Free Bad Grace: A Billionaire Romance Romantic Suspense (The Filth Monger Book 2) by Annabel Chant Page A

He crossed the road and began heading towards the river. We followed at a safe distance, keeping enough people between us to cover our presence, while staying close enough to avoid losing him.
    ‘If we have to split up now, Sir,’ said Alex. ‘Just give me the nod.’
    ‘Of course,’ I said, although I didn’t see why we’d need to. It was pretty easy, following him, to be honest. He seemed to have no idea we were there.
    He crossed a few more roads, until he was on the Embankment itself, walking along next to the river, heading East towards the Golden Jubilee Bridge. It was harder, here, for us to avoid being seen.
    ‘I think we should split up,’ said Alex. ‘We look too obvious, together.’
    ‘Okay,’ I said. ‘I’ll go ahead – you keep to my rear.’
    ‘Sir,’ said Alex. ‘Could I go first? I don’t know if I can handle too much running.’ He ran his hand through his hair again. ‘I’ll keep a low profile – pretend to be on my phone or something.’
    He did look fucked. The strands of his hair were damp and clinging to his forehead. I nodded briefly and fell back until I was about twenty yards behind him. We carried on like this for a few minutes; Alex walking in front, head bowed, phone at his ear; me bringing up the rear. I could barely see Rick, with the way the river curved, and to be honest I was almost glad.
    Something didn’t feel right. Embankment was a huge station. Rick could’ve gone in any direction from there. If he’d stayed on the Underground, we’d probably have lost him eventually, even without him realising we were following him. Yet, here we were, just the three of us, sauntering along the Embankment, as if we didn’t have a care in the world.
    I almost laughed at the irony. I’d walked along the Embankment – not here, but at Chelsea – only a few days ago with Grace. For those few minutes, I actually had felt as if hadn’t a care in the world. Not now, though. Fucking Rick. His whole attitude had really got under my skin, tonight. Now, here we were, at least an hour later, playing some fucked-up version of follow the leader, and still no closer to getting back the tape.
     
    I glanced at my watch. It was getting late – nearly eleven – and the passers-by had dwindled to the odd group of revellers and the occasional wino. I wondered how much longer we could get away with this, without Rick cottoning onto us. At that moment, a text came in.
    It was from Alex.
     
    He’s got a package out of his coat. I think it’s the tape.
     
    I heaved an impatient sigh and texted back.
     
    Are you saying no one frisked him?
     
    It was barely a few seconds before the reply came:
     
    Apparently not.
     
    I pushed my hair back in frustration. What the fuck were they doing, then, when he left? They’d had him pinned against the wall. Surely they’d thought to check his pockets, at least?
    I could see Rick now. He was standing, looking out over the river, something in his hand. It could’ve been the tape, it could’ve been his phone. I had no way of knowing, from this distance.
    Alex turned and looked at me. I shrugged. What to fucking do? Should I let him carry on, and find out where he was hiding out, or should we risk it and try to get the tape back now? I stopped for a moment, to gather my thoughts. A moment too long…
    Alex had evidently decided to take matters into his own hands. He quickened his pace, walking faster and faster until he broke out into a trot. Within a few seconds, he was almost upon him, and I just stood there, aghast.
    ‘No, Alex,’ I murmured to myself. ‘Let it go.’
    But he couldn’t hear me, naturally. I started to run, looking on as Alex reached Rick, who span round and looked at him, horror etched into his face. Alex made to grab the – whatever it was – but Rick was having none of it and pushed at him. Within seconds it was a full-blown tussle, stopping only when Alex suddenly crumpled and fell to the floor, clutching his