by L. P. Dover
“You too,” Daniel and Emily said in unison.
“So, Ian, I have an elk hunting expedition happening in a couple of weeks. You interested?” Daniel asked.
“Hell yeah. Sign me up. I just need to work on my shooting before then.”
He waved me off. “Come by my house tomorrow and we can practice. It’ll be fun.” Grabbing a pen from the bar, he wrote down his address and handed it to me. The cocksucker had no clue I already knew everything about him. “Three o’clock sound good?”
I nodded. “I’ll be there.”
Ian
“Emily’s the one who wants me dead, isn’t she?” Grace asked.
I tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. I hated seeing her upset. Then again, I’d want to know who wanted me dead as well. Given that Emily had left with Daniel last night at the bar, it was like the answer stared us in the face.
“It’d make sense,” I said, pulling her to me. I had thirty minutes before I had to be at Daniel’s to shoot. The wind was light and the sun was bright, almost like the calm before a storm. I rubbed Grace’s back and breathed her in. “Emily could’ve been fucking around with Brad to get access to the security room. You did say you had to watch the front desk for a few minutes while she supposedly went to the bathroom. That could’ve given her the time she needed to get inside the room and tamper with the video feed.”
Sighing, Grace stepped back and stood beside Reed. Both of them were dressed in running shorts and T-shirts. “I guess we’ll find out soon.”
“Whatever you do, don’t lose your temper,” Reed said. He and Grace both had concerned looks on their faces.
I held up my hands. “I’ll be fine. It might be hard not to point my gun at his head, but I’ll manage.” Barely.
Grace threw her arms around my neck. “Be careful. We don’t know what this guy’s capable of.”
“Yeah, we do,” I said, holding her tight. “We know he’ll go after anyone. He’s cold and cruel. Which is just my luck, because I know exactly how to handle sick fucks like that.”
“It’s true,” Reed agreed. “We’ve had to study and hunt men like this for years.”
She kissed my cheek and let me go. “All the same. Be careful.”
I winked at her. “Have fun training with Reed. I’ll be home for dinner.” Turning on my heel, I opened my truck door and got in. I was ready to get this afternoon over with.
When I turned down Daniel’s driveway, there was a gate blocking the path, so I pressed the call button on the keypad. There was a camera at the top of the gate and I waved.
“Just in time,” Daniel called out over the speaker.
The gate opened and I drove through. It was a long driveway with trees all around. Then, everything opened up. A large, well-manicured lawn sat in front of Daniel’s house, which was a large, brick ranch with a circular driveway. There was no sign of a barn, at least not until I pulled all the way up to the house. It was further away in the field, but it was there. Rage consumed me at the sight. All I could think about was Grace being locked up in a horse stall, struggling for her life.
The front door of the house opened and Daniel appeared, waving for me to go in. I shut off my truck and smiled back. “What’s up, man?” I hollered, trying not to clench my teeth.
“Nothing much. Come on inside, then we’ll go out back.”
“Here we go,” I whispered, knowing Reed and Grace could hear me. I walked inside and followed Daniel to his living room. There was a man sitting on the couch I hadn’t seen before. He had a laptop on his knees. Setting it aside, he stood and held out his hand.
“Ian, this is Andrew Davies,” Daniel introduced. “He’s a colleague and friend.”
I shook his hand. “Ian Chandler.” It took all I had not to rip his arm off.
“So how long have you lived here?” Andrew asked.
“Off and on for a few years now. I travel a lot with work.” Daniel handed me and Andrew a beer and I chugged it down. “Will you be going on the hunting expedition too?” I asked.
He nodded. “Oh, yeah, wouldn’t miss it. Last year, we all had enough meat in our freezers to last the whole year.” He opened his beer and took a sip. “Do you hunt?”
I shrugged. “I try to do a little hunting during the season.”
Daniel slapped my back. “Did you bring any guns?”
An eat shit grin spread across my face. “They’re in my truck.”
“Good. Let’s get down to business. Grab ‘em and meet us out back.”
