Hard to Fight

by Bella Jewel

  “Last chance,” he murmurs. “Make it a good one, lady.”

  I stare into his eyes. “Have you ever been in love?”

  He pulls back, looking confused. He didn’t expect that question, and I must admit, I didn’t expect to ask it.

  “Yeah.”

  “That’s it?” I say.

  “Yeah.”

  “You’re not going to give me more?”

  He shakes his head. “Nope.”

  I lean in close—so close, he sucks in a breath, preparing himself for my kiss. “That’s a shame,” I whisper. “I don’t think that answer deserves a kiss.”

  Then, with all my strength, I pull back and stand. Raide stares at me now, his eyes so lusty it’s hard to turn away. I flick my fingers in a little wave. “It was good seeing you again, handsome.” And then I disappear.

  Let’s see how much he thinks about me now.

  Chapter Eight

  “He just walked into a gun shop!” Kady cries, catching my arm as we hurry down the street to where Raide has just disappeared inside a scary-looking gun shop. It’s been a few days since our moment at the club, and it’s time for me to run into him again.

  “Yes,” I say, peeling Kady’s fingers from my arm. “And I own a gun—it’s perfect.”

  “He’s going to get suspicious, Grace. No girl goes into a gun shop.”

  I reach into my purse and pull out my gun, waving it at her. “I do.”

  Her eyes bug. “Is that thing loaded?”

  I scoff. “Of course it is, I don’t carry it around for fun.”

  “Then stop waving it around,” she cries.

  “I wasn’t waving it around.” I kind of was. “Besides, the safety is on.”

  “That makes me feel so much better¸” she mumbles.

  “Listen, you don’t need to come in here. Go to the coffee shop three blocks down, and I’ll come meet you when I’m done.”

  She sighs with relief. “Thank God—I really didn’t want to go into that place.”

  I flash her a smile and she jogs off down the road toward the traffic. I turn and hurry toward the store. Just as I reach the entrance, a hand curls around my wrist and tugs me backwards. I spin quickly, jerking my hand free.

  There’s a man, probably in his early thirties, standing on the sidewalk beside me. “Hi, there, I was just wondering if this was the gun shop?”

  Um, it says so right on the door. Creeper alert.

  “Can’t you read?” I mutter, going to turn.

  He grabs me again, and something hard pushes up against my back. “Give me your purse,” he growls into my ear.

  I stare up at the sky. A gun in the back? Seriously? It’s not the first time something like this has happened, and I doubt it’ll be the last. I push thoughts of him actually pulling the trigger from my mind. I went into a high-risk job, knowing there was a chance of danger, sometimes worse. I move quickly, like I’ve been trained to do. I spin and use my elbow at the same time to hit him in the jaw.

  He bellows in pain and stumbles backwards. I don’t wait. I leap forward and use my palm to hit him in the same place, only harder this time. Blood spurts from his mouth and he drops to his knees. When he’s down, I use my foot to kick him in the very same spot once more until he lands flat on his back with a crackled screech.

  “Jesus fuckin’ Christ!”

  I spin to see Raide standing on the sidewalk. I reach down quickly, straightening my dress before saying, “What are you doing here?”

  He stares at me, horrified. “Did you just beat the shit out of this dude?”

  “What?” I cry. “No … Well, yes, but he was attacking me.”

  “What’d he do, steal you lipstick?”

  I cross my arms, still panting heavily. “He tried to steal my purse.”

  Raide blinks. “Seriously, lady?”

  “Yes.”

  “You mangled him for trying to steal your purse?”

  I shuffle the purse on my shoulder. “I like this purse.”

  He blinks. “Are you for real?”

  I smile. “Absolutely.”

  The guy on the ground is still howling like a small, wounded animal. I ignore him and focus on Raide. He’s got something behind his back, which he quickly tucks into his jeans. Gun. I slowly take the rest of him in—God, he looks good today. He’s wearing a pair of faded denim jeans with a dark tee that fits him far too well. His hair is wild and his eyes—oh boy, those eyes. To die for.

  Focus, Grace.

  “What’re you doin’ around these parts?”

  I pull my gun out of my purse. “Upgrading.”

  “Jesus, do you know how to use that thing?” he says, edging to the side.

  “Of course I do,” I scoff.

  He nods, as if saying, sure you do.

  “If you’ll excuse me, handsome,” I say, stepping around him. “I have a gun to buy.”

  I hurry to the door, but when I reach it, I turn and stare at him. He’s watching me with a lusty expression on his face. Ah yes, Raide Knox doesn’t like women who flaunt themselves in front of him. No, Raide Knox likes them wild and badass, but more than that, he likes a challenge. I think I finally caught his attention. Now things can really fall into place.

  Chapter Nine

  “Latte, please,” I say to the lady behind the counter.

