Page 5 of Jager's Prey
“So, heard you found yourself a woman to put up with you.” She bit into her slice, accepted the ball in her free hand rolled it back across the room.
“You could say that.” I laughed.
“I’m happy for you.”
“When are you going to settle down?” I asked.
Jager scoffed. “I’m no man’s type, Kujo. So, I live my life for the adrenaline rush of my fights.”
“Are you happy?”
“Enough.” Jager shoved the last of her pizza into her mouth just as Six returned with the ball.
“And you’re okay with that?”
“Not like I have a choice.”
“We all have choices, Jager.” I watched Six come back without the ball to rest between her legs on the floor. “The issue is whether or not we make the right ones.”
“Thank you, Sun Tzu.”
I laughed. “You’re a dick.”
“I’ve been told.”
“Got him!” Swede hollered from his system. “I’ll send the address to your phone, Jager. Should I tell him you’re coming?”
“Naw.” Jager petted Six one final time then pushed to her feet. “I want it to be a surprise.”
“Jesus, Jager, be nice.” I groaned.
Jager was smiling as she pushed her arms into her backpack and picked up her helmet. “I’m always nice.”
“I think he meant normal people nice.” Swede offered. “Be normal.”
“Normal?” Jager winked at me. “Eww. Bye Six!”
Six barked his replied and the sound of her laughter streamed behind her as she let herself out.
Arin “Jager” Chioma
I bare handeda cheeseburger while I paced my loft nose-deep in information. Swede had sent me the skinny on Mack Salazaar, a man who looked sexier than any man had a right to. There were a few pictures of him, but the one that caught my eyes gave me the impression of a sandy blond haired, grey eyed James Bond.
He was an army vet—got hurt three months into deployment, two years into service and had been medically discharged.
According to Swede, Mack hadn’t been happy about it.
I understood—they saw him as damaged goods.
Luckily, he wasn’t the kind of man to wallow forever. He’d gotten up, steeled his spine and switched gears with his career.
I didn’t know him, but I was proud of him. That was what a real man did.
Do what he can until he can do what he wants.
It wasn’t hard to be curious about the other parts of Mack’s life—the parts Swede couldn’t find on a computer. Reading all those words told me who he was but I needed to find outwho he wasat the core.
Biting into the burger, I muttered a profanity as ketchup squirted out the bottom and landed on the front of mymiddle finger upt-shirt. Still, I finished my meal and went to change.
