Page 73 of Rescued

“Mika, don’t let him up!”I think frantically, struggling to keep the man down. He bucks hard, nearly throwing me off, but Mika is already there, grabbing hold, a warning growl rumbling deep in his chest.

The guy freezes for a moment, his wild eyes darting between me and Mika. His body shakes beneath me, and I press him harder into the dirt, grabbing his wrists and forcing his arms behind his back.

“I’ve got him,”I tell Mika through the link, my voice shaking with adrenaline.“We need to tie him up before he tries anything else.”

“Rope by the barn,”Mika responds.“Hurry. I’ll keep him down.”

Nodding, I grip harder for a second longer, then dash toward the barn, my heart hammering as Mika keeps the guy subdued.

“Gabe,” Mika shouts, his voice steady but sharp with urgency.

I run back with the rope, and glance down at the man beneath Mika, taking in his face for the first time. It hits me like a punch to the gut. It’s Todd’s father. I have so many bad memories of this man from growing up with Todd, and even though I haven’t seen him in years I recognize him immediately. He has a crazed glint in his eyes as he thrashes, trying to throw Mika off. Motherfucker! I rear back and slam my fist into his jaw with everything I’ve got. Pain explodes through my knuckles, and I bite back a hiss.

The guy goes limp, his head lolling to the side, and I shake out my stinging hand.

“Impressive, babe,” Mika says, his lips quirking into a grin. “Might’ve broken his jaw. Wouldn’t blame you if you did.”

“Hurt like a bitch,” I mutter, flexing my fingers. “Probably broke my damn hand instead.”

Mika kneels next to me, taking my hand and inspecting it carefully. His touch is warm, steady, and just what I need. The knuckles are scraped raw, and I’m pretty sure there’s swelling starting.

“Let me grab my sweats and call this in. Someone’s got to come arrest this psycho. After that, we’re getting you to the hospital, and we’ll fill Adam in while we’re there.”

Mika leans in and kisses me, his lips soft against mine, a grounding moment in the chaos. Then he’s gone, jogging toward the barn to grab his clothes.

While he’s gone, I perch on the man’s back, keeping him pinned. My heart’s still racing, adrenaline pounding through my veins. I glance down at him, anger bubbling again.What kind of sick bastard does this?

I don’t have much time to dwell on it. Sirens wail in the distance, growing louder with each second. The sharp glare of flashing lights cuts through the dark as a patrol car barrels down the road, skidding to a stop in the driveway.

Great. Kaufman. Just who I didn’t want to see.

The sheriff climbs out, one hand resting on the butt of his gun. He’s got that puffed-up stance, all chest and bravado, as he stomps toward us.

“What the fuck is going on here?” he barks, his eyes darting between me and the unconscious man beneath me.

“What the fuck does it look like?” I snap back, my voice sharper than I intended. I don’t care. My patience for Kaufman is about as thin as a strand of hair right now.

Mika steps up before Kaufman can fire off some snide remark, his tone calm but edged with steel. “We caught the guy who beat Todd. He came back tonight with the same weapon he used before.”

Kaufman’s eyes narrow, but he doesn’t move. “You sure about that?”

“Positive,” Mika replies, crossing his arms over his chest. “The pipe’s right over there if you want to dust it for prints. And this,” he gestures to the man on the ground, “is Todd’s father. You going to do your job now, or do I need to call someone who will?”

I watch Kaufman closely, every fiber of me strung tight as a bowstring. Something’s off. I can see it in the way his jaw works, how his hands flex and clench by his sides. He’s hiding something, I’m sure of it.

“What are you doing here, Kaufman?” Mika’s voice cuts through the tension like a blade. “I hadn’t even placed the nine-one-one call when you came screeching down the road.”

The sheriff’s expression shifts, his sneer deepening. There’s no mistaking the challenge in his eyes.

“What, you didn’t know?” Kaufman drawls, his tone oily with mockery.

I see Mika tense beside me, his shoulders rising slightly as his wolf fights for dominance. The warning growl that rumbles from him is low, menacing, and enough to make Kaufman falter for a split second.

“Todd woke up a couple hours ago,” Kaufman says, recovering quickly. His lips curl into a smug grin. “Said his dad went nuts because his son likes to lick nu—”

Mika moves fast, stepping into Kaufman’s space before he can finish the slur. His teeth flash as he bares them, and there’s a feral edge to his voice. “I’d suggest you watch your mouth, Kaufman. I’ve already explained how easy it would be for you to lose your position.”

Mika throws a hand out behind him carefully passing the phone to Gabe, hoping the sheriff thinks they’re just clasping hands. Judging by the sneer on his face, the man thought just that.“Gabe, set it to record.”

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