Shifting Targets

by Austina Love

  A knot formed in her stomach as she made her way toward Gage’s office. Her last encounter with him hadn’t ended well at all. She worried over how he’d treat her now and if he knew anything about Trip. Unsure of how deeply involved Gage had become in Carter’s criminal activity, she had no way of knowing if Pike had told Gage about the incident in the barn. Such a tangled mess, she thought.

  After straightening her half-top, smoothing her pants and finger combing her hair so that she looked presentable, she opened the door to his foyer. She breathed a huge sigh of relief that La wasn’t at her desk. Shye was not in the mood to deal with her today. Her mind raced over how to break the ice with Gage. How do I ask him about my farm without putting him on the defense again? Looking around, she didn’t see anyone about. His office was quiet today. Thank goodness. She stared at the closed door to his personal office. Is he in there? Maybe he’s with a client or on the phone? Why am I suddenly so nervous? It’s only Gage. An eerie chill settled over her.

  The thought of nosing around flitted through her mind but she dismissed it. Even if Gage had been involved, he’d have destroyed anything incriminating after Carter’s arrest. Her nerves began to calm as she realized she’d probably done Gage a tremendous favor. Her gaze moved around the lobby area, which housed numerous bookshelves and a few replicas of famous paintings. Nothing unique, just boring colors and stifling décor, how anyone could function in this oppressive atmosphere baffled her.

  She lived to breathe fresh country air, enjoy the sounds and smells of nature, and roam free. The longing to regain ownership of her land that was rightfully hers consumed her. She could almost smell her mother’s venison stew roasting over an open fire and hear the melodic music of her ancestor’s—hauntingly sweet tunes that had been passed down for generations on handmade wooden flutes.

  Ate has not played the music since I’ve been home. She felt sad. Though her parents pretended they were okay on the reservation, she knew in her heart that their spirits grieved the loss of something so precious. Surely Gage will help me. He’s known them all of his life. She summoned the nerve to rap lightly on the large oak door to his private study.

  “Who is it?” he asked from the other side.

  “Shye,” she replied in a soft voice. “May I come in?”

  No reply. The sound of papers shuffling could be heard through the door, then footsteps approached. The door swung open.

  “Shye, what brings you to my office today?” he offered her a welcoming smile but suspicion lurked in his eyes. Handsome, polished and wealthy, he had no trouble attracting women.

  “It was a little hard for me to come around with Carter ranting like a madman. Now that he’s where he belongs, I hope to get on with my life.”

  “I’m very pleased to hear you say that.” He took her by the hand. “Come, sit down. Would you like something to drink?”

  “Do you have any cold cola?” She arched her brows and pouted her lips, knowing her puppy-dog expression always warmed his heart.

  “I always keep some in here just for you, darling.” He handed her a cold can and a crystal tumbler filled with ice. “Tell me, what have you been doing since you’ve been home?”

  “Spending time with my parents and checking in on the farm.”

  Gage sat down across from her in his office chair. “Really? What’s going on with the farm?”

  “I guess you really didn’t know.” She sighed with relief. “Carter was using it to sell drugs. He hired some half-breed thug to chase me down then tried to set me up to take the fall.”

  “Yes, I read all about Carter’s drug dealings. Shocking, isn’t it? I’m sorry you got involved.”

  “I know you were mixed up with him somehow, but I thought maybe he was holding something over you, like your mortgage or other money issues. Everyone knows if you owed that man money that he’d use it against you.”

  Gage rested a bent elbow on his desk and propped his chin on one hand. “What would make you think I was involved with Mike other than legal business?”

  She wanted to believe that Trip was wrong about Gage, that her longtime friend had been blackmailed into using his office as a front while selling drugs out the back door.

  “I heard some things,” she replied.

  “Ah, well, you can’t believe everything you hear in this town. After all, you should know. Hell, just a few days ago the entire town thought you had been robbing he bank when all this time Carter was just trying to set you up.”

  “Why would he do such an evil thing?” She swallowed some cola to hydrate her suddenly dry throat. “He’s the one who stole my land. I did nothing to him.”

  “Well, it’s true that I did do some things for Carter in the past that were probably not very ethical. But I couldn’t help with this one. He really went too far.”

  “So you’re done with him now?”

  “Yes. I try to avoid the wrong side of the law. But you didn’t come here to chat about Carter. What’s really on your mind?”

