Beautiful Bounty (The Bounty Hunters: The Marino Bros. Book 1)

by Nightingale, MJ

  He didn’t have to wait long though. Thank goodness. After maybe ten minutes of crouching and getting eaten alive by mosquitos, with his patience wearing thin, Nikko thought he heard someone returning. The nocturnal sounds of the night creatures suddenly ceased. Someone was coming or the creatures wouldn’t have gotten so quiet. After a minute of nothing but dead silence, his anger was up again at the thought that he had been wrong. Where in the hell was the guy, and where in the hell was Ronnie? His palm itched to really tan her hide. She deserved it for the danger she was putting herself into.

  He shifted again, and then he definitely heard something, it sounded like voices approaching in the distance. Two voices, a guy and girl, but they were still too far off to make out what they were saying, or who they belonged to. His ears strained to hear something. Anything.

  Fuck, he heard her. It was Ronnie. He couldn’t see her yet, but it was her. He hadn’t been able to carry his gun on the plane, but he was prepared to use whatever force was needed. He should have picked up something, and silently cursed himself for not thinking of it sooner.

  “Thank-you Gary,” she was saying. “I really can’t thank you enough.” Her voice was as sweet as syrup.

  He heard Gary laugh in a way that sickened him. “I know a way you can thank me baby,” he teased, breathing hard. They were just starting to come into view. Nikko’s hands curled into fists. The hell she will, he thought.

  “And thanks for leaving your four wheeler, and walking my bike in,” she added. “It sucks that you’ll have to go back out and get it later.”

  “I didn’t want to risk leaving yours, someone finding it, and then running the plates. It’ll be fine for tonight,” he grunted again pushing her bike the last thirty yards. “Plus, you can thank me personally in about ten minutes.” He laughed again.

  He heard Ronnie’s nervous laugh at Gary’s innuendo and felt the acid in his stomach churn. This guy was going to have his dick cut off if he so much as touched her. She belonged to him now. The creepy fucking bastard had balls if he thought he would use his woman to satisfy his needs. He fucking left her holding the proverbial bag, she was sucking up to him big time, and the dude was taking it all in. What fucking nerve. He slowly moved his position. As soon as the guy let go of the bike, Nikko planned to jump him. He moved slowly, but despite his best efforts and small twig snapped.

  “Oh, baby. You know I will thank you, just the way you like. But first, I’d love some coffee, and maybe something to eat too. I haven’t had much sleep either. But, I am famished and need to eat something. Got anything in that cabin of yours. I’ll cook,” she offered. She was using the cooking to buy some time. Hopefully get him to talk.

  “I hope not too tired,” he smirked at her in what was meant to be sexy, but only made her stomach roll. When she didn’t answer, he added, “But we can eat first. I got some eggs, and stuff. And cold cuts. Hey, can you make me one of your omelets, baby? You know I am not much in the kitchen.”

  They were maybe ten yards away. Nikko’s muscles prepared for the attack. Seconds now.

  All was silent and that bothered Ronnie. “Who is there?” Ronnie called out. Fuck! She heard a slight snap by the wood pile. It could be an animal, but she doubted it.

  “What the hell?” Gary yelped. “Someone out there?” He was looking around nervously.

  “Shit,” Ronnie murmured glaring in the darkness at the woodpile. The noise had come from over there.

  Fuck! Nikko was pissed. She had marked him.

  Gary looked like he was going to bolt and Nikko had no choice but to make his presence known. He stood. Ronnie spotted him right away.

  “Nikko?” Ronnie winced. This was the very last thing she wanted. He was going to ruin everything. She’d just gotten here. He’d tracked her so quickly, and now he was going to fuck everything up. She needed to think fast.

  “You know this guy?” Gary looked from one to the other. He held the bike in front of him like a shield.

  “Yes, he is a fucking bounty hunter. He’s here to take me back to Florida. Damn it,” she cursed, and turned to Gary to lessen the blow. She whispered to him in the hopes he would think Nikko couldn’t hear. “I don’t want to involve you, baby. I never wanted that. I’ll just go with him and hopefully he won’t even concern himself with you.” She winked at him hoping he would play along. For a moment he just looked confused, then Gary nodded.

