Rising Bounty

by K. D. Jones

  They entered the cabin and she was amazed at how large the inside was. The main part of the building had twelve-foot ceilings with beams going from one side to the other. “This is — amazing.”

  Abe shrugged, but she caught a glimpse of the pride in his eyes. “It’s home.”

  “Oh, thank God!” Roxanne looked over and almost cried when she spotted her mother coming forward with outstretched arms. “Mom!”

  As Roxanne embraced her mother, relief washed over her.

  Sandy wiped tears from her face. “They said that you were being followed. I was so worried.”

  Roxanne looked down at her daughter, worried that she had heard the reason for their sudden departure for Abe’s cabin. Abe sensed her apprehension, and knelt on one knee. “Cici, why don’t ye run upstairs with Lexi and see which room ye would like to sleep in.”

  “Really? I can pick it?” Cici’s jumps up and down with excitement that could not be contained.

  “Yes, go on.” He shooed her up the stairs and Lexi followed her. They all waited until she was out of sight.

  Roxanne turned back to her mother. “There were two men in a van waiting outside Cici’s school. When Cici’s teachers walked her out, I noticed a man got out of the van and started to approach us. I was scared so I got one of Cici’s teachers to drop us off at Abe’s office. The guys in the van followed us.”

  “Do you think Darryl sent them?” Her mother’s face paled.

  “Yeah, they have to be working for Darryl. They were waiting outside the bail bonds office too. Abe offered to bring us all here to his place.”

  Her mother hugged her again. “I am so glad you two are safe. If things ever get bad, you take Cici and leave. Don’t think twice about me. I want you two to run.”

  “Mom, I’m not leaving you.”

  “You will too, if it will keep you safe.” Her mother insisted with that specific tone that Roxanne always knew meant business.

  “Actually, I’m going to do everything I can to protect all of ye, so no talking about anyone leaving anyone behind.” Abe interrupted them before they continued arguing. He walked between them, took their arms, and led them to his large sofas. She tried to frown but ended up shaking her head. He certainly knew how to handle women. Her mother was eating up the attention.

  Sandy wasn’t upset, but instead seemed alert and excited. There was a spark in her eyes Roxanne hadn’t seen in awhile. She was grateful for that.

  “What shall we do, Abe?” Her mother asked as she sat down.

  Roxanne sat down on the sofa next to her mother, and when Abe squeezed into the tight spot right next to her, she was pushed against him. He moved his arm to the back of the sofa to give her a little room, but she was still pressed against his side. Her body responded with her nipples hardening. This was not the time or place. Her mother was right next to her, for heaven’s sake. She glanced at her mother, who gave her a knowing look and a wink in return. She felt heat rise to her cheeks.

  Abe cleared his throat. “We’re going to keep the three of ye here while our lawyer, Lauren, finishes her investigation.”

  Vic stepped forward. “Lauren called earlier today. She arrived on New Earth hours ago but there was an attempt to break into her hotel room.”

  “Oh no, is she okay?” Roxanne reached for Abe’s arm.

  Vic sat in a chair across from them. “Yeah, my bounty hunters took care of the intruders. They confessed to being hired by Hadley. We’ve already called and had the authority pick them up.”

  Roxanne perked up. “Well, that should help if they testify against him.”

  “A little. What we need is proof that Hadley rigged the case. If we can do that, then get it overturned, yer name would be cleared and we can formally charge Hadley,” Abe told them.

  Roxanne felt frustrated. She leaned back against the back of the couch. “Darryl’s good at keeping his secrets.”

  “Maybe, but we’re the best at finding secrets. It’s what we do,” Abe reassured her, taking her hand in his.

  Abe meant to comfort her but her body couldn’t help but respond to him. She felt heat travel from their clasped hands up her arm and through her whole body. “If I stay here, what about the club?”

  “Lexi and I will be taking care of the club. I’ll have Isaac monitor your apartment and the club. Abe will stay here to guard you,” Vic answered. He stood up and walked over to Lexi as she came down the stairs.

