Vengeful Bounty

by Jillian Kidd

  His left wrist had been broken in a couple places during the crash. A red cast held it in a bent claw-like shape. Doctors had to do emergency surgery on his collarbone, and it was wrapped up as well. A “Get Well Soon” balloon was tied to his bed.

  “I’m a helpless little baby,” Colt said, feigning weakness, batting his eyelashes at Deirdre.

  She smoothed his hair back out of his face and gave his forehead kisses.

  “I know you are, suga’,” she said. “But once you get better, you’d better damn well take me to New York like you promised or I’ll break your other wrist.”

  “I told you I had plans to take you next weekend.”

  “In this state? Huh! Not with you all banged up like you’ve just been in World War Three! Nu-uh, I want my suga’ to actually be able to carry my bags through Macy’s when I shop!”

  Colt gulped and giggled. “Well, we can reschedule!”

  “Good.” She smiled, kissing him on the lips, and then looked up at me. “You all right, Mina?”

  “Oh, I’m fine,” I said, smiling. “Just thinking.”

  “Okay, well you just go on ahead thinking. You need anything, let me know.”

  “I will.”

  Dad, who hadn’t said much since he arrived a few minutes ago, sat in the guest chair. He let the little vitals robot take his blood pressure. The bot, built like a silver faceless 3-foot-tall person, pulled the cuff off and said in a gentle metallic man’s voice:

  “One-twenty over eighty-one. Normal.”

  He nodded and stood, joining my side. A.J. started telling a joke about a cow and a keg of beer, and I stopped listening, instead focusing on the two birds flying circles around one another. Mates? Possibly.

  “Mina,” Dad said.

  I looked up and met his sea-green eyes. I hadn’t gotten my lecture from him, but I was ready for it.

  “Go ahead,” I said. “Lay into me.”

  Deirdre, Colt, and Bryan burst out in laughter at A.J.’s punchline.

  “I’m not going to,” Dad said.

  “You’re—you’re not?”

  “Nope.” He wrapped his arms around me and held me tight. “You’re a grown woman. You can make your own decisions.” He kissed the top of my head, and I sank into the safety of him. “But you promise me this for next time, if you ever have to go after someone like that.”

  “Anything.” My eyes were shut. “Just say it.”

  “You let me go with you, and we’ll take him down together.”

  I let out a quiet laugh and said, “Deal.”

  I smiled, feeling his warm, caring hand caressing the hair on the back of my head, just like he did years ago, from the time I was a baby.

  “I have some information for you,” he said.

  “Oh?”

  “About a new catch you might be interested in.”

  My ears pricked up at that. “Really?”

  “In Colorado. I’m sure Uncle Bill would let you stay with him for a while. You could even take Rogue.” Dad stopped petting my hair. “It’s a big one, this catch. Dangerous as always. But nothing my little darlin’ couldn’t handle.”

  I pulled back so I could see his face. “Details!”

  He laughed, deep and charming. “Go home and get some rest, first. You’ve been up all night with your brother. Call me when you wake up.”

  I nodded, hope filling my breast with new purpose. “You got it.”

  30

  By the weekend, I had all my plans in motion for my new Catch 25. But before I left on that mission, I had one more thing to do.

  Earlier in the week, I’d called Jackson on my way home from the hospital to let him know I’d made it back from New Orleans in one piece. I’d kept the conversation short.

  “I’ll see you at the concert,” I’d said.

  “Looking forward to it,” he’d said.

  And that was that.

  So here I was, standing front row in a massive stadium, surrounded by ecstatic fans, cheering their hearts out. Soon I realized the reason why.

  To say the show was spectacular would’ve been an understatement. There were laser lights, pyrotechnics, a stage that transformed, confetti, fog, and music. And what music! Granted, some of his songs were geared toward nightclubs, but many of them were simply good songs. They were pop; that’s for sure, but the melodies were catchy and unique, and Jackson had such energy on the stage that it was impossible not to get sucked in and possessed by his amazing spirit.

  He changed outfits about every ten minutes, from the simple to the flamboyant. At one point he wore boots with foot-high soles, a glittery cape, and glow-in-the-dark pants. He was an acrobat, doing back flips, climbing on the gymnasium-like set, and singing his heart out. He belted out the tunes with fervor, sometimes reaching a lovely alto pitch that had my skin prickled with goose bumps.