  A bit louder than was necessary, Gary spoke up. “Um, Ronnie baby, I had no idea you weren’t supposed to leave the state.” He lied so easily, Ronnie thought, even if it wasn’t very well. Fucking coward, she thought. But she would play along. She needed to, especially if she hoped to convince Nikko to allow her to come back.

  “Sorry babe, I didn’t tell you that part. Just that I was out on bail. Fuck.” She turned to face Nikko now who was watching them both warily. He had been silent up to this point, wondering what the fuck was going on. “What are you going to do?” she looked at Nikko pointedly praying he didn’t fuck this up more than he already had. She kept her tone neutral. She didn’t want Gary to pick on her and Nikko’s relationship if you could even call it that.

  “Well, well, well, Veronica Sears.” He used her formal name. “I’m here to bring you back. So if you will just come along and play nice, we can let this guy go make his own omelet. There is a late flight, and we just might be able to make it back to Florida tonight.” He gave her a malicious smirk.

  Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! He was ruining everything. She narrowed her eyes, but kept quiet about the things she would really like to say to him. It wasn’t the time. She turned her back to him. “Gary,” she whispered. “I’m sorry. I’ll go. I love you,” she whispered and was about to reach in to hug him, but Gary pulled away from her distancing himself at the same time Nikko called out.

  “Now.” Nikko said the word forcefully. When she turned back to face him, he was leering at her. “If you will just come along,” he stated more politely using his hands and very long fingers to beckon her to him.

  What choice did she have? Fuck! Her mind screamed. She would have to convince him to let her go, give her one more chance to nail Gary. It was the only chance she had.

  “Um,” Gary started. “I think you better go, Ronnie.” Gary wanted no fucking part of this.

  Ronnie looked from one man to the other. She couldn’t help but make the mental comparisons. Two men who had royally screwed her over. And despite Nikko’s recent behavior, Gary was still the biggest loser in her mind. “I’ll go,” she stated, but didn’t break eye contact with Gary. She chose to ignore Nikko for a moment more. “But can I have just a minute with my friend,” she nodded towards Gary.

  Nikko’s eyes narrowed menacingly. “Just a moment, and no touching. I can’t tell if either one of you is armed yet, and I am not taking any chances,” he murmured gruffly. The guy wasn’t getting his hands on his woman, he wasn’t getting as much as a fucking peck on the cheek if he had his say.

  Ronnie turned her back completely to him, and she stood on tiptoe. “Please keep my bike safe for me, Gary. It’s got sentimental value.” She then mouthed the words to him. She definitely didn’t want Nikko to hear this. “I’ll try to escape. I’ll come back.”

  Gary just shook his head slightly and sharply in the negative. She used her eyes to plead with him. He nodded reluctantly even though that was the last thing he wanted. He just wanted her out of here now, and out of his hair. His parents would have a fit if this got out. He wanted them both off his property now. He needed to get the hell out of dodge and away from the trouble he knew he had started because he’d wanted to play the tough guy, and had gotten mixed up in things way over his head. “I’ll take care of the bike. Have it shipped back to your granddads. Take care babe,” he began to reach down to tug a strand of her hair the way he used to. A small part of him still felt bad for her.

  “I said no touching,” Nikko firmly restated, interrupting what looked like might turn into a tender moment. Again, the words, not with m
y woman ran through his mind.

  Gary put his hands up in mock surrender, but backed up a step. “Gotcha!”

  “Gary, one more thing, baby,” Ronnie spoke softly as she began to turn. “What I said to you on the phone earlier. I meant. And I hope you keep your promise. I won’t tell anyone I was here either. I love you so much. Thanks for trying.” And with that Ronnie took a step back.