  “Your mom and I packed some of your and Cici’s things and we stopped to pick up some groceries because we knew Abe wouldn’t have much, him being a bachelor and all,” Lexi told her. “Cici is playing with her dollhouse. I knew that was her favorite thing so I made sure to bring the toys she would want the most.”

  Roxanne stood up and walked over to her friend. “Thank you so much for everything you’re doing for us. I feel bad putting all of you out. Vic’s using his bounty hunters as security, and you’re working without a day manager at the club. I’m putting people in danger.”

  Lexi hugged her. “You’re family, and we take care of family.”

  “Yes, we do.” Vic agreed, touching Lexi’s shoulder gently to give comfort. “We need to get going so that we have time to get the club ready to open tonight.”

  Abe stood up. “I’ll check the perimeter alarms and make sure they are working. It will let us know if anyone gets close to the cabin.” He walked with Vic and Lexi outside.

  Roxanne turned to her mother. “I’m scared, Mom.”

  “I think Abe and his friends are your best chance to finally defeating Darryl. Trust your friends to help you do that.”

  “It’s hard to trust others when it’s just been the three of us.”

  “Yes, and you’ve shouldered the burden of taking caring of us all by yourself. Now, you have a big strong man like Abe and he seems very capable of handling Darryl.”

  “I hate placing others in danger. I don’t want anyone to get hurt on my behalf.”

  Her mother stood up and came over to her. “I know, and they do too. All of them understand the danger they are facing but are willing to face it to help you. You have to be strong enough to let them help.”

  She sighed. “I’ll try. I’m not used to putting our safety in someone else’s control.”

  Her mother cupped her cheek. “Baby steps then. Slowly let Abe in your life. Come with me to the kitchen, let’s make dinner, I got the ingredients for chili. I figured a big man like Abe would appreciate it.”

  “Okay.” She was glad that the kitchen was open to the living room. She would be able to watch out for Cici if she started to come down the stairs.

  Chapter 10

  Thirty Minutes Later

  Abe could smell the food before he came inside the cabin. “Wow, that smells delicious.”

  Roxanne looked up at him and smiled. “That’s Mom’s famous chili.”

  He rubbed his flat stomach. “I love chili. Where is yer mother and Cici?”

  “Cici’s been playing with her dollhouse. Mom went upstairs to bring her down for dinner. I’ve set the table. If you want to go ahead and sit down, I’ll serve you.”

  “Ye don’t have to do that.”

  “It’s the least I can do. What would you like to drink? Mom made tea but I saw you had some beer in the refrigerator.”

  “A beer would be fine, thanks.” Abe sat down feeling a bit awkward. He should be the one taking care of her since it was his home, but it was also a pleasant feeling to come home and have someone there waiting on him. He watched her as she flitted around the kitchen getting plates of food and bringing them to the table. She looked like she belonged there.

  He could hear footsteps on the stairs and turned in his seat. “Hi Cici, did ye find a room ye liked?”

  “Yep. I liked the blue room, blue’s my favorite color. There’s a big bed me and Mama can share. All my favorite toys are here. Does that mean we’re going to live with you now, Abe?”

  He pulled out a chair for her and did the same for Roxanne�
��s mother. “Ye all will for a little while. Is that okay?”

  “Can we, Mama? I like the view from the windows upstairs. You can see the whole world. Plus, there’s no loud noises like people yelling when they come out of the club.”

  “We’ll stay for a little bit.” Roxanne put a bowl down for Cici and handed Abe his. Cici immediately reached for a piece of bread and dipped it in the chili. He smiled at her excitement.

  He inhaled deeply. “This looks and smells delicious.”

  “Roxanne cooked it. I just helped her get the ingredients together,” Sandy told him.

  “It’s Mom’s recipe. I remember, growing up, we would have chili night once a week. It was my favorite night of the week. My dad loved chili.” Roxanne sat down next to him.

  “Yes he sure did.” Sandy agreed with a fond smile on her face.