Not many people had the kind of guns I had. With being in the FBI and having a shit ton of money, I could get my hands on anything I wanted. I walked out to my truck and grabbed both gun cases.
Daniel and Andrew were out back, setting up their rifles on the tables. Daniel had his own gun range with a series of metal targets, all scattered at various yards.
“Nice setup,” I called out.
Daniel shrugged. “My grandfather did all of it. He was big into shooting competitions.”
I set my cases down on the ground. “Did he ever win?”
Daniel grinned over at Andrew, then back to me. “All the time.”
“He must’ve won a lot to have all this,” I stated, flourishing my hand around the estate. “Most police officers don’t make enough to afford this kind of deal.”
“My grandfather wasn’t just a police officer,” Daniel said with a laugh. “Most of his money came from the hunting expeditions. People flew in from everywhere to hunt elk and bison. You wouldn’t believe the kind of money people would pay to hunt them.”
That wasn’t the only thing they hunted. I glanced around at the estate. “I think I’m in the wrong line of work.”
Both guys laughed and sat down at the table. Daniel had a Ruger SR556, and Andrew an AR-15. Daniel went first, and hit about ninety-eight percent of the targets. Andrew ended up being around the same. They glanced back at me, grinning arrogantly. Was I impressed? Hell fucking no. They hadn’t seen anything yet.
“Move aside, gentlemen. Let a real shooter show you how it’s done.” I laid my cases down on the other end of the table and pulled out both rifles.
“No fucking way. Is that a JP LRP-07?” Daniel asked, practically drooling over my rifle. Little did he know, he was looking at the gun that’d be killing his ass.
“It is. My father gave it to me. The other is a NightDragon semi-automatic with a night vision kit. It tracks targets up to fifteen miles per hour.” Instead of sitting at the table like they did, I grabbed the NightDragon and took a deep breath. My brothers and I had the best shots out of anyone in the Circle of Justice. Hell, in the FBI for that matter. I never missed my mark.
I pulled the trigger, loving the sound of the dings as I hit every single one of the metal targets.
“Damn, that was amazing,” Andrew said, eyes wide in shock.
“Yeah, it was,” Daniel agreed. I could see the jealousy on his face, but he played it off.
I shrugged. “I may not hunt a lot, but I know how to shoot.”
Daniel walked over. “Think you can hit all of them a second time?”
“Why? You want to make a bet?”
A grin tilted his lips. “A hundred dollars says you can’t. Loser has to pay for dinner and drinks tonight.” Smug bastard.
I pulled out my wallet and set a Franklin on the table. “You’re on.”
The last thing I wanted was to spend more time with Daniel and Andrew, but I needed more information. And I’d won the bet, so it was Daniel’s responsibility to pay for my drinks and dinner.
“Reed, I know you’re listening. Call Connor and tell him to show up at Sixth Street Tavern in forty-five minutes. I’m pulling in there now.” Daniel and Andrew rode together, and I drove separate. Before getting out of the car, my watch beeped.
Reed: Will do.
“Thanks. And Grace, I’m sorry I won’t make it back for dinner.”
Another beep came through.
You owe me.
“Th
at I do.” I got out of the truck and followed the guys inside. The hostess sat us at a table and gave us menus.
“Don’t have a hot date tonight?” Andrew asked me.
Daniel chuckled. “He has Zoe at his beck and call. The girl’s swinging from his nuts.”
“Got that right. She’s annoying as fuck though. There’s someone else I have my eye on.”
“Please tell me it’s not Lauren,” Daniel groaned. “She’s a superficial bitch.”
Grace was going to kill me. “I don’t know. She didn’t seem like that last night.”
“She’s not that bad,” Andrew cut in. “But she’s Jared’s sister, so I think of her like one.”
I stared at Daniel and his jaw clenched at Andrew’s comment. When he looked up, I pretended not to notice, and pushed him a little further. “What happened with you and Jared the other night? Seemed like you two were fighting about something.”
He shrugged. “Just a difference of opinion. He’ll get over it.”
