The Bad Ass Brigade: Bad Guys Beware. The Good Guys Are on the Prowl (A Taylor Lee Sizzling Romantic Suspense Collection)

by Taylor Lee

  Emil sniggered. “Admit it Davy, a second later she took you by surprise and did slam the door in both our faces.”

  Gabe couldn’t hide his concern. “That means she hasn’t had anything to eat today. That’s not good, fellows. She’s been under a lot of strain. She can’t weigh a hundred pounds as it is. You did give her my note, right?”

  Davy huffed. “Yeah I did. But, I’d be surprised if she did more than burn it, Gabe. I’m telling you that is one angry woman. And, something else. She looked determined. Like nobody including the likes of Emil and me were going to stop her doing exactly what she wanted to.”

  Gabe gave an appreciative snort. “Yeah. That’s a look I know well.”

  Trying to sort out whether his need to see her was to make sure she was all right, or just wanting to hold her, Gabe knew he wouldn’t rest until he checked on her. Shaking off his caution, he rapped on her door and called her name. Not surprisingly there was no answer. Even though he knew Davy and Emil were teasing him, it bothered him that they hadn’t heard anything from her for hours. That wasn’t like Ana. He knew her well enough now to know that after an hour or so she would have marshaled her forces and taken them on again. If nothing else, to go check on her father. He turned to his men, who seemed surprised at his concern.

  “She’s been in there what, four or five hours? And never came out to go see her father?”

  When they both shook their heads, Gabe muttered. “That does it. That’s not like Ana. She’s been at Chao’s bedside for two days now. Even if you told her to stay in her room, she would insist on seeing him before she went to sleep. I don’t like this. I need to make sure she’s okay.”

  He rapped loudly on the door and called out. “Ana, it’s me, Gabe. I want to see you, Princess. Open the door, please.” Remembering that hours before, she’d refused to admit him, his anger flared. Even if she had been sleeping, she couldn’t fail to hear him. Fatigue and concern drove him forward. “Ana, I’m serious. Open the damn door. Now!”

  An eerie silence was his answer.

  He stepped back and then threw the weight of his body against the heavy oak panel. It gave way like a straw in the wind.

  Stepping inside the dark room, he moved toward the silent figure on the bed that didn’t move when he called her name. His gut clenched. Whispering her name, terrified at what he might see, he yanked the covers off the bed. Seeing the pillows and blankets cunningly arranged in a human like form, he struggled to breathe. The blood rushing through his ears forced him to take a breath. In the following instant, that lasted a lifetime, his rational brain told him that no marauder would leave a pretend woman on the bed. The breeze from the open balcony door confirmed the unthinkable truth. Somehow, for some unfathomable reason, Ana was gone. Left under her own power. Filled with an almost incapacitating fear, Gabe rushed from the room, his men charging behind him.

  Dashing past the library where Gunner and Eagle and several of his men were enjoying their whisky and cigars, he shouted to them. Gunnar and Eagle leapt to their feet at his one word. “Ana!”

  They ate up the distance between the house and the barn in a matter of seconds. A glance at the empty stall where Ana’s roan always stood, confirmed the awful truth. Racing from the silent barn and now with seven or eight of his men pounding behind, Gabe broke through the door to Clem’s log house nestled next to the barn. Yanking the sleeping man from his bed, he shoved him against the wall.

  His words were threatening growl.

  “Where is she?”

  In an instant, Clem went from a soundly sleeping man to one shaking with terror.

  He whispered, “Ana?” Then coming full awake, his eyes widened with horror. “They took Ana? She’s gone?”

  Even in Gabe’s fury, he saw Clem was as shocked as he was. Tossing him onto a chair, he spit out. “Tell me, tell me everything you know. When did you see her last? “

  Clem was shaking, his words barely coherent. Stammering, he visibly tried to gather his wits. “Jesus, McKenna. I ain’t seen her all day. She… she’s been in the house. Didn’t so much as come see Spirit… her roan.” He gave a disconsolate sob and buried his head in his hands, whispering over and over, “No, no, please God, no.”

  Gabe turned to Gunnar who charged to the door before Gabe finished speaking. “Drag every goddamn hand on this ranch out of bed and have them here now!”

