Free I Am Yours (Heartbeat #3) by Faith Sullivan Page A

one tough little cookie, aren’t you?” He whistles through his teeth in appreciation. “I’ll have to remember not to mess with you.”
    “Yeah, you do that.” I snap my fingers like a true diva.
    He bursts out laughing and I notice he has the cutest set of dimples…just like Adam’s. I expect my heart to react, but it doesn’t. Brian’s smile is too infectious. There’s no way I can feel remorse after cracking up such a gorgeous guy. He makes me want to join in his merriment, not run from it.
    “So getting back to my story, having those well-guarded digits is already starting to open some doors.” Usually I’d be distracted by the beauty of the coastal scene as we cross over one of the bridges exiting the Outer Banks, but I’m dying to know what he means. “For starters, they let me access our cell phone records.”
    “You are so whipped.” It’s a cheap shot, but again I can’t believe he’d be naïve enough to relinquish control over such vital information. He was on her cell phone plan? How lame is that?
    “Maybe I was, but not anymore.” The determination he’s projecting bolsters my confidence somewhat. But it has to be hard to break out of such an ingrained pattern of behavior. It’s going to take a lot to get him completely out from under her thumb.
    “I hope so or this alliance is doomed to fail.” I cross my arms in front of my chest, irritated by how many things can go wrong.
    “It won’t.” I’m conscious that his eyes are on me but I don’t return his gaze. I’m still learning to trust him and I’m not there yet. “My hunch was on target.” But maybe it won’t take much more to convince me.
    “Go on,” I implore, trying not to let my enthusiasm show.
    “I only checked this month’s records, but she called him at least a dozen times over the last two days alone. And one was placed just before seven this morning.” He seems genuinely excited that we might be on the right track—and worried that we are. “If what I suspect is true, we’re in for the fight of our lives, Jada. You do realize that, right?”
    “Yeah, I’m afraid I do. When you called me at the butt crack of dawn when Kelly snuck out of your room, I was skeptical. But now that you have concrete proof backing it up, I can’t deny that you might be on to something.” The enormity of what we’re up against is starting to sink in. We’re seriously outmatched and we’re going to have to be extremely careful if we’re going to have any shot at succeeding.
    “The person who might be able to provide us with more clues is Katie. I heard Kelly talking to her outside Adam’s door.” He glances at me hopefully, but I shake my head.
    “Too risky.” I run a hand nervously though my hair. The fewer people who know about this, the better.
    “She knows about Adam and the baby. Do you really think Kelly is her favorite person in the world right now?” He’s pushing the issue, but I’m not going there. He can try to convince me all he wants. I’m not budging.
    “No way, Brian. When it comes down to it, she’s going to side with a family member over us, even if she can’t stand her cousin at the moment.” I lower the visor in an attempt to keep the sun off my face. We’re back on the mainland with only nine more hours of driving ahead of us. I’m going to have stand firm and not let him talk me out of excluding Katie from our plans. The longer we’re in this confined space, the more tempting it’s going to sound, especially since I’m functioning on practically no sleep.
    “But what if we say we need her help for Adam’s sake?” The softness in his eyes is already starting to melt my defenses. They’re a rich brown, not startlingly blue like Adam’s, but they’re hypnotic all the same. “She’ll do anything for him. She freaking loves him.”
    “Loves him? Please.” I couldn’t stomach listening to this when it was coming from her lips, never mind Brian’s. “Don’t get me started on that