Stripped Bounty

by Dorothy F. Shaw

  “I can’t stay hidden for that long. No way. It’s been almost three weeks and I’m already losing my mind. For fuck’s sake, you won’t even let me go Christmas shopping.” She crossed her arms and frowned. “And no, I don’t want to shop online. That just sucks the Christmas right the hell out of the whole thing!”

  “Look. I get it okay? Just stop with the drama and listen.” He ran his hand over his short hair. “I know you’re frustrated. What if we get out of here? Go on a few vacations or something. See the country, or maybe even another country.”

  “A vacation? Wow, you know what? That sounds great, honey!” A smile spread across her mouth that smacked of the unspoken words of “fuck him and the horse he rode in on” before she frowned, glaring at him. “In case you missed the sarcasm, let me translate for you. I don’t think its great at all. And what? You’re just gonna pack up to run around the globe with me and leave your grandmother here to fend for herself? Did you even think about that? I mean, what is this? Drew Baxter’s witness protection program?”

  The point about leaving his grandmother hit Badger right between the eyes and he tried to suppress the growl that boiled to the surface as a result, but failed. “You let me worry about my grandmother, all right? This is the best option, and you know it. That man wants his money. He believes you have it, whether you do or not doesn’t really matter. He will kill you, Rosie.”

  “This is fucking stupid!” She stood in a huff and paced again. “And selfish!”

  “Woman, you better get that mouth of yours in check.” Badger let out another growl, barely able to comprehend all the emotions flying around his brain like a boomerang. The fact that she continued to think of others was something he definitely admired about her. She’d worried about Deuce and Evie being involved, as well as Wolf. But now she’d just added his grandmother to the mix. Jesus, his heart was in deep with her. But he was still pissed.

  She continued to pace, glaring at him as she did. “Whatever!”

  “Whatever my ass. Might be stupid, Rosie, but no way in hell I’m losing you. Not now. Not after—”

  Halting her movement, she looked at him. “Not after what?”

  Frustration beat through him like a hammer, making him want to put his fist through the wall. Instead, Badger pressed his lips together and sighed through his nose. He didn’t even want to examine what had almost come out of his mouth. Not the right time for that. He wasn’t going to tell the woman all he felt—for the first time—while having an argument.

  Instead, he got to his feet. “It doesn’t matter. Bottom line: I’m not fucking losing you. We clear? You let me worry about the details. Eventually he’ll skip bail, and once he does, I can take him down. Until then, or until he’s back in jail? Consider your ass the first customer of the Drew Baxter witness protection program and a frequent online shopper. You’re just gonna have to fucking deal with it.”

  “No.” Rosie crossed her arms and jutted out her chin—defiance and drama oozing from her expression.

  “No?”

  “You heard me.”

  Badger shook his head and headed toward the back door. Enough of this. She wasn’t going to let it go, which was going to make the next several months hell. Not how he wanted things, but he’d deal. Dramatic temper tantrums and probably lots of slamming of cabinet doors would become the norm. Awesome. Just the perfect way to start out a relationship.

  But it was better than the alternative—which was no relationship at all. No Rosie making the world a prettier place.

  No Rosie.

  No Ro—Badger’s stomach rolled into a tight ball and a low growl rumbled from his chest. He couldn’t imagine his world without her in it. It wasn’t possible. This woman had imbedded herself into his life, marking Badger as hers. That fact had been set in stone the other night.

  There was no fucking way in hell he’d let her fuck that up for both of them.

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Rosie turned off the television and got to her feet. It was almost five p.m. and she was getting hungry. God only knew where Badger was, or when he’d be home. Not that she cared. She was still pissed at him. It’d been three days since their fight on the back patio, and Rosie hadn’t spoken a word to him since. And she didn’t plan on breaking her silence any time soon.

  They hadn’t even had sex, which was really starting to wear her down. And regardless of the fact that she’d made an art of ignoring him, the bastard still held her tight to his body every single night when they slept.