  I couldn’t tell if he’d seen me yet or not, though I was in the front. He tried to give himself to all the members of the crowd. He’d even pulled young individual girls on stage with him and sang lovingly into their eyes. They’d be writing about it in their journals tonight, for sure.

  But it was when he sat at a golden piano, with the lights low, and a cool blue spotlight cast on him, that he turned on his seat and looked me dead in the eye.

  It was only a few seconds, but it charged me right down to my toes. He knew better than to bring attention to me or try to pull me on the stage, so that look was enough.

  He announced he was about to play his new single. And that he hoped everyone liked it. And there it was again, the same song he’d been playing in his music room, the one he’d performed on TV. The song was called “Just Friends.” One more look into my eyes, and he began to sing:

  “I know we’re just friends

  But I feel down deep inside of me

  We could be more

  If we would only let it be.

  If we break through the walls

  and face a new reality

  Then we could be more than just friends.

  Mesmerized, I watched and listened, wondering, deeply wondering if it meant what I thought it did.

  Your heart is closed

  Because of what he’s done to you.

  I would hold you close.

  Would it be so wrong for me to do?

  The pain in your eyes has me standing at arm’s length.

  I know when I touch you I will just sink.

  Then the chorus:

  I’m broken—Just waiting for completion

  The wanting to be needed

  Fills up my soul.

  The moment—

  We finally surrender

  Will we remember—

  How it was to be

  Just friends?

  I found it hard to breathe, experiencing this angelic display of magic wrapping around my soul. The song. It was about me.

  I’ve seen you inside

  Seen just what can be done to you.

  Your armor is tight

  But through the chinks he still can get to you.

  You can bear it all.

  Still I won’t run away

  You have my heart, believe me, I’ll stay.

  The concert was soon over, after two encores. The audience started filing out, but I stood in front of the stage, stupefied. The phone in my pocket vibrated (I had gotten into a horrible habit of carrying it lately). It was Jackson. My heart leaped. I had to calm down and remind myself that he was my friend, not an untouchable godlike celebrity, though it was hard to do after that performance.

  Stop by the house, if you have time.

  I swallowed a dry lump in my throat. My pulse was going wild. I walked slowly at first then picked up the pace as I fished in my purse for my car keys, trying not to grin like an idiot.

  * * *

  His mother was gone. He’d texted me the gate code and left a note on the door that simply read, “Come on through. I’ll meet you out back.” I quickly breezed through the house and emerged into the backyard
. Walking down the pretty stone path to the fountain, I noticed it was under-lit by pretty golden lighting. White candles were lit around the rim. A single long-stemmed red rose waited for me, minus the thorns, and I picked it up, smelling its sweet scent. I sat down and waited.

  He at last came through the back door, now wearing casual clothes: a pair of khakis and a white T-shirt. His hair shone freshly wet from a shower. Little droplets of water dripped onto his shoulders.

  “Well?” he asked. “What’d you think?”

  I looked at the fountain and down at the rose, which I cradled in my hands. “It’s beautiful; I love the design.”

  “Not the fountain setup,” he said, laughing.

  He offered his hand, and I took it. He pulled me up, and we began to dance to the music in our heads. He smelled fresh from the shower.

  “I’m glad you like this,” he said, “but I was talking about the concert.”

  “That song—”

  He put a finger over my lips, the touch sending sparks of electricity through my limbs. “Now, you know you don’t have to ask that.”

  “So it was about me.”

  He nodded, and our dance slowed to a simple sway.

  “I have a question, though,” he said.

  “What?” My heart pounded in my chest, and I felt my body melting up against him, opening up and reviving from its much too-long death.

  “Date me?” he asked, turning his head to the side in that playful way I adored.

  “You think that’s a good idea?”

  “I do.”

  I smiled mischievously. “I don’t know.” I brought up a hand and caressed the side of his smooth, clean face, a move I’d wanted to do for a long time. “Convince me.”

  “Okay,” he purred.

  He leaned down, his lips finding mine. I sank into him, one of his hands in my hair, the other grabbing onto my back, pulling me into his warm, safe embrace. His body was firm, inviting, as the kiss shot me up into a starry dream.

  I was officially convinced.