Page 52 of SEAL the Deal

“Shove over big boy,” said Jenny as she made to jump into the driver’s seat.

He grinned and slid sideways, transferring his pistol to his good arm. A glance in the wing mirror confirmed that she had freed Mike and the others.

Jenny gunned the ATV and sent it power sliding around the corner. He was impressed; she handled the powerful buggy like a rally driver. In a matter of seconds, they’d caught up with Axe.

Rick let out a whistle and the dog pulled to one side of the road. Jenny slowed and he leaped onto the rear seats. “Good boy,” said Rick as the dog licked him. “Now, let’s get this Carter dickhead.”

Jenny floored the throttle and sent the Polaris soaring over a rise in the road.

As they landed with a bounce Rick spotted Carter’s buggy ahead. He gripped the handle in front of him with his bad hand and clutched the pistol with the other. “I’m going to shoot out his tires.”

As she closed the gap between the two ATVs Rick fired a volley of bullets. They went wide. He tried again, striking the tailgate.

Hearing the shots Carter swerved his buggy from side to side, kicking up dust. Jenny closed the gap to a few feet. In the maelstrom of dust Rick couldn’t get a clear shot.

“Hold on!” Jenny said as she rammed the back of Carter’s ATV.

The impact jolted him forward and he braced himself, wounded shoulder burning. Then he felt Axe jump from the rear seat past his head onto the hood of the buggy. With a flash of fur he disappeared through the dust, leaping into the back of Carter’s ATV.

Brake lights flashed and they slammed into the buggy again. Jenny fought to keep control as they skidded.

Carter’s screams filled the air as his ATV slowed, angled off the track and bumped into a large tree.

Rick jumped out pistol in hand. As the dust cleared he saw Carter’s predicament.

Axe had the crooked policeman by the back of his neck, his teeth sunk into the shirt collar. Fortunately for the military working dog the crooked cop had also lost his pistol. It lay out of reach in the foot well on the passenger side.

“I don’t think he likes you,” said Rick as he aimed the Glock.

“Get him off me. Please, get him off me,” whimpered Carter.

Rick ordered the dog to release and gestured for Carter to climb out. “On your knees, hands behind your back.”

Jenny produced a pair of handcuffs and soon Carter was sitting cuffed in the back of their buggy with Axe sitting alongside him, teeth bared.

“Way to go, sailor.” Jenny gave his hand a squeeze.

He reached out, grasped her waist and pulled her in close. “Hey, it was all you, ranger girl.”

They locked eyes for a moment and then Rick tipped his head forward and they touched lips. He forgot the pain in his shoulder and the pellets in his buttocks and legs as her mouth parted and they kissed long and hard.

Her body felt firm and muscular pressed against him as their tongues touched. Blood rushed to his groin and he felt it harden against her stomach.

“Steady on big boy,” she murmured as their lips parted, “you’re injured, remember.”

As he held her he heard a faint yet familiar sound. The dull thud of helicopter blades grew louder. They both looked skyward as a black chopper thundered overhead.

“The cavalry has arrived,” said Rick.

Jenny kissed him again. “No, our backup has arrived.”

Rick laughed. “Good point. Shall we get back and see how the boys are doing?”

* * *

When they pulled up outside the cabin a squad of camouflaged operatives met them. A DEA team had rappelled in from the helicopter and secured the site.

Mike, Dean, Ernie and the Chief all sat on the porch drinking beers they’d raided from Travis’s stash. The overweight pot grower was lying bandaged on a stretcher under the watchful eye of a DEA paramedic.

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