Page 74 of Rugger: The Huntress

The pain in my shoulder and leg forced me to lower them. My eyes found the imprint of Gazelle’s teeth. She’d broken the skin and hit the flesh underneath. To my surprise, her mark was one of beauty. I leaned over onto the couch and grabbed my cell phone.

I snapped an image and saved it in a private folder. When the healing completed its tour, I’d be at the tattoo shop with a needle to my shoulder. It deserved permanent residency on my body. So did she.

Feeling energized and refreshed, I stood in the middle of my living room floor. For once, the future was clear for me. For once, there was something other than death to look forward to. There was life. There was her. There was life with her. Even in secrecy, it was a life worth exploring.

“Let the hunting begin.”

Showering was the first thing on my agenda. Work was the next thing. I gathered my belongings and headed out of the door. I took the expressway to Isis Road where I exited. Two miles down the street, I pulled into the storage facility that was also part of my real estate portfolio. I entered the eight-digit code and gained access to the unit dedicated to paying customers. The wheels of the van I was in didn’t stop rolling until they reached the last unit. I pulled inside and lowered the automatic gate behind it.

With each step I took, across the 1600 square foot, two story build-out that occupied nearly an entire block of units, lights illuminated the space above and beneath me. Eight two hundred square feet units had been combined to create my workspace.

In the confinement, I managed to labor for a tech company that paid well. My annual salary of two hundred and sixty four thousand dollars helped me keep my father’s savings account out of the red. It was also the key to my real estate investing.

The coffee station was my first stop. Black and piping hot is how I preferred my coffee. As it began to brew, I powered up the tech pad I’d destroyed the operating system on to create my own and completely obliterate my digital footprint.

With a few swipes, I was inside the database of theTriad of Ara. The contractual work was optional, but I enjoyed it most. My superiors assigned new contracts at a much slower rate than I appreciated. Though I was under their umbrella, contractual work was not prohibited completely. As long as it didn’t interfere with their assignments, reputation, or operations, all was well.

The sound of hot coffee colliding with the inside of the glass mug garnered my attention. Patiently, I waited with my eyes trained on the constant flow of caffeine infused liquid. I’d had an eventful night. It was well-deserved.

I exhaled at the thought of the things I’d done to Gazelle. The things she’d done to me. I could still taste her sweetness on mytongue. I could still feel my dick deep in her womb. The night was perfect. There wasn’t a single thing I’d change about it.

I looked down at my injured leg and flexed my sore shoulder. A chuckle pumped my chest –in and out.

“Beats death,” I confessed, “I survived with my life.”

That was good enough for me. I fully expected a gunshot wound of some kind to remind me of the risk I’d taken by luring Rugger to my residence. But, I wouldn’t allow it to rob me of the experience, so I pushed those expectations to the side while silently embracing the reality of who I was seeking.

I grabbed the cup of fresh coffee and headed upstairs to my desk. As I made the final step, the tablet in my hand alerted me of an incoming notification. I tapped the red icon with my pinky. An unfamiliar face appeared on the screen with details beneath.

Anthony Reeves.

Clarke City, Huffington

38

$175,000

Immediate Termination

Deadline: 24 hours

Last Known Location: Jupiter International Industries

Known Acquaintances: H–

Just as I began to read the details, the screen blackened.

Fuck.

I shook my head, realizing I’d just missed important information and the opportunity to claim the contract. Just as swiftly as disappointment settled in my spirit, contentment evicted it.

“Fucking Gazelle.”

Agile.

Swift.

Nimble.

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