Page 70 of Cruel Expectations

My woman. God, those words felt right. His insides warmed with the heat of his love for Ivy. And knowing that she loved him in return topped the gift with a beautiful bow.

The officer shook his head. “We’ve notified the authorities in Canada. They know who this guy is. He’s using several names, but his legal name is Jered Smythe. They’re keeping a close eye on him. One misstep and he’ll be sent back to the US. If that happens, we’ll be waiting for him.”

Colton traded a look with Hunter. One that said “good luck getting to him first.” He and Colton could move in complete darkness and find any criminal or terrorist within minutes. They’d proved it before. They weren’t the best of the best without a solid backing of their abilities.

“Guys like this don’t operate alone. Smythe has men working for him. Doing his dirty work. What do we know about them?”

“Actually, quite a bit.” He reached into his shirt pocket and extracted a small notepad where he’d scribbled notes, old-school fashion.

He read off four names which Hunter instantly committed to memory.

“The first guy, Johnny Mills, is an old friend of Smythe’s. They’ve been getting in trouble together since middle school. It started small with bullying, then petty thefts. They worked their way up to extortion and even kidnapping. Mills has done some hard time—we think he was the fall guy for Smythe.”

Colton cleared his throat. “Do we know his whereabouts? Is he still in the area?”

The officer nodded. “Last seen three nights ago at Badlands.”

Hunter and Colton exchanged a look. When they weren’t taking night watch, they were taking turns holding down barstools at Badlands. Neither had encountered a guy by that name, though.

“And the others? Any bead on where they can be hanging out?” Hunter grated.

The drone of an ATV engine drifted across the field. Hunter hoped whoever it was stayed away from the barn long enough for them to finish talking to the officer. Only Colton knew Hunter well enough to understand the plan gelling in his brain. If any of the others caught wind of it, they might not approve.

After the officer gave them a brief rundown on each of Smythe’s cohorts, he promised to keep them apprised of the situation. Then he climbed in his car and drove down the driveway.

Hunter watched him go for a long moment before speaking. “I think we need to find these guys and take care of them ourselves.”

Colton swung his gaze to his. His face unreadable except for the small twitch at the corner of his eye. A dead giveaway that his inner rebel was rising up.

“I’ve known you for years, Nox.”

“What’s that mean?”

“I know that you like to take matters into your own hands.”

He dropped his gaze to his boots. “You know what happened last time I did that.”

“From what I’ve heard, you killed a man for touching your woman. If you’d waited and called the cops, she wouldn’t be in that training pen in those tight jeans and that cute red top right now.”

Colton leveled him in a look. “Keep her clothes out of this.”

“I’m just sayin’. This isn’t you and Forest going back to that village to rescue the hostage. This is hunting the bad guys before they get to us first. Or worse, to them.” He directed his attention to the house where Ivy and Meadow drank coffee in their pajamas in the mornings and walked the empty halls filled with photographs and memories of a much larger family, now gone.

“I hear what you’re saying. Dammit.” He swiped a hand down his face. “I know you’re right.”

Hunter gave him a single nod. “It’s done then. Tonight we get Webb to watch over the house again, and we go to Badlands.”

If they were lucky, they’d get Johnny Mills to talk. Hunter clenched his fists at his sides. With their skill, Smythe’s thugs would have no chance to outrun him and Colton.

“We leave at nine.”

Hunter dipped his head in agreement. “I’ll bring the ammo.”

Chapter Sixteen

When Ivy stretched, she felt all the delicious little tugs in her body—the ones that told her that Hunter was a very thorough lover.

Her inner thigh muscles twinged from the workout she got when she rode him to completion for a second round. When she brushed her fingers over her breasts, they tingled with the memory of his rough lips. Glancing down, she saw the pink streaks of his beard burn marking her too.

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