The Bounty Hunters: The Marino Bros.: Box Set (27 page)

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.

A New Plan

S
he 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.”

“The hell you will,” he again gave her that look that said she was being a complete dumbass. The light changed and he continued up the road to the hotel. It wasn’t far now.

She knew he was pissed, but she just had to keep trying. Her time was running out. “But Nikko, I really think I can do this.” Still, no response. “What if you help me, I’ll let you help me? Then there won’t be a trial, I can move on with my life. My mom is pregnant. She doesn’t need this looming over her for months. Please, Nikko, if I ever meant anything to you, help me. You won’t have to baby sit me anymore. Your brothers won’t lose their money to the insurance company. I know if we put out heads together we can figure this out,” she begged.

Nikko just shook his head. The silence passed until he pulled onto the exit ramp.

“Nikko?” she asked again in a near panic, her tone sharp. He looked at her. Her eyes shimmered. He saw the fear there of years of prison possibly looming in her future. His heart ached. He didn’t want that for her. For them. “Please,” she whispered. “Help me.”

He was lost. It was in that moment he knew he was hopelessly in love with this crazy woman. A woman who drugged him, stole his car, and didn’t trust him. Fuck his life! His hands gripped the steering wheel like iron. He looked back at the road and sighed. Fuck! Fuck! He knew it was stupid, but he would do it, if only to prove to her once and for all, how much he cared. But, he wasn’t letting her off the hook for her actions. She needed to trust him and keep him in the loop. His eyes remained fixated straight ahead. Then his voice came out gruffly as he tried to mask the emotion there, after this revelation to himself, “We can talk about this more. Maybe. At the hotel,” he finished.

Ronnie, let out her held breath. There was hope. Surely, he would help just to put this all behind them. She wanted this over too. For her, for her mom and Jay and the new baby. And, she wanted to move on and forget this whole horrid time in her life.

“Thank you,” she whispered, as she settled back more comfortably into her seat. Yes, she wanted to forget about all of this. Put this hideous nightmare behind her. But a niggling little feeling, a little doubt persisted, and she knew, she wouldn’t ever be able to forget Nikko.

Despite his infidelity, she had begun to really care for him. No, she had fallen for him. So that part of the nightmare would remain with her for a long time. It would take her a very, very long time to forget him, and an even longer time to ever be able to trust a man again. Her heart hurt. He said he might help, and that she took as a good sign. Her words had sunk in. Yes, it was just a maybe, but it was a start. She would continue to work on him in the hotel, tell him her plan. He could help her tweak it, and they all would be out from under this mess. His agreeing and his frustrated sighs, told her all she needed to know. He too wanted to move on, and put this and her behind him.

*     *     *

Inside his hotel
room, Nikko flicked on the interior lights, and ushered Ronnie in before him. This room was not as nice as the one he had in Spring Hill. It was a simple, typical hotel room. She heard the door, shut behind her with a soft click. She turned to him, and was about to speak, but the fury she saw there stopped her cold.

“What?” she muttered. He remained mute. He just looked at her strangely for a moment more. She stared at him with her mouth open.

“Don’t say anything,” he cautioned. He was at the end of his proverbial rope.

She closed her mouth. It was suddenly dry.

He took two steps and stood beside her. She trembled at the anger she saw. She felt his hand at the button on her jeans. He pulled the material away and she felt the waistband release. She was too dumbfounded to speak. What was he thinking? She felt a downward tug and then heard the zipper.

“What?” she whispered clearly not expecting this.

“Say nothing,” he repeated, eyes boring into hers, smoldering. He pulled her jeans down around her hips, and then she felt the cold air of the room on her exposed flesh. She stood silently, waiting. What was he thinking? He wanted to fuck? She was shocked into silence by her body’s traitorous reaction to him.

He took a step back, and then looked her up and down, blue eyes on fire, molten. She swallowed several times. She felt the excitement begin to build.