  I’m at the coffee shop I saw Raide at the other day. After our little intense moment together outside the gun shop, I think I’ve gotten to him just enough to up my game. I need to get him in daylight and strike up a conversation, get the ball rolling on this seduction business. I can’t just keep running into him. I need to use the familiarity I’ve been establishing to get him out on an actual date. And that’s going to happen today. I have no idea if he’ll show, but he did yesterday and the day before, so it’s a good bet he’ll do it again.

  The coffee shop is actually a really nice place, with cream walls and delicate little booths spread out across polished wooden floors. Old memorabilia line the walls, and all the waitresses wear frilly white aprons.

  “Not a problem, I’ll bring it to you. Take a seat.”

  I turn and strut to an empty booth. I made sure to wear my shortest skirt and my tightest blouse today, not to mention my killer heels. I left my dark hair down in soft curls around my shoulders. My sisters would be so proud. I slide into the booth and glance around. I have a few different ideas on how I’ll play this, depending on his response to me. Fortunately, I think I’ve hooked him enough to do it fairly effortlessly.

  The waitress brings me my coffee, and I thank her with a smile before leaning back and sipping it. I’m nearly through my second one when the bell above the door dings. It’s done that about eight times, and each time I’ve turned, but it’s never been Raide. This time it is. He enters the coffee shop with sunglasses covering his eyes. Damn, he looks fine.

  He strides up to the counter with purpose, his powerful body making everybody in the café stop and stare at him. He’s got that feel, that aura—he’s simply magnificent. I let my eyes run down the length of his body, from his broad shoulders to his tight ass. He’s wearing a black tee that fits him like a glove, and a pair of old, faded blue jeans. He looks divine.

  He orders a coffee and turns, scanning the shop. I keep my eyes on him, and when his stop on me, he jerks. Then a slow, sexy grin spreads across his face. Oh boy. He strides over to me. I lean back in the booth with a sugar-sweet smile on my face, my legs crossed and showing a great amount of skin. He stops and removes his sunglasses, showing me those perfect amber eyes. Then he rakes his gaze down my body, over my legs, and then back up to my eyes.

  “Gracie,” he says, his voice husky and sexy.

  “Hi there, handsome.”

  “You following me?”

  I smile again. “I like coffee.”

  “We done playin’ games long enough for you to have one with me?”

  My smile gets bigger. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I was just here having cof
fee. What are these games you speak of?”

  His grin widens, and he places his palms flat on the table, leaning down close. He smells like chocolate and … something awesome … something so sexy, my breath hitches. “You know, I don’t have a great deal of patience.”

  “Really?” I match his grin. “Neither do I.”

  “You going to have a coffee with me or sit there giving me those fuck-me eyes for the rest of the day?”

  Bingo.

  “These aren’t my fuck-me eyes, Raide. You haven’t even begun to see what I can do with these eyes.”

  He narrows his eyes and stands up straight, all traces of humor gone from his face. “How do you know my name?”

  Shit. Shit. Shit.

  “I, ah…” Oh my God, he’s onto me.

  “I said”—he’s growling now, scary and deep—“how the fuck do you know my name?”

  “You told me!” I blurt. “The night we met.”

  He takes a weary step back. “No, I didn’t.”

  “Yes, you did.”

  “No,” he snaps, “I didn’t.”

  Shit. He so didn’t. Think, Grace, think.

  “Well, your, ah, girlfriend told me.”

  He gives me a disgusted look. “No, she fuckin’ didn’t.” He studies me and then hisses, “You’re in places I’m in, takin’ the same cab, at my gun shop, at my coffee shop … You’re fuckin’ stalking me!”

  Wait a second? Say what? Oh no. No no no. Raide thinks I’m … stalking him?

  “It’s wasn’t your gun shop,” I protest. “And this isn’t your coffee shop.”

  “You live around here?” he mutters.

  “Ah, sure, close enough—”

  “Fuck me,” he says, reaching up and running his hands through his hair. “I’ve picked up a psycho.”

  My mouth drops open. “I’m not—I am not a psycho.”

  “You drive a red convertible?”

  My eyes widen.

  “Fuck me,” he says again. “You were following me! You a fuckin’ cop?”

  “What? No!” I cry.

  “Then you’re a loony.”

  “I am not a loony.”

  “You are a fuckin’ loony. Listen, lady. I’m not interested.”

  Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy.

  “You’re real pretty and all,” he continues, and I want to curl up and die. This is not how things are meant to go. “But I don’t go for the crazy type.”

  “I am not crazy!”

  “Explain to me, then, why you’re everywhere I am?”

  “I live here.”

  He shakes his head. “Jesus, you’ve got issues.”

  “I’m not stalking you!” I yell.

  “Yeah, babe, you are,” he hisses low. “And you’re gonna fuckin’ stop.”

  With that, he turns, collects his coffee, and leaves. My mouth is still hanging open, and everyone in the café is staring at me. Great, just great. I stand, red faced, and rush to the door. Then I turn and yell, “I’m not stalking him!”