  “I thought maybe you could help me get my parents’ land back. With that no good rat in prison, surely there’s going to be a sale of his estate. He’ll need a lot of money to pay restitution for blowing up a federal building and to post bail, don’t you think?”

  Gage nodded with a glimmer in his eyes. “He most certainly will. And he’s looking at serious jail time, too.”

  “So do you know if the farm is going up for sale?” Her hope began to rise.

  “Shye…we had this conversation, remember? Why can’t you just let it go? That property is way too much for you to handle alone.”

  “I won’t be alone.”

  His brows shot up. “Oh?”

  “Ina and Ate…they will be with me. They are sad, Gage. They long to return home and spend their last years on the land of their forefathers. Life on the reservation is suffocating for them.”

  “But they are too old to help you run the plantation. Think sensibly, darling.”

  “I’ll hire someone to help me. Can you help me?”

  “What about your biker boyfriend?” His expression shifted from warm to cold in one blink. “Do you think he’s the type to settle into farm life?”

  Suddenly the air became thick, making her gasp in shock. The glass slipped from her hand before she realized it and spilled on the floor. “I-I’m sorry…” She reached down to pick it up, barely able to breathe.

  He pushed off his chair and came around toward her. Their hands met on the floor. He took hold of her wrist and pulled her up. His eyes flashed with sheer spite. “Did you think you could waltz into my office, bat those pretty eyes, pout your sexy lips and sweet talk me out of the land?”

  “Wh-what?” She backed against the wall.

  “You underestimated me, darling,” he snarled. “I’m nobody’s fool. I heard all about Trip Viper sweeping in to make a daring rescue of his sweet little Indian girlfriend.”

  Her thoughts scrambled. How could he know? He wasn’t there. She realized Trip had been right and that Gage must be deeper involved than she presumed.

  “So just because I’ve been seeing another man, you’re turning on me?”

  A deep shade of red flooded his face. Rage blazed in his eyes as he towered over her. “I waited twenty long years for you to complete your career and return home to become my wife. And what did I get? Nothing! Not a damn thing! Now you expect me to hand over a priceless estate without any sacrifice on your part?”

  “Trip was right about you!” she spat, even in sudden fear. “I tried all this time to give you the benefit of the doubt and told him that you’d never harm me. That Carter must’ve forced you into his dirty game. Now I see you are not the man I knew years ago. I don’t know who you are now!”

  With both hands braced on the wall behind her, he lowered his head until their lips were dangerously close. “I’m the man who owns the land you want.”

  She swallowed against the dryness of her throat, glaring up at him. “You? You tricked my parents into s
elling our farm?”

  “No…” he replied with an insolent grin. “Carter did the dirty dealing. I merely steered your gullible folks in the right direction. After all, you weren’t here to protect them and we did need the space for our growing business. Then you came home and started breathing down his neck so he sold the place to me.”

  Her body seethed with fury. “You won’t get away with this,” she hissed through clenched teeth.

  “I already have and there’s only one way you’ll be able to move your dear sweet Indian parents back onto their farm before they die.”

  “Just what is it that you expect me to do?” A flurry of terrifying thoughts whipped through her mind.

  He brushed his lips over hers and she cringed.

  “Marry me.”

  “You’re insane…” Her stomach churned. “I won’t be part of your corruption.”

  “Sacrifices are made all the time, dear Shye. You of all people should know. After all, isn’t that what your people practice?”

  “You are so misguided it’s pathetic. You know nothing of my people except fool’s tales. Our culture is rich and pure. We don’t defile the land or lie and cheat.” With an indignant lift of her chin, she stared back at him without flinching. “You will never break me.”

  “We shall see,” he said with a sneer. “You go now, back to your rebel boyfriend and consider what I can offer you compared to what he has. As my wife, your precious land will be half yours.” He cupped her chin with a firm hand. “Since I’m in a generous mood, I will give you one week…that’s seven moons in your language,” he added with a mocking laugh. “Come to me when you’ve made your decision.”

  “And if I don’t?”

  His hold on her face tightened and he gritted his teeth. “Then I will come for you.”

  She walked to Trip’s bike with a heavy heart and feet that felt frozen to the ground. Each step seemed difficult to take. Sliding onto the passenger seat, she sat numb from betrayal and waited for Trip. He’d obviously been watching for her as he appeared at her side without making a sound.

  “You look badly shaken.” His voice was soft and soothing as he wrapped protective arms around her. “What happened?”

  Sliding her arms around his waist, she clung to him with her cheek pressed against his chest and eased off the bike into his embrace. “You were right about Gage.” Her voice sounded flat and removed.