  Her words confused the hell out Nikko, and when she turned he could see she had tears in her eyes. What the hell, he thought. Had she been fooling him all along? Playing him? Did she still have feelings for this jerk? Well, there was only one way to find out, and he would beat the answers out of her when he got her alone. And, he couldn’t wait; damn he was pissed.

  When she was by his side, he pulled out his handcuffs, and made her turn around.

  “Is that really necessary?” she replied flipping her platinum blond hair over her shoulder and using every ounce of sarcasm she could muster.

  Gary was already heading into his cabin not waiting around for the after show, so his answer was made softly for just her to hear. “I think it is, Ronnie. We don’t want you going bat shit crazy, and dumping a gallon of barbecue sauce all over me again after drugging me, do we?”

  “You might not want that,” she murmured under her breath, when she heard the clasp of the door click into place. Gary was already safely inside. “But it sounds pretty good to me.”

  His icy blue eyes were at war with her soft brown eyes…she didn’t budge. So, he tugged on the cuffs not so gently either in the guise of ensuring they were securely in place. “Walk,” he commanded her and gave her a little push for good measure. He wanted nothing more than to beat that sassy attitude out of her.

  The quarter mile to his car was done in complete silence. He was wondering what the heck Ronnie was up to, and what she’d been planning. She was wondering how she was going to convince him to let her go back and try to get a confession out of Gary.

  She saw the dirt road in the distance. He must have parked his car there by the old Anderson place. She was running out of time. Then one of Jay’s little euphemisms popped into her head. You catch more flies with honey, than you do with vinegar.

  So, Ronnie began to cry.

  She was still crying when they reached the car, and he unsnapped her cuffs so she would be comfortable even though she didn’t deserve it. He gently steered her inside the vehicle and quickly made his way to his side of the car. Getting in, he tried to ignore her for now. He wanted to get her out of here fast and get on the road. Away from here, and away from Gary.

  After about a minute of driving, Nikko looked at Ronnie out of the corner of his eyes while he also tried to focus on the curvy dirt road. It was pitch black out, and there were no lights in this neck of the woods. He was so mad at her, had been so worried, it took him a full minute to react to those tears.

  Once on the straight, he was able to turn to her slightly and still handle the vehicle. Her crying had only gotten louder, more hysterical in his mind, and he really felt her pain. He couldn’t take the sobs any longer, and so did the only thing he could think to do in that moment. He tried to comfort her. “Ronnie,” he murmured softly and tried to place a hand on her lap.

  “Don’t touch me,” she snapped pushing his hand away. “You’ve ruined everything!”

  Her reaction was so typically female. Exaggerated, emotional. It wasn’t Ronnie either. It floored him.

  “Me?” he sputtered, reacting. After what she had done, she accused him of ruining everything. What the fuck? Her tears weren’t fooling him. “Ronnie! Don’t dump this on me. You are the one who jumped bail. You are the one who drugged me. You are the one who dumped a gallon of barbecue sauce on me and stole my fucking car. And you sit there and cry, and blame me.”

  “Yes, I blame you.” Her head whipped towards him as she backed into the corner of her seat. “You said you would help and support me, and the first chance you get you take Miss Barbecue Bimbo to bed because I was unavailable. You lied to me.”

  Her words stung. It’s what he thought she had assumed. But, she had it all wrong. He prayed she would accept his explanation.

  “Nothing happened with her, Ronnie. She was applying for a job at the hotel, and it was a coincidence. You really need to stop jumping to conclusions when it comes to us. I am so pissed right now, and those tears better dry the fuck up. You’re not the innocent one here.” Yes, he felt bad. But, he wasn’t putting up with these antics either.

  His words gave her pause, shocked her, but she was so furious right now and unable to process it all.

  “Yeah, likely story. I know your type, Nikko. Anything with legs and long eyelashes who bats her eyes your way. I fell for it once, I fell for you twice. Shame on me if I fall for that again,” she spat then turned from him crossing her arms across her chest defensively.

  “Ronnie,” Nikko said, dropping his tone on octave. “You are pushing all the wrong buttons. When I get you back to the hotel, I have a real good notion to put you over my knee.”

