Read Online Out of the Shadows (Tangled Ivy #3) by Tiffany Snow - Free Book Online Page A

stared at him, both shocked and unsurprised at Vega’s actions. I remembered the easy, almost casual way in which she’d had Clive killed. How she’d spoken of giving Heinrich the whereabouts of Clive’s wife, Anna, which had led to her infection and tortuous death.
    I wished Devon wasn’t driving so I could put my arms around him, but I settled for squeezing his hand instead.
    “I’m so sorry,” I murmured.
    “I trusted her, obeyed her, gave my life over to her, for years ,” he said. “And she betrayed me. What she did . . . what she allowed them to do to Kira . . . ” He looked at me and I sucked in a breath at the rage and pain in his eyes and on his face. “She’s the monster, Ivy. And we’re going to take everything from her.”
    The conviction in his words sent a chill through me. I understood Devon’s wanting vengeance, but I didn’t want him to die because of it.

    It was after midnight when we pulled into a motel in the middle of nowhere that looked like a reject from Psycho . Devon turned off the engine, but I made no move to get out.
    “What’s the matter?” he asked.
    It would have sounded ridiculous for me to be all, I’m skeered , like a kid who’d watched too many horror movies . . . but apparently I’d watched too many horror movies.
    “Maybe there’s like a Holiday Inn or something a bit further,” I suggested. “I could drive, if you’re tired.”
    “Holiday Inns have records and computers and cameras,” he said. “This place does not.”
    “I also doubt they have running water,” I muttered as he got out.
    “Wait here,” he said before closing his door and walking into the dingy office to rent a room.
    “No problem,” I said under my breath, eyeing the flickering neon sign proclaiming “Vacancy,” except the N and C were both out, so it looked like “Vacay.”
    “Far from it,” I said to myself, remembering the wonderful hotel in Maui at which Devon and I had stayed. Although I had champagne taste on a beer budget (as my Grams was so often telling me), I didn’t think I was being all snotty about this place. Anyone in their right mind could see it was a total dump.
    “Should’ve bought Lysol at Walmart.” Oh well. I’d have to pick some up the next time we passed the ubiquitous shopping center.
    Devon returned a few minutes later, bearing a key. He drove us toward the end of the strip of rooms, stopping in front of number thirteen. I glanced at him.
    “Thirteen? Really?”
    “Surely you’re not superstitious,” he said, his lips twitching at the corners.
    “Why tempt the universe?” I countered. “We’re already on its bad side.”
    Leaning over, he pressed his lips to mine in a quick, hard kiss. His hand cupped my cheek as he gazed into my eyes. “I promise, I’ll protect you from the universe,” he softly murmured.
    My heart promptly melted.
    I followed him inside as he carried the duffel bag containing our clothes. The room was clean, but old. The linens thin and worn, the carpet stained in spots with God only knew what. I perched gingerly on the edge of the bed.
    Though I hadn’t done the driving today, I was exhausted. I swiped a hand tiredly over my eyes.
    “Are you all right?” Devon asked, his brow creased with concern.
    I smiled. “I’m fine. Just need to get some sleep, I think.”
    He seemed to accept that, turning away and bolting the door, then wedging a chair under the knob. I watched as he checked the windows, too.
    “Do you think anyone is following us?” I asked, the man from the parking lot coming to mind.
    “I think it pays to be cautious.”
    Abruptly I wondered what would happen if we did make it out of this. Devon had lived a life I couldn’t begin to imagine. Would he find the day-to-day normalcy of no longer being a spy boring? And what would he do if he decided he’d made a mistake and couldn’t live just a normal existence?
    I thought about this as I brushed my teeth and got ready for bed. I stripped off my