“I know how that goes. I have a couple of brothers. What about Emily? You left with her last night. How’d it go?”
He shrugged. “It didn’t. By the time I dropped her off at her place, I was ready to leave. The bitch wouldn’t stop talking.”
That wasn’t what I expected to hear. If she was like that, there was no way he’d trust her to keep her mouth shut if she was the one who wanted to kill Grace. The same went for Zoe.
Andrew nudged my arm with his menu. “He’s picky about women.”
“That’s probably a good thing. I thought I saw her with someone else a few days ago.”
Daniel nodded. “She’s messing around with some security douche at the hotel. He’s a limp-wristed bitch. Obviously, she wanted a real man.” He grinned and I smiled back, despising the fact I had to be on my best behavior.
My smile disappeared quickly when Connor walked through the door. Perfect timing. Growling low, I made sure to glare at him with as much loathing as I could.
Daniel tapped his finger on the table to get my attention. “Everything all right?”
“It was, until that motherfucker walked in the door.” I nodded toward Connor. “He knocked up my sister and claims the baby’s not his. I know for a fact it is. I’d give anything to fuck him up, but he’s been laying low so I can’t find him.”
Out of the corner of my eye, I watched Daniel and Andrew look at each other. I slammed my glass down. “Sorry, guys. I can’t let him go.” I started to stand, but Daniel grabbed my arm.
“Not smart, dude. There are other ways to deal with this.”
I scoffed. “Yeah, killing him.”
Daniel and Andrew exchanged another look. “Let him go,” Daniel said. “If you want revenge, there might be a way to help you.”
“Oh, yeah? What’s that?” I hissed low, keeping my attention on Connor.
Daniel let my arm go. “Give us a little time to do research and we’ll get back with you. Trust me, you’ll get the ultimate payback.”
“You better be right.”
On the way home, I stopped at the grocery store. I figured since I didn’t make it home for dinner, I could make it up to Grace with her favorite ice cream, Ben & Jerry’s Chocolate Fudge Brownie, and a pack of salt and vinegar potato chips. We also needed more food, since we had three people living there fulltime. Usually, the two of us were out hunting people on the list.
Once I had the ice cream, I snuck over to the alcohol section and grabbed a couple of six packs.
“So we meet again.”
I turned toward the voice, only to find Lauren grinning wide, pushing an empty shopping cart. “How are you?”
“Good. Just picking up some groceries for my mother. She’s barely able to leave the bed.”
“I hate to hear that. How’s your brother?”
She shrugged. “Who knows? He’s been distant lately. That’s why I’m working at the hotel now.”
“That’s kind of you.”
“Eh. It’s a break from modeling. Honestly, I don’t know if I’ll ever make it back to Paris. My mom’s in rough shape.”
“You gotta do what you gotta do. My parents have been dead for a while, so I understand the need to spend time with them.”
She slid past her cart to stand next to me. “So, listen, I know you and Zoe aren’t on good terms right now. Would it be okay if I take over your account? That way, you can work with me on your party.”
“That’d be great.”
Her smile widened. “Perfect. I’ll be in touch so we can plan a meeting.” She ran a hand down my arm. Must be her signature move. “I promise, I’ll make it worthwhile.”
Judging by the lustful look in her eyes, I had a feeling I knew how she planned to do that. Who would’ve thought planning a fake party would be such a giant pain in the fucking ass?
Grace
“You don’t have to help me,” Reed said, hammering the wooden rail to the fence post.
Rolling my eyes, I helped lift another rail. “Honestly, I don’t mind. I helped my dad all the time when I was at home.” My hands were dirty and I had mud all over my legs and clothes. The evening had brought a light rain that felt good on my skin. “What do you think Daniel and Andrew meant when they said they had to do research?”
Reed shrugged. “Probably looking into Ian’s past. But they won’t find anything about the FBI.”
“How come?”
