The Bounty Hunters: The Marino Bros.: Box Set (26 page)

Gary didn’t know what to do. He couldn’t have her show up here at his parents’ compound. Even though his parents were out of town, it wasn’t a good idea. He was about to tell her that when another thought occurred to him. What if someone recognized her while she was down town? Someone could report her, or worse. She could get picked up by authorities in the area. The locals were quick to gossip and they would assume he had something to do with it. Which he did of course, but he didn’t want to add fuel to the fire. It would look really bad for him, and the Campbell name would be even more tarnished than it already was.

“No, they went to some conservation conference in Augusta.” He needed to think this through. He needed to get her out of sight.

He sounded distracted, so Ronnie pounced. “My life is shit, Gary. I’m sorry to have bothered you, but I just thought maybe for just a few days, baby. You could help me come up with a way. Maybe I’ll go to Canada. It’s not too far. Remember the time we drove into New Brunswick via that small town. St. Leonard was it? When we went into that store to buy a drink and we were surprised when they gave us change in Canadian funds. I just don’t know. I can’t think right now. You were always so good at thinking through problems. You’re the only chance I got,” she sobbed, laying it on thick.

Gary felt a twinge of remorse. He hadn’t thought he would get caught. Not with the stuff in her tank. He didn’t think it would be picked up by the machines, or the dogs. Hell, the girl helped him get his fucking diploma and she was a pretty good lay. His cock stirring. He hadn’t gotten any since the cruise. He had been holed up at his parents for the first few days, while they dealt with the media, and then sent him up here to keep his head low. They also planned on sending him to Canada as well, to work on their operation up in Aroostook, New Brunswick until after the trial. They didn’t want the Campbell name to be tainted by his drug smuggling ex-girlfriend. If they only knew! They probably suspected he had tried drugs, and he wasn’t going to admit it that’s for fucking sure. But having Ronnie in town was definitely a big, big problem.

Could he trust her? That was the real issue. He could help her. Should help her. After all it was because of him she was in this mess.

“Not here,” he muttered after what seemed like an eternity. “I can’t have you driving up here, and people seeing you.”

“I got my bike,” she offered. “I can ride up on one of the trails, and then walk it in.” She offered the solution quickly, the one she planned on all along.

He thought for a moment. “Yeah, that could work. Take Georgette Rush,” he added. It was one of the lesser used trails by a narrow, rocky stream.

She knew that path. They had ridden out there before.

“I’ll meet you, at the quarter mile mark, babe,” he relented into the phone. He hoped he didn’t regret this.

“Oh, thank you Gary. Thank-you. I didn’t do this baby,” she reiterated for good measure. “I just can’t go to jail.”

He ran his fingers through his shaggy blond hair. He needed to cut it, but hadn’t gotten around to it yet. He was regretting it already when she kept whining about how grateful she was. She’d better be, he thought. “I’ll think of something to get you out of the country babe,” he grunted into the receiver.

“I’ll be there in thirty minutes,” she made herself sound relieved even though she was nervous as hell. She had to get him to admit he did it. It was the only way.

The Snare

O
f all the
fucking luck, Nikko cursed. He had been sitting outside behind a wood pile near the servant’s quarters for thirty minutes. He left his car a half mile back on the same dirt road he’d parked on before. He’d pulled it off the road into what looked to be an old abandoned campsite. It was well hidden and he felt confidant no one would notice it. He walked on up to Gary’s parent’s place and stuck close to the tree line. Relief swept through him when he was a couple hundred yards off and saw a light in the servant’s cabin up ahead. As he got closer, he could see someone moving about in what appeared to be the kitchen. He ducked behind the wood pile just in time when the front door opened and a really tall man walked out. He had nearly been caught. His heart pounded in his chest. He wondered if Ronnie was already here. He heard nothing but the guy. And the guy was Gary. He’d googled him, and saw pictures of him and his family at some local charity events.

He appeared unkempt now. Disheveled from the small glimpse he had before ducking behind the wood pile.

He was about to take another peek when he heard the sound of an engine roaring to life, and took the chance to peer around the side. Gary was at the wheel of a four wheeler, and he took off like a bat out of hell into the darkness. Fuck. Now what? Wait? Go look around? Where the hell was she? His blood was thundering in his ears. After the sound of the four wheeler could no longer be heard, he took the chance and got up stretching his legs. He made his way over to the cabin. Gary left the lights on, so he peered in the window. He was right about this being a kitchen in the front. When he peered in, he noticed no movement at all. He could see pretty much the entire cabin except for the bedrooms. No one was here. Fuck. The guy left the TV on, so he figured he’d be back soon. He’d give him a half hour and then head into town. He hoped he wasn’t wasting his time.

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 my 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.