Beautiful Bounty (The Bounty Hunters: The Marino Bros. Book 1)

by Nightingale, MJ

  “Yes. I understand. I will do what I can to pay them back.” Lou’s face was grim. Having to borrow this much money from her friends terrified her. She and Jay, newly married, were just starting out, and with what they had going on, what no one else knew yet, not even Jay, well, it would complicate matters even further. But this was her daughter, and she would do whatever it took to get her out of this mess.

  “No, Mom. I will,” Ronnie interjected. She witnessed the play of emotions across her mother’s face. She knew this expense could break her. It made her feel even guiltier for ending up in this situation.

  “Honey . . .” Lou interrupted trying to assuage her daughter’s fears.

  “Mom,” Ronnie started firmly.

  Then Ana was speaking. “Monica and I were going to do something for your graduation. We talked about it, and we don’t want either of you to worry about this.” Monica was nodding her agreement.

  “No, it’s too much,” Ronnie stated forcibly. Lou was nodding her agreement. “This is more than a graduation present. Hell, who knows if I’ll even be able to graduate now.”

  “Hush now, Ronnie. We won’t hear of it. And of course you will graduate. You completed all the course work, passed the exams. The ceremony is only a formality. I didn’t go to mine,” she added when she saw Ronnie wince.

  “But,” she started. She hoped that was true. Still, this much for a gift, she just couldn’t accept it. “I . . .”

  Andreas interrupted. “Ladies. Why don’t you discuss this later? We don’t want to keep you, and we just have a few other things we would like to clear up.”

  The women all stopped talking and looked to him. Ana’s eyes narrowed slightly. Something about this man rubbed her the wrong way, Monica’s new cousin or not.

  “Yes, go ahead,” Monica prompted, effectively ending this conversation for now. When the women settled down he began again.

  “Okay, so this is how it works. If you go to court, and show up for your case, and do what you are told by your lawyers, no harm no foul. You have your day in court, and hopefully get acquitted.”

  “Yes, we understand.” Jay interjected.

  “Good. But, there is more . . . If you don’t,” Andreas paused, and his blue eyes, so like his brother’s, and his cousin Victor’s, pierced hers, “your mother loses this house. Do you understand that?”

  Ronnie gulped. Her eyes registered panic. Good, he thought. He watched her watching him.

  The man held nothing back. His eyes were so much like Nikko’s, but icier, fiercer. She nodded. “Anything else?”

  Andreas had to give the girl credit. She was tough. She didn’t waiver, or look away. Most women did. “Normally, we need collateral, in the amount of the remainder. But, since your mom didn’t have it, and Victor’s our cousin, we accepted what she had. With the house, and Jay’s motorcycle . . .”

  “You didn’t?” Ronnie asked with astonishment, her head whipping up to peer at Jay. He just shrugged, sheepishly smiling at her, then looked with nothing but love at her mother.

  “Yes, he did. Now what you need to know is that if you show up on your court date all is good. You will have your day in court, and hopefully get acquitted. Your mom and your step-father will be able to keep their house and motorcycle. So, you need to listen to your attorneys, and do what they tell you.” Andreas paused for a moment and all eyes were still on him. “Now, we work with some insurance companies, and they back our bonds. We have a good name and a good reputation. We want to keep it that way. The bail was a quarter million. Your mom’s house and the motorcycle weren’t even close to what we needed. But Victor’s our cousin. So we took this, and left it there. But if you run,” he pointed at her, stared her down with the bluest eyes she had ever seen. “Your mom loses the house, your step-father his motorcycle. I am out 150K. And, I won’t be happy. I’ll be pissed.” The room was quiet despite the number of people in it. “See my brothers?” he indicated the three other Marinos in the room, Gio, Blaze, and Nikko, standing along the kitchen counter, wearing similar cargo pants, similar black t-shirts except Nikko. She turned and looked back at Andreas, and nodded again. “Well, they will be pissed too. And we will come after you. We will find you. And we will bring you straight to jail. No passing go. No collecting anything. Capisce?” His eyes narrowed and searched hers. She swallowed again and nodded one more time.