He hammered some more. “It’s hidden. If anyone outside of the FBI does a background check on me and my brothers, they’ll see what we tell people. Ian will come up as a web designer who graduated from Drexel University. He has three brothers and a sister, both parents deceased.”
“Wow, that’s crazy. What college did he go to?”
“Michigan State. It’s where Bryce and Reed went too,” Ian called out from somewhere behind me.
I flipped around, surprised by his arrival, only to find his dress shirt sticking to his chest and abs—the rain had done a number to his clothes, and it was sexy as hell.
Ian raked his gaze down my body. “A little dirty, aren’t you?”
I winked. “Nothing a shower couldn’t fix. Wanna help?”
“All right, I think we’re done here.” Reed patted Ian’s shoulder in passing. “I need to go to Colorado Springs tonight. I’ll be back later.”
Ian moved closer. “Normally, I’d find this so fucking hot.” He looked down and cupped my breasts, running his thumbs over my visible nipples—the wet shirt left nothing to the imagination. He continued to rub and pinch, shooting a tingling sensation between my legs. “But not with my brother around.”
I giggled and leaned into his touch. “Reed doesn’t see me like that.”
“He’s a warm-blooded male. Trust me, he noticed.”
“What took you so long to get home?”
Ian leaned in for a quick kiss, gave my breasts one last squeeze, then pulled away. Nodding toward the house, he answered. “I stopped by the store. I bought you something you’ll like. I remember you saying it was your favorite that night we bowled.”
I remembered that night perfectly. He’d wanted to go out for drinks and I said it’d ruin my ice cream plans. It was a bullshit excuse to run away, but it hadn’t been a lie. I was dying to eat my chocolate brownie ice cream.
Before I could thank him, his smile faded and he continued. “I ran into someone while I was there.”
“Who?”
“Lauren Beckett. She’s working at the hotel now.” His eyes fluttered down to my chest and back up. I could tell he liked what he saw. “Apparently, Jared’s not doing good. She wants to take over my account.”
I scoffed. “Of course she does. Let me guess, she flirted with you too.” Letting him go, I walked toward the house. I wasn’t angry with him, just pissed that every damn female wanted him.
“Why are you walking away from me?”
“I don’t know,” I shouted, throwing my hands in the air. “I listened to Zoe practically fall all over you, and n
ow, I have to hear it from Lauren. No guy ever turns her down.”
Ian grabbed my arm and jerked me around, his eyes raw and dark as night. “I don’t want anything to do with her. There’s nothing to be worried about.” He stared at my lips as they parted to respond, eyes meandering to my chest once again. He made a noise in his throat and pulled me flush against his body. His arousal was evident as it pushed against my stomach, making it hard to focus.
The rain came down in sheets, collecting in a pool between our bodies. “That’s not the point, Ian. Everywhere you go, women want you. It’s like you’re a magnet for it. Don’t get me wrong, I want this to work. But I can’t handle having to fight women off left and right. I’m tired of being scared. And with you, I’m terrified.”
“You don’t have to be,” he said, clutching my face in his strong grasp. “It’s you I love.” My heart stopped and I gasped. It had felt like an eternity waiting for him to say it back to me. “And when this is all over, I’m going to make sure the whole town knows I’m taken, and that you’re mine.” Fisting his hands in my hair, he kissed me, spreading my lips apart with his tongue.
My breaths came out in rapid pants. I wanted more—needed it. I raked my nails down his back and he growled.
“Jesus, you’re so fucking hot.” He grabbed hold of my ass and pulled me into his groin. “I want you, Grace. Right here, right now.”
“What are you waiting for?”
Ian groaned deep in his chest and lifted me, my legs wrapping tightly around his waist. He carried me to the back of the house. “Have you ever had sex in the rain?”
Kissing his neck, I bit the flesh behind his ear and shook my head. “No, but there’s a first time for everything. I just don’t want splinters in my ass from the deck.”
Chuckling, he set me down and took off his clothes, tossing them onto the wooden slats. Once mine were off, he laid them on top of his. “Your ass should be perfectly safe now,” he said, causing me to giggle.