  “So he is working with Pike. I’m sorry your friend let you down.”

  “Not only that. It gets worse…much worse.”

  Trip lifted her chin with one finger until their eyes met. “Talk to me.”

  After taking a deep calming breath, she relayed the conversation but stopped before the marriage part, wondering how to present the ultimatum with tact. How will he react when I tell him the worst part? Tears of rage and pain blurred her eyes but she fought them back.

  “He said I must make a sacrifice if I want to regain partial ownership of the land and move my parents back home.”

  “What kind of sacrifice? Helping Pike take me down? Become part of their drug ring? Do they want money or a place to hide their cash? Does he want you to set me up?”

  “No…” She shook her head and stared up at him through misty eyes. “He expects me to marry him.”

  Silence—her muscles tightened waiting in agonizing silence for his response. Several minutes later he spoke.

  “You told him to go to hell, right?” Lines on his face tightened and his expression intensified with expectancy.

  “I tried.”

  “But?” His eyes searched hers in sheer panic.

  “He gave me one week to decide.”

  “You’re not considering this. You can’t possibly be considering this blackmail, are you?” He brushed a runaway tear from her cheek.

  “Of course not. I’d never marry that scum.”

  “Yet there’s more…what is it, babe?”

  Her body began to tremble beneath the extreme stress. “If I don’t go to him in one week…he’s coming after me.”

  Trip’s arms swept up her back, holding her close. He rested his cheek against her hair and though his voice was soft and low, he spoke with fierce determination. “Let him come. We’ll be waiting.”

  “I don’t want to put you on the run again. I just keep bringing trouble into your life and getting in the way of your plans.”

  “I love you, Shye.” He kissed the top of her head then eased back to gaze into her eyes. “We committed ourselves to each other. You are my top priority now. Draven’s days are numbered and now Gage just put his name on my list.”

  Rage, love, passion—all flashed through the shimmering depth of his eyes. She felt the connection in their spirits and the resolve in his soul. Everything in his expression screamed silent outrage yet under the fury she saw his gentle heart.

  “What will we do?”

  “Do you love me enough to take on the fight?”

  “You shouldn’t have to ask.” She pouted briefly then added with a softer slant, “I love you with all my heart and soul. I only worry of bringing more chaos to your life.”

  “I think we’re past that point,” he said with the easy smile she loved so much. Tenderly, he brushed stray hairs from her face. “You have a gift…Shadow. You may have misjudged Gage, but don’t ever underestimate yourself.”

  “Do you have a plan?”

  “Not at the moment, but I’m sure we’ll think of something.”

  “I guess we’re not free after all.”

  “Sure we are,” he said. “We’re no longer wanted by the law, which is where I like to be. And now we know who the ringleader is. See, my love, you have helped me with this case. I knew Gage was involved, but had no idea he was the boss.”

  “You sound confident.”

  “I am.” He brushed a feathery kiss over her lips. “Our enemies just gave us an entire week to devise our counter attack. I can think of plenty of ways to spend our time while strategizing.”

  “The targets in this game keep shifting.”

  He let out a short laugh. “And that is our edge, babe.”

  She half-smiled, impressed by his quick mind. “I really do love you, ya know.”

  “I know, angel.” He lifted her back onto the bike. “How do you feel about checking out the rest of Remle’s arsenal?”

  Flutters of excitement vanquished her fear. “Oh I like that idea.”

  He mounted the seat to her front and pulled her arms around his waist. “Hold on tight. I like to ride fast.”

  “You are so the perfect man for me,” she purred while snuggling close behind. “Fast, hard and love firepower. Let’s ride, baby.”

  About the Author

  Austina Love is a multi-published author with various pen names in many different genres with Extasy and Divine Destinies Books. Currently she resides with her husband and two sweet Maltese dogs.

  In addition to writing romantic fiction, her passions include music, dance, culture, and creating new recipes in the kitchen. Always the dreamer, never the realist, Austina takes life one day at a time while battling the daily challenge of Meniere’s Disease.

  She has a deep love for animals and nature, believes strongly in the spirit world and values loyalty most of all in people. Her dream is to visit the ocean many times, preferably on a Harley. The love of her life was a very special Bichon Frise and not a day goes by that she doesn’t think of him since his premature passing.

  Ambitious and quirky, she loves to laugh. She feels that passion is everything and without passion, one is not truly living but merely existing.

 

 

 
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