Page 87 of Panther's Magpie
I’m surprised when I open it that it is indeed clean. Still smells slightly chemical, but I don’t feel like I need a tetanus shot after being in there.
I do my business quickly before stepping outside to wash my hands.
As I shake my hands off, I turn and almost run into a man.
“Oh, sorry.”
“You will be,” the menacing voice says.
I look up, seeing the man who has featured in my nightmares. The man from the bar that night that wanted me to go with him.
Before I can make a noise, he has a hand pressed over my mouth as he pulls me beside the porta-potty. He steps in front of me, still covering my mouth.
“You are a troublesome little thing. Do you know that I offered to trade you for the pretty blond I have? Panther didn’t want to do that. Claimed he had no idea where you were. So what a surprise when I come down to this little shindig to cause a little chaos and I find the woman who slipped away working next to his brothers.”
I can’t say a word. I know screaming is futile. All I can do is wait for an opening to hurt him and hope I can run fast enough. The brothers will come running. I know they will.
“You were going to be my prize that night, you know. I was going to fuck you so hard until you didn’t want to go home anymore. We could have had it nice, but you left me. Then you ran to another club? Tsk tsk, Little Mouse. Now I’m going to have to teach you a lesson.”
Movement behind him has my eyes flickering that way. I can’t tell who it is, but someone is approaching. I look back to the man in front of me.
“Oh, no one is going to save you now. I’m going to be nice and let you come on your own free will. If you do, I won’t hurt your friend. I’ll even let you stay with her. How does that sound?”
Aspen.
I know going with him would be stupid. There is no way it would make anything better, but part of me longs to agree with him. To go along so I can be there for Aspen.
I can’t, though, and the guilt of that will live with me forever.
A click sounds, then I hear my savior’s voice.
“Let her go, or it’s the last thing you will ever do.”
PANTHER
I pulled up to the work site five minutes ago, but I haven’t yet found Maggie. I’m itching to see her. It’s only been a couple of hours, but I already fucking miss her.
I have never felt this way before. Never wanted to, yet here I am.
“Rain, where the hell is Maggie?” I ask her as soon as I see her walking around with bottles of water.
“She went to the bathroom over there.” She points to the porta-potties set up along the road.
I nod, heading in the direction she pointed. As I get closer, I notice movement on the side of one of them. I move silently as I make a big arch to get a better view.
It’s Adlet, and he’s got my woman pinned against the porta potty. My blood runs cold at the sight. My anger, on the other hand, is through the roof.
How dare he touch what is mine?
Pulling my gun from its holster, I sneak up behind him. Then I point the gun at his head and pull back the hammer.
For once, it works that my girl is so short. I could shoot him dead without even touching her. I don’t want to traumatize her like that, though.
“Let her go, or it’s the last thing you will ever do,” I growl.
He slowly lets her go, holding his hands up. I step back, giving him room to turn toward me. Maggie takes it as her cue tomove as she rushes away from him and behind me. I can feel her trembling as she holds onto the back of my cut.
“Oh, look what we have here. The infamous Panther. I wondered if we would ever get to meet face-to-face. I have to say, I’m not disappointed. You live up to everything I’ve heard about you. Young, cocky. You know I knew Cloak. I couldn’t believe that he left you in charge of his precious club.”