  “Don’t you fucking dare try,” she threatened, looking at him. “I’ll scream so bloody loud I’ll burst your ear drums. And, I’m not going to your hotel either. I want my own room.” She glared at him now. Of all the gall.

  “Ah, hell to the no on that one, baby.” He gave her a sideways glance. “I’m calling for a plane, getting us on the late flight, getting your ass back to Florida. But we need some place private to talk. If you scream then the police get called and your mom loses the house. So, think twice before you make that threat again.” Her eyes remained narrowed. He let out a sigh of frustration, and softened his tone.

  “Ronnie, there are some things we need to talk about.” When she just continued to fume silently, he interjected. “Really Ronnie? What were you thinking drugging me? What the hell did you give me, anyway? My brothers are going to think I am a complete ass. Your mother could lose her house, my brothers a small fortune if the police catch wind of you being here,” his tone was softer, but brokered no argument. She hadn’t thought any of this through at all. Hell, she could have killed him.

  His words stung. They cut deeply. “Is that all you think about? Your reputation with your brothers and the money. I gave you what you deserved. You made me feel like a fool. You never cared for me at all. I was just a job to you. And a way to pass the time. I was an idiot. I thought we were friends,” she began to cry again somewhat in earnest hoping these tears would work.

  Her words rained on him like ice. But her tears kept him from thinking clearly. He couldn’t deal with the emotional aspect of it, and so reacted the only way he knew how. He snapped again.

  “I told you to cut that shit out with the tears. I can’t think straight right now. You fucked up, not me, whether you want to admit it or not. Don’t blame me. Seriously, before our talk, you are going over my knee baby because you have been a bad, bad girl.”

  “Fuck you, Nikko!” she seethed, and wiped at her tears. They were real, but more out of frustration for her foiled plans than sadness, she tried to tell herself.

  “Oh, we can do that too if you want.” His eyes fixed on the road as he made a turn.

  “Never again,” she spit out.

  “We’ll see,” he said more softly as he finished the maneuver, but his voice still had that same edge.

  The car got quiet for a few minutes. When they pulled off the dirt road onto the highway, Nikko hit the gas a little and sped the rest of the way to town. Ronnie was in a whole heap of trouble, and his palm itched. No matter what she thought, drugging him and stealing his car, and putting herself into a whole fucking shit load of trouble was no excuse. The girl was going to get what she deserved. Then, he would work on the making up part. But first would come the lesson.

  Ronnie sensed more than anything the seething anger below the surface. Nikko was really pissed. The things he said made sense, but she wouldn’t, no couldn’t deal with that right now. She needed to get her life back before she could think
of anything else. She did feel a twinge of guilt for the drugging part. But there had been no other way. Had there? She shook away the doubts and risked a sideways glance at Nikko. His face was set in a grim line. She could see the pain and hurt below the surface. It confused her. As they got closer to Spragueville, Ronnie knew they were just two exits away, her doubts grew as did her fears. What in the hell could she do to convince him to let her go to Gary? The anger wasn’t going to work. The crying either. She needed to try a different approach.

  “Nikko?” she said softly. Perhaps some humble pie. And a little pleading.

  He heard the difference in her tone right away, but he was still so mad at her it took a moment before he could respond.

  She tried again. “Nikko?” Now her voice had a plaintive quality about it. It tore at him.

  He sighed and finally asked, “What?” Not what he was expecting.

  “Nikko, you can’t send me back yet.” His head snapped in her direction. They were at a light.

  “What?” He repeated and looked at her like she was a moron.

  “Please,” she begged twisting her hands in her lap.

  “Like hell. That is one of the first things I am gonna do!” The woman had obviously lost her mind.

  She had to make him understand. “Nikko, listen. Please.” She took a breath when he remained silent. “My lawyer is good, but he had bad news for me yesterday. His guys couldn’t find Gary, and the tapes don’t show much like he was hoping. I can’t wait months while my whole life is in limbo. I think I can get him to confess. I really do.”