  It was the oddest feeling for Abe, as though they were a real family sitting down for a meal. That was something he had never really experienced. His grandmother did the best she could, and the foster family on Bazin put on a show when others were around, but they always let him know in their little gestures that he was an outsider, not a full Bazinoid. He was part human and, therefore, not equal to them.

  “Abe, is something wrong?” Roxanne touched his arm.

  “I’m just appreciating this. I’m a lone bachelor who fixes quick meals for one. To be honest, this might be the first time I’ve ever eaten at this table.”

  “Well, that’s about to change. I insist that family have a sit-down dinner every night at least five times a week. It brings everyone together to talk about his or her day. It bonds you. You don’t have any family around here?” Sandy asked, taking a spoon and dipping it in the chili.

  Abe shifted in his seat. “My grandmother was from New Earth’s Scotland. When she passed away I moved here to Fin-Dieskau.”

  “What about your mother and father?” Roxanne asked.

  “My mother was a rebellious teenager who got into a lot of trouble early on, she met my father who was from Bazin and got pregnant. My father skipped out on her halfway through the pregnancy and by the time she had me, my mother decided she didn’t want to be tied down to a baby so she dumped me on my grandmother.”

  “I’m so sorry Abe.” Roxanne looked at him with a tear in her eye. He couldn’t take it if she cried.

  “I’m fine. I had my grandmother for the first ten years of my life then she found a decent couple on Bazin to foster me and teach me about my Bazin roots.”

  He felt a tug on his shirtsleeve and looked down to find that Cici had gotten out of her chair to come and stand next to him. He leaned down. “Is there something ye need little one?”

  She rose on tip toes to hug his neck. He patted her back and then let her go. “What was that for?”

  “You had a bad mommy and I had a bad daddy. Mama says as long as there are people who care about you, you can have a happy life. I just wanted you to know that we care about you.”

  He cleared his throat. “Thank you Cici. I care about you, your mom and your grandmother too.” He watched as she went back to her seat. He glanced over at Roxanne who was beaming with pride.

  “Let’s eat before the chili gets cold.” Sandy directed their attention back to the meal.

  Abe lifted his spoon of chili up to his mouth and blew on it a little before tasting it. It was delicious, spicy without being overwhelmingly hot. “This is so good.”

  “Thank you.” Roxanne smiled at him and he forgot everything. When she smiled she lit up the whole room. He knew that he would never get tired of looking at her smile. She had a gentle classic beauty with pale skin and full lips. He knew she dyed her hair black, which looked very good against her complexion, but he longed to know her true coloring.

  “Abe, eat as much chili as you want, Roxanne made plenty,” Sandy nudged him, bringing his attention back to the present moment. He looked at her and she winked. He knew he had been caught ogling Roxanne.

  “Aye, ma’am.”

  “None of that — you call me Sandy.”

  “Aye—Sandy.” Abe watched, fascinated, as Roxanne, her mother, and daughter all took over the conversation. They talked about Cici’s class and what field trip was coming up. They finished their meal and Abe had to admit, it was the most pleasant one he had ever had.

  “I have to work on my homework,” Cici announced.

  “You can work on it tomorrow. You’re not going to school for the rest of the week. I’ll call your teacher to get the work load.”

  “Why?” Cici asked innocently.

  “We’re…” It was obvious Roxanne was struggling with what to tell Cici.

  Abe stepped up. “Ye’re on vacation right now.”

  “Vacation? Don’t you have to go to a beach or something for it to be a vacation?” Cici was pretty smart with her questions.

  “There’s a lake out there that is perfect for swimming. Lots of people take vacations at the lake,” Abe told her.

  She looked to her mother. “Is that right, Mama? We’re having a vacation at the lake?”

  “Yes, we’ll have to find something to swim in. I don’t think we had any swimsuits.”

  “You could swim in a pair of shorts,” Sandy offered.

  “That’s true,” Roxanne agreed.