  “Fuck!” Gunnar almost bowled over the tiny man quivering in the doorway.

  “Wait, please, sir, wait. I… I saw her.” Quitin’s soft words shattered the room.

  The men parted as Quitin stumbled forward, stopping in front of Gabe. He looked up at him, his eyes imploring him to understand. “She… the young miss, she—”

  Gabe cut him off. “Where is she?”

  Quitin strangled on his words then whispered, “She threatened… she said she would fire me, send me away….”

  Clem rose out of his chair, his face black with rage. He grabbed the little man and threw him against the wall, his hands around his throat. “Goddamn you, you worthless piece of human shit. Tell us where she is or so help me—”

  Gabe held up his hand. Gunnar nodded and pulled the enraged man off. “Easy, Clem. He’s the only resource we have.”

  Eagle nodded in agreement and picked up the cowering man bodily and plunked him in a chair in front of Gabe.

  Gabe’s voice was threatening, more so because it was barely audible. “Tell me, Quitin. Tell me everything.”

  Between sobs, Quitin managed to speak. “She… Miss Ana… she said she had to go to help her father. When I told her she couldn’t, she say, I must. Said she would send me back to China if I told anyone. Me and my wife. Jing… Jing… my Jing she take care of Miss Ana since she was a tiny baby.” His frail body shook with sobs. “It… it would kill Jing if she—”

  Gabe clapped a firm hand on his shoulder. “Where is she, Quitin? Where did she go?”

  Quitin gazed up at him, his face contorted with fear and grief. “Where she always goes, late at night. To… Mr. Shorty’s….”

  “Shorty’s?!” Gabe sputtered, staring at the terrified man in disbelief. Then his anger boiled over, blotting out his fear.

  He roared, “Jesus God! Shorty’s? What the hell? Why?”

  Quitin lifted his tear-streaked face and whispered, “To… play poker.”

  Chapter 28

  Shorty unwound his enormous frame from his stool behind the bar, his huge face lighting up with surprised delight.

  “Well, fuck me. If this ain’t my lucky night or what? Hell, Angel, wish I’d known you was coming. Sure hope you’re comin’ to play. We got regulars here, but they’re about as good as we got around here. Christ, with you and the Queen Bee—”

  Gabe raised his hand cutting him off. “Where is she?”

  Shorty frowned as if seeing Gabe’s expression and those of the men behind him for the first time.

  “Uh… where we always hold our private games. What’s up, Angel? Damn, man, you know you’re welcome. Hell, Angel. They’re about the best competition you’re gonna see in these parts, hell in any parts. But goddamn, Angel, I wish I’d known you was coming. I woulda set up an audience….”

  Gabe leaned over the bar, his face next to Shorty’s, his words individual bullets from a gun at close range. “Where. Is. She?”

  Shorty reared back in surprise. “Damn, Angel. I’m sorry. I… I… they’re upstairs. Round the corner to the—”

  He was still directing them when Gabe, Gunnar and Eagle reached the top of the stairs. Shorty turned to the other men waiting at the bottom. “What the fuck?”