  Still staring her down, he indicated the door with a shake of his head, and two of his brothers began to move. He got up, turned, and began to leave. Monica was already standing by the door. He paused to say his goodbye to her.

  Patting Monica on her belly, he asked, “So when are these little guys due again?”

  Monica shook her head and laughed. “Two months, the doctors want me to go another month at least.”

  “We can’t wait.” He smiled down at the beautiful brunette his lucky son of a bitch cousin managed to snag. She was sweet, and loved his cousin to the ends of the earth.

  “Victor too,” she smiled, reaching up to give her big cousin a hug. “Every time the babies kick, he practically jumps out of his skin.”

  He smiled fondly at her envying his cousin’s good fortune in finding such an angelic soul-mate. “My place this Sunday,” he reminded her. “I love it when it is my turn to cook. Gives Aunt Mary a break.”

  “Nothing spicy, please,” Monica chastised rubbing her belly. “That Shrimp Fra Diablo about did me in last time.”

  “Sure, sure,” he laughed as he turned to leave. He was followed out the door by Gio, and Blaze.

  “Nikko, out now,” he called from the doorway when he noticed Nikko was still rooted to his spot in the living room looking like he was a fixture. Nikko nodded his goodbyes, and followed his brothers out also stooping to give Monica a brief hug.

  Ronnie watched Nikko leave, trying to keep the look of disappointment off her face. She had hoped to speak with him one more time before he left.

  The door banged shut behind them, and Jay was the first to speak. “That’s some family, Mon.”

  “I know,” Monica laughed. “They look tough and menacing, but they are really great. Really!” she added to the silent grim faced group assembled in Lou’s living room.

  “Don’t get me wrong, I am grateful for their help, but that older one has a chip on his shoulder, and I might just have to knock it off,” Ana added to the room at large that still remained quiet in the wake of the Marinos. She was pensive. Ronnie turned to the red head, her mom’s best friend. Ana was looking at her as well, curiously.

  Outside, Nikko stood by his brother’s Escalade wondering what his brother had to complain about now.

  “Nikko, I want you to stay in the area. Get a hotel. I saw one down the road. Check in on the girl tomorrow.”

  “What?” he asked, completely taken aback by Andreas’ request. That was the last thing he was expecting. “You’re kidding, right?”

  Andreas was no fool. He knew there was more than a passing interest between these two. After sizing them up in the living room, he felt it might work to their advantage having Nikko close by. Nikko looked at the girl like he wanted to eat her, and she did the same. He could tell the girl was no felon, no junkie, no drug dealer, but she was proud. Having Nikko nearby might distract her from having some crazy ideas like trying to prove her innocence on her own.

  “Yeah, you ever hear of good cop, bad cop, Nikko. Well, I was just bad cop. Now, you swoop on in and be good cop, Capisce? In fact, stay a few days. Pop over, and oh, I don’t know, apologize about me being an ass or something. Then get some more info from the girl. Stick close to her. I got a feeling about this one. I couldn’t get a good read from her. I don’t know if she is a runner or not, but she’s proud. The girl wouldn’t look away when I tried to stare her down. Tough. Independent streak, I got from her. Sometimes those kinds get ideas. You know what I mean? Get more info. Check in with me every day.”

  “I’ve got no clothes.” He was still flabbergasted. That was the first thing to come to mind.r />
  Gio laughed and made some off-handed, off-colored comment under his breath that sounded like ‘no clothes . . . no problem’ that got him the evil-eye from Andreas. Blaze just smiled and nodded knowingly.

  “Use the business credit card. Get yourself some things. Get a charger. And here,” he stated handing him a manila folder with some papers in it. “File these, let the county cops know what is going on. She is not to leave the state, and I’d prefer it if she would stay in the county.”

  He turned to his vehicle and opened the door. Once inside, he started the car, and Gio made his way round to the driver side, and got in. Blaze held back, as Andreas rolled up his window.

  “Is he kidding?” Nikko asked his brother, the brother not quite two years older than him.