  Between the scent of him invading her senses and his dick pressed against her ass while he was spooned up behind her, Rosie was pretty much a walking horn-dog with a libido that just wouldn’t quit. Last night, she woke to find that she’d been rubbing against him in her sleep. She must’ve been dreaming, so it was totally not her fault. But of course, his cock had gone rock hard as a result, and before she knew it, his hands were traveling over her body from breasts to pussy and back again.

  Rosie’s stomach got tight at the memory and her clit throbbed. Jesus, she’d wanted to fuck him so bad. But she hadn’t. She’d held her ground and kept her wet pussy under wraps—by pretending she was asleep. Of course in the morning, when he’d left for work or whatever else he was doing, she’d gotten herself off three times in the shower. Rosie groaned and closed her eyes. If she didn’t stop thinking about it, she was going to end up getting herself off again. She could already feel her wetness coating her panties. Maybe she could fuck him when he got home and still maintain the silent treatment? Ugh. Yeah, right.

  With a hard mental shove, Rosie banished the thoughts and put a lid on her arousal. Remembering she was hungry, she moved into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator doors. There wasn’t much left in there that appealed to her. Maybe she should order a pizza. Or maybe some Chinese. Rosie opened the kitchen drawer that had some take-out menus in it. She sifted through the pile, searching for the menu for the Chinese place around the corner. They had really good kung pao chicken… “For fuck’s sake. Where the hell is it?”

  She slid the drawer closed and nibbled her thumbnail, trying to recall the last time she’d seen it. Oh, yeah. Pivoting, she headed through the den and down the hall to Badger’s office. They’d ordered from the place a little over a week ago, and the menu was probably still on his desk.

  After picking up a few pieces of paper, and moving a couple of notebooks, Rosie finally located the menu. She took a seat and grabbed the cordless phone from its base and dialed the number. As the phone rang in her ear, Rosie sat back and glanced over his things. The edge of a white business card tucked inside a notebook she’d moved caught her attention. Curious, Rosie slid it from its place and her eyes went wide—

  “Mandarin Wok, how can I help you?”

  “Uh…sorry. I’m gonna have to call you back.” Rosie pulled the phone from her ear and pressed the “off” button. She stared down at the card with Alvaro’s name and phone number on it. When the fuck had he… Shit, Badger probably got this the night he had his little talk with the dealer.

  Rosie set the card down on the desk and stared at it. What if she just…

  Raising her fingers to her mouth she chewed the edge of a nail. The idea racing through her mind was crazy. Pure insanity. She knew it, but the train had already left the station. And at that moment, Rosie was powerless to stop it.

  This madness needed to end, and she could end it. She needed to get on with her life. Badger did, too. Rosie picked up the phone and dialed the first nine digits of the number on the card. With her finger hovering over the tenth digit, she paused. Clicking the “off” button, she drew in a deep breath. She could do this. She had to. Resigned, she drew on any courage she could find within, and punched all the numbers into the keypad. She put the phone to her ear as the call connected and began to ring. Her hands shook, and her heart pounded while Rosie waited for him to answer. “Come on, pick up.”

  “My friend. So good to hear from you.”

  My friend? Wh
at the fuck was that about? Rosie cleared her throat. “I want you to leave me alone.”

  “Ah, Mrs. Santini. What a nice surprise.”

  His deep voice crawled over Rosie’s skin and bile rose in the back of her throat. She swallowed it down and did her best to keep calm. “Did you hear me? I want you to leave me alone.”

  “And I want my money.”

  “I don’t have your money.”

  He tsk’d her before continuing, “Dishonesty doesn’t become you.”

  “I’ll call the police. This is harassment.”

  “Now, now, Mrs. Santini. Do you take me for a fool? If you were going to do that, you would’ve already done so. We both know that.”

  She blew out a breath, unsure of what to do next. But she already jumped into the deep end; she’d have to figure out how to swim. “What my late husband did has nothing to do with me.”

  “Come now, we should discuss this in person. Bring me the money and I will leave you alone. You have my word.”

  She laughed. “Your word? Excuse me, but your word means nothing to me. You murdered my husband.”

  “This is true. But I am still a man of my word.”