  No one answered.

  ~~~

  At the sound of the door opening, Ana glanced up from her cards and nearly dropped them. Her heart jumped in her chest and she fought to breathe. In the short time she had known Gabe, she had seen a dozen expressions on his handsome face. Ranging from arrogance to open lust. But she had never seen pure, unadulterated rage. Rage that was all the more frightening a
ccompanied by the slight smile twisting his lips. The smile contradicted the stone cold fury burning in his eyes. She glanced at Gunnar and then Eagle hoping for some respite, but their expressions were shuttered, a chilling backdrop to that of their partner’s.

  Gabe glanced around the room then allowed his gaze to rest on her startled face. If he weren’t so angry he might have laughed at the incongruous sight. Ana sat at the table surrounded by seven rough-looking men. An open bottle of whisky was between her and the man to her left, a half-filled glass at her elbow. In one hand she held her cards, in the other, an ornate cigarette holder with a lit cigarette now trembling in her shaking hands. She was dressed the way she had been when he first saw her crouched in the stable. But now her face wasn’t dirty and her boyish shirt was open at the neck displaying a teasing glimpse of pale soft flesh. Her silken hair had sprung loose from its casual braid and was hanging in a shiny curtain down her back. Her black cowboy hat was perched at a jaunty angle. In front of her was a stack of chips easily twice that of the next largest pile.

  The room erupted in a roar of voices. All the men at the table shouted out some kind of a greeting.

  “Damn, if it isn’t Angel,” a man with hair as red as his ruddy cheeks hollered out.

  “Hell, I never thought I’d see the day,” his companion responded. He added with a disbelieving chuckle. “Angel and the Queen Bee in one room, at our table? You gotta fuckin’ be kidding.”

  Tom Peters, a man Angel had met at a night long game at Dominic’s put down his cigar and grinned at Gabe. “I dunno, Angel. You might just have met your competition. Our little Queen Bee here is the best kept secret in the county.” He turned to the rest of the men at the table and crowed, “I’m tellin’ you, this is gonna be a night of poker like you’ve never seen.”

  Without seeming to take a single step Gabe was behind her. In a single sweep of his arms he lifted her from her chair and stood her between Gunnar and Eagle. Her gasp was heard around the table.

  In a pleasant voice, he spoke to the men all staring at him, and then at Ana.

  “Sorry, gentlemen. I won’t be able to join you tonight although I am sure it would be a profitable evening. And I regret that Miss Li will be unable to stay.

  Ignoring their surprised expressions, Gabe proceeded to divide up Ana’s huge stack of chips and began parceling them out to the startled men around the table.

  “What… what are you doing, Gabe?” Ana’s voice was a mere squeak.

  Without looking back at her, Gabe put the last two piles in front of the men next to him and replied in a silky voice. “Really, Ana. I thought you knew poker etiquette. A man doesn’t leave a competitive game without warning, and expect to take his winnings.”

  He turned to her and grasped her arm, his hand an iron vise on her tender flesh.

  “Gunnar, will you please bring Ana’s cigarette holder?

  “Any other little props, Ana, that we should be aware of? Special cards? A money bag? An extra bottle of whisky?” he asked, giving her a scathing glance.

  Ana felt the heat flood her cheeks as her anger rose. How dare he humiliate her like this? In front of these men? It had taken her two years to earn their respect and now Gabe, arrogant bully that he was, yanked it away. Her anger stiffened her spine. She tried to twist away.

  “Let go of me, Gabe.”

  “Be quiet, Ana.”

  His tightening grip on her arm and the cold rage in his eyes buried her retort in her throat. A wave of fear crashed over her. If he didn’t have such a tight grip on her, she would have fallen, her shaking legs no longer capable of holding her upright.

  He partially dragged and carried her across the room. At the doorway he turned to the shocked men at the table.

  “Good evening, gentlemen. Enjoy the rest of your game.”

  He scooped Ana up in his arms and carried her down the stairs nodding to a startled Shorty, who shook his head in wonder. “Well, I’ll be damned. Now I think I seen everything.”

  Within minutes, the group of eight men were mounted, waiting for orders from their leader. One of the men held Spirit’s reins in his hand, keeping the heaving mare next to him. Gabe strode past Spirit and threw Ana up on Wild Card. In one strong move he seated himself behind her.

  She whispered, “What are you doing, Gabe? I can… ride my own horse.” She looked to Gunnar and Eagle, silently appealing for help, but both men looked away, their expressions dark with concern. When Gabe signaled, all eight men headed to the ranch, the pounding of their horses galloping hoofs testifying to their frightening speed.

  Gabe held her so tightly she had trouble catching a full breath. It was like being wrapped in a thunder cloud. Never knowing when the lightning would strike.

  ~~~

  When they reached the ranch, Gabe tossed her to the ground and jumped down beside her. One of the men came up behind them and led Wild Card away. Gunnar and Eagle dismounted and moved up next to Gabe. Davy and Emil stood at a short distance.

  Ana jerked back several steps and glared at Gabe, ignoring the men behind him.

  She was shaking, determined. She had to make him understand. She swallowed hard barely making it past the lump in her throat.