  “Nope, he’s not. But, it seems like he wants you on point for this case, so don’t let him down. You better check in every day. And hey,” he added as he reached for the door handle to the rear seats, “What a case?” he teased, gesturing with his hands the old age expression for a stacked lady, “Poppe!” he gestured with his hands in front of his chest. “If you’re lucky she’ll be stracciamanici.”

  Nikko just shook his head at his brother who wished Ronnie might prove to be insatiable, and gave him a dirty look as Blaze got into the car laughing the whole way. Before he had even taken three steps, he heard the crunch of gravel, and his brother’s tires spinning in it. He stopped to give the boys a wave and then began to reach his own car. Looks like he’d be sticking around a few days. Surprisingly, he didn’t mind the assignment, as an image of Ronnie’s “poppe” flashed into his head. He enjoyed the thought just as he heard the door to the house open.

  It was Ronnie.

  “Hey, I’m glad I caught you before you left,” she muttered as she jogged towards his car, her poppe bouncing enticingly. The sun was beginning its decline and her hair looked like a halo of gold around her, temporarily blinding him.

  “Hey, what’s up?” he asked, squinting in her direction. He put his hand against his forehead in mock salute to block out the sun. She came into focus.

  “Just wanted to say thanks for the ride, and well, tell you maybe you’re not the ass I thought you were,” she teased.

  She’d think differently if she knew what he was thinking in that moment. He laughed. “Oh, gee thanks. Actually, I’m staying at the hotel down the road for a few days,” he told her. Better to let her know ahead of time.

  “Why?” she asked curiously, suddenly suspicious.

  “Big brother just informed me, actually. I have some papers in this county to file.” He held up the folder.

  “Those about me?” she asked, peering at the file folder in his hand.

  He just nodded gloomily.

  “Okay, well bye,” she said as he began to turn.

  He needed to stop her if just for a moment. “Hey if you don’t mind, maybe I’ll stop in to say hello while I’m here now and then.” He wanted it to appear nonchalant.

  She stopped, and turned. From the expression on her face, she wasn’t buying it. “Checking up on me?” her eyes searched his face looking for the truth.

  Again he nodded. He felt the urge to reach up and touch her hair.

  She just shook her head a little sadly and shrugged her shoulders. “Sure. Why not? It beats hanging out with the folks and talking to attorney’s all day. Why not?” And with that, she turned again and headed back inside.

  Nikko waved to her retreating figure, and when the door closed softly, and she was safely tucked inside, he headed to his car. He had some shopping to do. He also needed to get a charger for his phone.

  ***

  Ronnie woke up Saturday morning to the sounds of birds outside her bedroom window. Missy, her mom’s Golden Retriever, sat at her feet watching her from the side of the bed, big brown eyes waiting for a sign of movement. Ronnie allowed her arm to slip out from under the covers. “Missy!” she exclaimed softly, and the loyal dog was there licking her fingers.

  In the joy of the moment, she almost forgot the charges she was facing. This had been her dog from childhood. Missy was getting old, and she enjoyed each precious moment with her.

  It was still early, the sun just rising. It was quiet, but she knew her mom would be up, always an early riser. She might as well get up and enjoy some quiet time with her mom.

  Plus, Missy’s tail was wagging furiously, and if she didn’t get out of bed soon, the sweet dog she had gotten for her twelfth birthday would give her away.

  “Okay, sunshine. I’m getting up.” The dog yipped happily as she sat up swinging her legs to the side of the bed. When Ronnie’s feet hit the floor, Missy was doing circles in the small space of her bedroom. Ronnie shook her head. Always happy. The simple life of a dog. If only it could be that easy. It seemed the weight of the world was on her shoulders despite her fairly decent night’s sleep.

  Her mom’s friends stayed late, providing moral support, trying to keep her and her mother distracted from their worries. She slept well despite her circumstances because it had been the first night in a real bed in quite a few days, longer if you considered the cruise ship’s bed. The jail cell had not been conducive to sleeping with the night sounds and her own worries, and the cruise she had taken had not been very restful.