  Could what he say actually hold true? Wasn’t there supposed to be some sort of code among drug dealers, or was that just the mafia? Rosie shook her head in annoyance. She was not this naïve, though she was seriously starting to question her soundness of mind. Calling him was crazy, and she was even crazier for considering going to meet with him.

  But she was also desperate. Rosie wanted her life back, or at least to resume the new life she’d begun in Arizona. And she wanted to see if that life included Badger. “Fine, I’ll come meet you. Scottsdale Fashion Square. By the waterfall. Tomorrow at noon.”

  “Planning on a little shopping?”

  “Fuck you.” Rosie disconnected before he could say anything else to her. She drew in a deep breath and dropped the phone on the desk.

  “Who were you talking to?”

  Rosie jumped as a scream punched out of her. She clutched her chest. “Jesus Christ, Badger. You scared me.”

  He crossed his arms and leaned against the doorframe. “Who were you talking to?”

  “Good grief! I wasn’t talking to anyone, I was cursing at the phone.” As discreetly as she could, she shoved the business card under the other papers littering the desk as she picked up the take-out menu. “I was trying to order some take-out, but their line is busy. How is that even possible with call waiting?” She stood and moved to him. “Maybe something’s wrong with your phone. Why don’t you try from your cell?” He took the menu from her as he eyed her up and down. She could tell by his expression that he didn’t believe her, but whatever. It didn’t matter. “I’m craving some—”

  “I know what you want.” He drew his phone from his pocket.

  “Great.” She forced a smile and pushed past him. “Grabbing a beer. I’ll take one out for you, too.”

  Considering she was about to do something really stupid, in hopes of convincing a maniac to leave her alone, Rosie figured it was time to put an end to the silent scorn she’d been tossing Badger’s way the last few days. Besides, it was really hard to stay mad at the guy when he knew, without even having to think about it, what her favorite foods were. Never mind the fact that Christmas was a week away. She wanted this done and over with. If things went well tomorrow with Alvaro, this whole nightmare would be over and she’d be home before Badger ever knew she was gone.

  And if they didn’t…well at least she’d have made the most of her last night with Badger.

  Badger came out to the den after placing their order for take-out. Rosie was slumped down on the couch, television on, her feet up on the table. He paused a moment, taking in her profile as she lifted the bottle of Bud to her lips and took a sip. Her makeup was done, but only lightly and her hair was pulled up on the sides, leaving the length to drape over her shoulders. She wore a bright pink T-shirt—no bra of course—with little rainbow-colored butterflies all over it, and faded Levi’s that clung to her body like a second skin.

  As always… Beautiful. Different. Perfect.

  “You okay?”

  “Yeah.” He moved into the room. “You?”

  “I’m good, honey. Beer’s on the counter for you.” She smiled, all bright and pretty.

  “Thanks.” Badger walked to the kitchen to grab the beer. He couldn’t shake the bad feeling that’d taken up residence in his gut like a lead weight since he’d found her in his office. There was something she wasn’t telling him. At least she was finally speaking to him again—which was partly why he was leery.

  The woman had gone seventy-two hours without so much as muttering a single word to him, and suddenly she was acting like nothing had happened? They may not have been together very long, but they had been living together the entire time. Talk about getting up close and personal with someone real damn quick. Rosie’d already shown him she was stubborn as hell and knew exactly how to make a point, but the flip-on-a-dime demeanor wasn’t like her.

  Badger picked up the bottle and took a long gulp. Actually, he was damn lucky they got along as well as they did, considering they’d skipped the whole dating and getting-to-know-each-other phase, and went straight to being a cohabitating couple in two-point-two milliseconds. Casting off his feeling of unease, or trying to anyway, he moved to the den. “Not complaining, but I’m curious. What’s changed?”

  She looked up at him. “What do you mean?”

  Badger took a seat on the couch beside her. “I’ve had nothing but dead air out of you for three days.”

  She shrugged. “Guess I got over it.”

  He grunted. “What if I’m not?”

  Rosie leaned forward, placed her beer on the coffee table. “Hmm.” Shifting, she rose to her knees on the couch, slid a leg over his thighs and straddled his lap. “Then, I guess I’ll have to get you there.”

