Page 5 of Handcuffed By the Bounty Hunters

There aren’t any houses around, just an animal supply store across the road that looks like it closed in the mid-eighties.

Penetrating the sound of rain falling all around us, comes a loud and sharp noise.

A woman’s scream.

Roark

For all I complain about Cameron French, he is fast to act. We take off at the same time, running toward the sound of the scream. The woman screams again, shouting, “No! No, fuck you! No!”

The sound of her panic spurs me on. Faster. She’s in trouble, and no fucking way am I going to let a woman get hurt on my watch. Not after seeing what my lowlife brother did to his wife.

We race through the forest, following her panicked screams, and reach a rundown cabin. A large man has a woman in his arms. He’s trying to carry her out the door, but she keeps gripping the frame, fighting with all she’s worth.

“Fuck, that’s her,” Cameron mutters.

Her?

Seeing my puzzled look, he says, “Our girl,” before jumping toward the man and woman.

It is her. Penny Govier. And this monster is trying to haul her away.

Cameron shouts over Penny’s screams. “Let her go, man.”

“Nah,” the guy says, shaking his head of shoulder-length white-blond hair. “We can share if you want. I get first dibs, though, because I found her.”

“Please,” Penny says. “Please, I have money. I’ll pay you to let me go.”

“Not interested in your money, sweetheart?—”

While he was talking, I was getting in close. My fist connects with his jaw. His head snaps back and he flies to the ground. Cameron had the presence of mind to grab Penny’s arm so she doesn’t fall with him.

The guy stands up, looking like he’s ready for a fight, but Cameron shakes his head.

“You don’t want to mess with him,” Cameron says. “He’s a very grouchy guy and he kicks my ass regularly in training.”

Blondie sizes me up and seems to decide that Cameron isn’t lying. He spits on the ground at Penny’s feet. “Yeah, whatever. This skank ain’t worth it, anyway.”

Penny lurches forward, like she’s going to haul off and punch him, but Cameron holds her back.

“Get out of here or I’ll help her kick your ass,” I say.

At that moment, the heavens open up and a deluge of rain pours from the sky. I’d thought it was raining before, but it’s nothing on this.

The guy slinks off, swearing under his breath.

Penny’s wearing jeans and a tank top, with the top so wet that it’s plastered to her tits. She has to be freezing.

“Do you have a coat?” I ask her. “Where’s your stuff?”

“In-in-inside,” she says through chattering teeth.

Perfect. We have to retrieve Oberon’s files that she stole. If we’re lucky, they’ll be with her other things.

I step into the dark cabin and immediately find a damp sweatshirt and long-sleeved tee, as well as a small backpack. Gathering them up, I go back outside only to find Cameron fucking snuggling our little thief. He has his arms around her and she’s leaning into him like he’s her new best friend. Or lover.

“What the fuck are you doing?” I ask.

“Body heat,” Cameron explains. “She’s shivering.”

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