  “Yay, we’re going swimming in the lake tomorrow.” Cici stood up and did a little dance. Abe laughed at her antics. Laughter was rare for him. Because he had to deal with the darker things in life, he often found it hard to feel light-hearted.

  “Cici, why don’t you and grandma go pick a movie for us to watch before bedtime.”

  “Okay.” Cici took her grandmother’s hand and pulled her into the living room while Abe and Roxanne cleared the table of the dishes.

  “You don’t have to help me.” She scooted past him and their bodies rubbed against each other briefly. He noticed her breath hitch at their contact. She was just as affected by him as he was by her.

  “Ye cooked so I should at least help clean.” He moved closer to her back, trapping her against the table.

  “Abe,” she whispered, shivering.

  “Stay with me down here when Cici goes to bed.”

  “What?” She turned around and it brought her chest up against his.

  “I want to spend time with ye.”

  Images of them alone and naked flitted through her mind. “Is that why you brought us here?”

  He stepped away from her. “No, of course not.”

  “I—I didn’t mean…”

  Abe turned and walked away. “I’m going to check the perimeter.” He closed the door behind him.

  That hadn’t gone the way he wanted. He probably shouldn’t have made a move on her so soon, but it hurt to have her think he only brought her here so that he could sleep with her. He liked Roxanne, more than he had ever liked any woman. He turned but didn’t open the door. He just watched through the window as Cici and her grandmother sat on the couch in front of his television. For him, it was more than having just Roxanne. It was about having a family. Was he ready for that? Was she ready to accept him in her own family?

  *****

  Roxanne knew she had blown it. Maybe it had been a long time since she had allowed herself to have feelings for a man. She hadn’t seen anyone since her divorce. How could she, with her having to move around all the time, on the run? Men had hit on her over the years, especially when she worked as a bartender, but she never took any of that seriously.

  Now, a sexy strong man wanted to be alone with her. Oh, she knew he didn’t want to just talk. They had both been giving off sexual vibes since the first time she saw him. He wanted her in his bed and what scared her most was that she wanted nothing more than to be there. Was she ready to let someone get that close to her?

  She regretted pushing him away, but she needed to think first before she acted on her feelings. It wouldn’t be just her and Abe affected, this decision would affect Cici and even her mother. Maybe she should put whatever this was w
ith Abe aside until after things were settled with Darryl. She couldn’t offer him a regular relationship right now. She was on the run, wanted by the authority. She had nothing to offer Abe except a lot of problems.

  Why was she worried about this? He might not even want her longer than a few nights in his bed. This was not the time to start a relationship with anyone. Even as she thought the matter was settled in her mind, her heart and body longed for a different decision.

  “What movie are we watching?” She asked walking into the living room.

  “The cartoon one. I like those even though they are really old.” Cici scooted over on the couch so Roxanne could sit next to her.

  “If you don’t mind, I’m going to go to bed early. All this excitement has tired me out.” Her mom stood and kissed them both before going up the stairs.

  Her daughter snuggled against her side and she wrapped her arms around her. For a short time, she would let herself get lost in the moment of being a mom. Cici deserved to have her time and it wasn’t until recently with the new position that she was able to do things like this. She glanced out the window, wondering when Abe would get back. She wanted to apologize and let him know it was just bad timing for them. She hoped he would accept that.

  *****

  “What do you mean you lost them?” Darryl yelled over the phone.

  “My men waited outside the kid’s school, but your bitch wife spotted us. She had someone drop them off at some bail bonds office before we could grab them. They went inside the building but never came back out.”

  “Who owns the bails bonds business? I want a name. They are harboring a fugitive and I’m going to make sure they are charged with helping my ex kidnap my daughter!” He was going to make someone suffer for keeping him away from what he wanted. They would lose their business and everything else that mattered to them.

  He was a governor and had powerful friends. He was building his empire. His ex had put a question mark over his head, and people were starting to wonder. If he couldn’t control his wife, then how was he supposed to be an effective leader? He was determined that no one would stop him from reaching his goal. He would eliminate anyone who got in his way.