  Badger growled. Fucking hell, this woman! He was over it. Had been the minute it’d started. He’d given her the space she needed anyway. But he hadn’t liked it. Not one damn bit. He’d missed the hell out of her, even though she had been there the whole time. He’d missed kissing her. Laughing with her. Touching her. Fucking her—good Christ he’d missed fucking her.

  The only thing that’d kept him sane had been that he’d held onto her when they were in bed sleeping. She’d allowed it, but she hadn’t been happy about it. “Too bad,” had been his reply to her when she’d tried to pull away the first night. Rosie hadn’t liked that, either. But again, too bad. Badger gazed up into her brown eyes wanting nothing more than to pull her down for a kiss. “How do you plan on doing that?”

  With a slight shift of her hips, she tilted her head to the side, pursed her fine lips, quirked one eyebrow and gave him a lust-filled look. “Oh, I have my ways.”

  “I bet you do.” Badger’s eyes went to her mouth before focusing on her gaze again. Between the pressure of her sweet pussy against his zipper and the sexy expression on her face, blood started flowing fast and hot to his dick.

  Rosie smoothed her palms down his chest and bent close, her lips hovering a bare breath above his. “May I kiss you, sir?”

  Oh, goddamn. Lust hit him like a punch in the gut. Yeah, she sure as hell had her ways. She knew exactly what to do and say. He’d fucking taught her well. What he wanted to do was grab all that long hair of hers in his fist, force her to her knees and fuck that hot mouth of hers. More curious to see what she’d do next, he held himself still. “You may.”

  Rosie closed the small distance between their lips and covered his mouth with hers. She slipped her tongue into his mouth, stroking it over his and Badger fisted his hands at his sides. He wanted to see how far she’d go, how she’d take him where she wanted him to go. But goddamn if she didn’t taste like heaven. The finest sugar he’d ever had on his tongue flowed through his system, making his cock solid as steel, while he let her control the kiss.

  He swallowed her moan as she sli
d her hands beneath his shirt, kneading his muscled stomach and chest with her fingers, and rolling her hips, grinding against his erection. As the kiss grew hotter and wetter, Badger’s control slipped. Fuck, she was so fine…so hot. Breaking from her mouth, he gripped her hips and held her tight to his pelvis. “Missed this. Fucking missed you, Rosie.”

  “I know, honey. I missed you, too.” Her head fell back as Badger kissed down her jaw to her throat. “I couldn’t hold out any longer.”

  “That so?” He tugged the neck of her shirt aside and nipped at her collarbone. “Missing my cock?”

  “Yes.” Her voice was a breathless whisper as she arched, pressing her fine tits and hard nipples against his chest.

  Badger’s dick ached behind his zipper. He needed her naked. He needed her on his cock. He needed those hard berries in his mouth. He just fucking needed her… Fisting her hair in his palm, he shoved her off his lap. “On your knees. Take me between your lips now.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  He tore his jeans open and pushed them down his hips just enough to free his prick. “Take your shirt off and then hands behind your back.”

  She did as he directed, but before he let her have his cock, Badger needed some of her. Leaning forward, he rolled each tight nipple between his fingers, then tugged them hard, not letting go. Rosie moaned and whimpered, panting for breath as he gave her that sting of pain he knew she’d come to crave from him. “More?”

  “Fuck, yes. Please, sir. More.”

  Badger tugged harder, pulling on the dark points. Jesus he loved her nipples. Perfect for sucking and biting. “I’m going to buy you nipple clamps. Make you wear them for hours. How about that?”

  “Badger—” she let out a hiss, “—oh God, yes please? I want that.”

  “Yeah, that’s my baby. Knew you would. Now, suck the cock you own.” He fell back, relaxing against the cushions of the couch.

  Rosie leaned forward, circling her tongue around the rim. Taking her by the back of the hair, he gripped the soft strands and thrust hard between her lips. He bumped the back of her throat and she moaned. Badger gritted his teeth. “You got about five minutes to make me come down your throat before the food gets here. Show me how much you love my cock.”