  Her long t-shirt she slept in still on, Ronnie grabbed a pair of gym shorts from the top drawer of her dresser, and slipped into them before venturing into the hall. Missy still hot on her heels. A glance across the living room told her she had been correct. Her mom was sitting on the sun porch drinking her coffee, watching the sun rise over the horizon. She shook her head sadly at the worry she must be causing her mother and slipped into the bathroom before she faced her.

  In the bathroom, Ronnie took care of her most pressing need, brushed her teeth, and finger combed her hair. All her toiletries had been confiscated by the police and were locked up as evidence. She was told most of the items would be returned to her, but that hadn’t happened yet, and wasn’t likely to happen anytime soon. She would need to make a stop at Walmart and get some things, she thought dismally, as she raked her waves into some kind of order. It was the best she could do. She didn’t want to go through her mom’s room to her ensuite bathroom and risk waking up her step dad.

  Well, time to face the music, she thought. She reluctantly turned the nob, and Missy was waiting patiently for her. A glance told her that her mother was still waiting outside. Ronnie was shocked to see a cigarette in her hand. She had quit years ago, and Ronnie knew it was because of her and the stress of the whole situation, that her mom apparently picked up the habit again. The guilt pressed in on her. Not wanting to be caught catching her, she coughed and crossed to the kitchen not looking her mom’s way. She made for the coffee pot, a mug already set aside for her, and prepped the coffee just the way she liked it, light and sweet.

  From the corner of her eye, she could see her mom had crushed out her cigarette and stashed the cigarettes in a side drawer of an end table along with the ashtray. Ronnie took a long sip of the delicious brew. She loved her mom’s coffee, so much better than the concoction served in prison with one creamer and one packet of sugar.

  She gave her mom another moment before “seeing” her. Her mom waved at the air to disperse the cigarette smoke, and took a sip of her coffee. Turning towards the Florida room, Ronnie “saw” her mom, nodded and began to approach.

  Her mom was out of her seat opening the sliding glass doors. “How’d you sleep, sweetie?” She spoke the words softly. Jay was still sleeping. He and Victor, when he’d shown up to bring Monica home, had a few drinks. Monica had done the driving.

  “Good actually,” Ronnie muttered, pressing a kiss to her mother’s cheek and couldn’t help but wrinkle her nose.

  Lou saw and blushed, but made no comment other than to tell her to sit. Lou also managed to give her a sheepish smile.

  Ronnie nodded and sat next to her mom who placed her hand over hers in what was meant to be a comforting gesture. Ron
nie sighed and looked at her mom’s eyes noticing they were quite puffy. She turned her hand over under her mom’s and grasped them, squeezing them and bringing warmth back into them.

  “Mom, I love you! Thank you for doing this all for me.” She made her voice upbeat, confident, trying to restore her mother’s usual confidence.

  “What else would I do? You’re my heart.”

  Ronnie saw the tears welling in her mother’s eyes. Of all that was going on, seeing this pain, this worry on her mom’s face practically undid her. Her mom did not look well at all. Her skin was paler than usual, she’d lost weight, and her eyes had dark circles around them.

  “Mom,” Ronnie chastised, “I am so grateful. Really, I am, but I really need you to be strong for me. I need you to take care of you. I am innocent. And, I will clear my name,” she stated with fervor. “But if I see you sad, crying, Mom, I just can’t see you that way knowing I have put this fear in you. The smoking? Please!” she begged her mom with plaintive eyes.

  Ronnie’s plea touched Lou. She was trying hard, but old fears resurfaced. She bought the cigarettes yesterday. Had only lit two, thinking they would help calm her nerves. Help her relax. She hadn’t even inhaled them or touched them to her lips. She wouldn’t dare. But it had been the need to have a sense of calmness that had driven her to buy them. They hadn’t helped in the least.

  “You’re right doll face.” Lou shook her head. Although she was terrified for her daughter, and her future, she wasn’t worried at all about the house, or the money. She could start over. Again. She’s done it many times, but a mother didn’t want a child to have to go through these struggles. And now she had another child on the way. No one knew yet. She wasn’t far along. It was also the reason she hadn’t really smoked the cigarettes, but she wasn’t willing to share that news just yet.