour when Lance moved to sit beside her. Her heart immediately took up an excited drumbeat as butterflies swarmed in her belly. He leaned in close, and her skin tingled. “Will you go with me? Will you let me take you out of this?"

  He was sitting so close to her. She could feel each breath he took, feel the steam form on her skin as he exhaled, feel his chest press against the back of her arm as he inhaled. She didn't dare look at him, afraid of what might happen to her willpower if she were caught in those beautiful eyes. Instead, she stared down at her hands, wanting so bad to say yes, yet a part of her remained unsure of him. A small part. Mostly, she wanted more than anything to lie in his arms and forget this crazy life she had stumbled into.

  He shifted, pressing her down into the cushions as he reached out to gently run his fingers over the bare skin of her arm. His soft touch sent a searing pleasure through her, and her heart skipped a beat. She leaned her head against the wall, her eyes drifting closed as she struggled with her rising passions. She couldn’t lose control.

  A long, deep breath battled to still the wild hunger he had set off inside her, and she almost won. Then he lowered his head to her neck, burying his face against her, and all her walls crumbled. Chills ran through her, and she shivered with anticipation.

  "Ash," he sighed, his voice caressing her name. It carried with it a desperate plea, and she trembled. It was too much, too soon, and even though he tugged at her, she fled. Slipping quickly from the couch, she fell into the bench seat he had left, her heart still thudding a steady rhythm in her chest.

  Too soon, she wanted to say, but when her eyes met his, the look of hurt and anger in the green depths froze her in place. The passion in her stomach twisted into knots of tension, and she winced. The ache of longing did not dissipate, though, but she couldn't bring herself to go back to him. Not yet. She needed a more time.

  The trip dragged on, becoming uncomfortable as Ashley avoided meeting his eyes. The quiet was broken by Scott's snores from the back, and occasionally Ashley caught Craig shooting quick glances at her in the review mirror, but the trip was uneventful. They finally came to a stop at a small roadside hotel, and Ashley and the others waited while Craig left to make the room arrangements.

  Ashley was tired, her mind and body drained from the excitement of the day, but she knew she wouldn't be able to sleep. Craig returned with four different room keys, and she followed behind the procession in a vague daze, unable to keep her mind off the rampaging feelings coursing through her. Lance was standing beside her, and she was hyper-aware of his every move. She imagined she could feel the heat radiating off of him, and it was drawing her in, but she still couldn't meet his eyes.

  He followed her into their room, and the door shut behind him. That was when she realized what Craig had done. She was alone with Lance.

  Chapter 6 – Motel