  “You don’t understand, Gabe. I can explain.” Getting the first words out gave her courage to continue.

  “I know I should have waited for you or told Davy or someone, but I—”

  Gabe’s cold order cut her off. “Be quiet, Ana.”

  She struggled between fear and anger, mostly not wanting to cry. She was furious that he was treating her like this in front of his men. She hated him, despised him. But the entrance to the villa seemed far away.

  Gabe lit a cigarette and regarded her with a curious expression.

  “I’ve never hit a woman in anger, Ana. Or for that matter killed one. But this may call for an exception.”

  She jumped back willing her legs to stop shaking. Eagle put his hand on Gabe’s shoulder and said softly, “You can’t resolve this tonight, Gabe. Let her go. Morning will come soon enough.”

  Gabe took a deep drag off his cigarette and nodded at Eagle through the smoke.

  Jerking his head at the men behind him, his words were curt. He locked on her eyes while he spoke.

  “Davy, Emil. Please accompany Ana to her chambers. Since I already broke the lock on her door you will need to position yourselves inside her chambers. Emil, you take the balcony door that Ana seems to have a number of uses for. Davy, post yourself at the door. If she so much as turns over in her bed, you have my permission to tie her to the bedpost and come and get me. I will take it from there.”

  Ana couldn’t believe what he said.

  She tried to speak firmly but her words came out in a disbelieving gasp.

  “They… they will be inside my chambers?”

  Gabe nodded.

  “That’s correct. Better them than me.”

  Anger flooded her at his taunting arrogance. Ana was infuriated at the way he was humiliating her. Treating her like a naughty child. She tried but couldn’t stop the angry tears that streamed down her cheeks. When Davy stepped cautiously toward her, she snapped, “Stay away from me. Don’t you dare touch me.”

  Davy’s baby face flushed and she saw the distress in his eyes.

  “I… we… will give you privacy, Ma’am. We—”

  She shoved at his arm and included them all in her furious glare.

  “Go to hell. All of you!”

  She whirled away and ran through the doorway into the silent still-sleeping house.

  Eyeing her retreating backside, Gunnar clapped a hand on Gabe’s shoulder and said with a dry chuckle, “As beautiful as it is, I sure as hell wouldn’t want to be that little ass for the next couple of days.”

  Chapter 29

  The next morning, Ana waited for Master Han in the Kung Fu practice center. She had a regular lesson with her sensei every Tuesday, and there was never an acceptable excuse to miss it. She forced herself through the disciplined
moves of her warm up practice, refusing to acknowledge the curious stares of the other fighters. She knew word of her escapade had traveled throughout the Villa. To her shame, she would be the talk of the kitchen as well as the barn for days to come. She kept her composure on a tight leash knowing that it wouldn’t take much to snap. More than anything she wanted to bury her head under her covers and not leave her bed for a week.

  The door opened and there was a flurry of activity, and then silence. She turned to see Gabe enter. Her stomach plunged dangerously. She gasped for air, looking for somewhere to run. He held her gaze from across the room. If anything he looked angrier, colder than he had the night before.

  He glanced around the room and jerked his head toward the door. Including all the fighters in his command, he said, “Please excuse us. Ana and I have a private lesson scheduled. We will need the center for the next several hours. Please leave.”

  Ana watched stunned as the more than twenty fighters gathered up their equipment and paraded through the door. Gabe waited until the last one left, then reached over and locked the door.

  She closed her eyes, grasping for every calming exercise she’d ever practiced. But they deserted her, as though she hadn’t spent a quarter of her life in the spiritual and physical practice of Kung Fu. No matter what animal form she tried to conjure up they eluded her as though a flood had drowned them all.

  Giving up the pretense of calm, she bit her lip so hard she was sure it would bleed. She met Gabe’s gaze. “I… I have a lesson today, Gabe. Master Han will be here any minute. I….”

  She stopped, knowing nothing she said would make a difference.

  His voice was calm. Almost pleasant. Except for the tight lines around his mouth and eyes, she wouldn’t have known how angry he was.

  “You are correct, Ana. You do have a lesson scheduled. However, Master Han will not be teaching it. I will.”