Page 26 of Unrivaled Pleasure (Montana Double Riders 4)

“Would you be?”

“Usually. The Feds will at least offer a courtesy call if they’re in the neighborhood, especially if they’re looking for someone. Why?”

Hunter was within earshot of the driver. “Are you almost here then? Good. We’ll wait to open the gates then.”

“What? No! I’m in bed. You’re lucky I even checked my phone when I got up to pee a little while ago.”

“Great. See you soon.”

“What is wrong with you? I’m not on my way, Hunter.”

“I know. That’s fine.”

“Shit. Someone’s listening in to your end, and you have that off feeling in your gut, right?”

“Right.” Hunter laughed but found no humor in what was going on. Regardless of the official-looking badge and the seemingly official warrant for Lilianna as a material witness, Hunter didn’t believe these men were who they said they were. Maybe there was something wrong with the warrant, but he couldn’t see it.

Kendall asked, “Is Duke on the way?”

“Yep,” Hunter answered, then turned to the driver. “You don’t mind waiting on the local police, do you?”

“Yes. I mind. I’m not waiting. You have the warrant, we’re authorized to go look. Now open up the place.”

In his ear, Duke said, “Stall them. I’ll be there in ten minutes.”

“Great, we’ll wait for you outside of the gate,” Hunter said into nothing as Duke had already disconnected.

Immediately, Kendall’s phone started ringing. The insistent ring blaring in the quiet night made the air around them all even more tense. “Hold on a moment.”

The driver looked even more annoyed but didn’t threaten him or whip out a gun. He exchanged another poignant look with his companion. Now both of them looked constipated.

Bottom line, they weren’t getting into the compound unless someone entered the code to do so. Nothing short of a gun to his head would make Hunter input the necessary numbers.

Kendall answered, “Hi, Clay.” He shook his head, rolled his eyes, and said, “Yes. I’m still aware of what time it is, but you called me.”

Hunter didn’t hear the ensuing conversation but figured the stall would allow Duke time enough to arrive. He made it in less than ten minutes. The sheriff’s squad car, with a vibrant light bar on the roof silently spinning red and blue beams into the night, arrived as Kendall hung up.

Before Duke even brought his car to a full stop, the two men turned away, ran back to their vehicle, jumped inside, revved their motor, and sped away fishtailing on the dirt road as if trying to go faster than the physics of their car would allow.

Duke didn’t even get out of his police cruiser, instead he gunned his engine, flipped on his vehicle’s sirens, spun around in a dust-inducing one-hundred-and-eighty-degree turn, and went after them.

Hunter knew they must have been fake agents because the driver left behind the warrant and his badge. Was this the work of the loan shark after Lilianna?

And if so, it begged another question. What the hell kind of power did the loan shark chasing Lilianna have that he could call up and get a fake FBI badge and federal warrant so soon after she ran away from him?

Chapter Five

Dylan strolled through the dimly lit streets of Old West Town holding Lilianna’s hand like they were old-fashioned sweethearts. They headed for Hunter’s woodworking shop to hide out for the night.

Given that it was well after the midnight hour and pushing into the wee hours of the morning, Dylan wanted some sleep. But then he looked at Lilianna again and knew he’d gladly give up sleep to have her again.

The woodworking shop was a great hidey-hole because there was a small bedroom and bathroom tucked into the rear part of the store behind a well-hidden wall panel.

Hunter had lived in the small space before their house had been built. And because of his background, he was the one who’d fashioned it so that the living space was completely concealed, a very handy feature for today’s requirements.

They’d be able to stay all night safely hidden away, if needed.

He intended to tuck Lilianna in bed and hold her tight. Sex was optional, but mostly he wanted to just sleep snuggled close, with his face buried into her hair.

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