  Chapter Ten

  “He thinks I’m stalking him,” I groan, running my hands over my face. “I’m going to fail miserably at this, Don is going to be let down, Julio will do a happy dance around me, and I’ll never get another big case again.”

  Kady pats my shoulders, but I can feel her body shaking with laughter beside me. “Grace,” she giggles, “it’ll be fine, we’ll work something out.”

  “He thinks I’m crazy and obsessed,” I cry, spinning to her. “How do you suppose we can work that out?”

  She bites her lip and tries to look serious. She fails.

  “Stop laughing at me, Kady. It’s very, very serious.”

  She nods, still biting her lip, still with that stupid look on her face. “Okay,” she finally wheezes. “Let’s think about this—”

  “Think about it,” I huff, throwing myself back onto the bed. “I’m going to fail this. God, I thought it would be easy, but the more I do this, the more I wonder if I’m going to have to seduce every big case I get—and honestly, that shit will get old, considering I’m not very good at it.”

  Kady bursts out laughing again. “Then there’s the problem of receiving a woman bounty hunter. I guess you should turn in your gun now and do something more gender appropriate. Do you think the office needs a secretary?”

  I glare at her. “I know you’re just trying to rile me up, and it’s working. I’m just going to have to try and take him down in a direct confrontation. Let the chips fall where they may.”

  “Or you can prove to him you weren’t stalking him.”

  I roll my eyes. “Yeah, Kady, and how do you suppose I do that? Anywhere I show up, he’s going to think I’m stalking him.”

  “Good point.” She rubs her chin. “Well, you have a little bit of time yet. We’ll figure it out.”

  My phone rings before I can answer her, and with a sigh I lift it up and answer it. “Yeah?”

  “Gracie.” It’s Don. Great.

  “Hey, Don,” I say in my fake-happy tone.

  “Need you tonight. Vance is sick and Julio has a case. You got time to bring down a smaller one?”

  “Sure,” I say, needing the distraction. “When do you need me?”

  “Now. We’ve got a location.”

  “Text me the information, I’m on my way.”

  “Thanks.”

  I hang up and turn to Kady. “Duty calls.”

  She narrows her eyes. “Raide?”

  “No, another one. I’m still getting some smaller cases, which is good, it keeps me focused.”

  She looks like she wants to laugh again. I point to her and say, “Shut up, Kady.”

  She throws her hands up. “Sorry, I’m shutting up.”

  I flash her a smile. “Call you later.”

  “Laters.”

  I head out to my car and read over Don’s information, which just came through on my phone. Male, early twenties, skipped bail for a drug charge. I stare at the picture. Skinny enough that I shouldn’t need anything else to take him in but what’s already with me. I shove my Taser and gun into my jeans and head on over.

  I’m grateful for this distraction from the mess I’ve made with Raide.

  * * *

  The club Don texted me to go to is packed when I arrive. There are bodies everywhere, grinding and drinking. With a deep breath, I start pushing through the crowd, scanning each person’s face to see if I can locate Terry, the man I’m supposed to be bringing in. I scan the bar first, and see no one resembling him. If he’s on a drug charge, there’s a good chance he’s a junkie or knows someone who is.

  I turn toward the darker parts of the club. The bathrooms, the halls, the back rooms, places like that. I check the toilets first, busting into the men’s toilet as though I’ve been in there a million times. Some of them curse, others smirk at me, but I ignore them, muttering, “Sorry, guys, ladies’ room is full, and so’s my bladder.” I check thoroughly—no Terry. “On second thought, I think I can hold it a little longer.”

  I step out into the hall and crash into a tall, hard form. I squeal and leap back, only to feel my mouth drop open as Raide looks down at me, his expression hard. Great, this could not get any worse. Why does the universe hate me so much? He already thinks I’m stalking him, and now, as luck would have it, he’s in the same place as my guy for the night. I just hope he didn’t notice that I was in the process of exiting the men’s room. I don’t think I could come back from that.

  “What the fuck?” he barks. “You follow me here, too?”

  I blink at him. “Excuse me?”

  “I said,” he growls, putting his hands on my shoulders and pushing me against the wall. I gasp when my back hits the cool, hard surface. “Did you fuckin’ follow me here?”

  I don’t have time for this. I let my eyes scan the halls, and I’m about to smart-mouth Raide when I notice Terry standing at the end of the hall, mouth close to a young girl’s mouth as he whispers something. I actually watch him pull o
ut a white pill and drop it into her drink as he speaks to her. Pig.

  “Excuse me, I have things to do.” I shove out of Raide’s grip, focused entirely on Terry. I approach him casually, acting as though we’re long-lost friends. “Hi, Terry,” I chirp.

  He turns to me, narrowing eyes that are so dark, I can’t tell in this light if they’re brown or black. He’s got short blond hair and is tall and skinny, just like the picture. He’s also completely whacked-out, his eyes bloodshot, his body flinching every few seconds. Easy.

  “Do I know you?”

  “Course you do, remember?”

  He stares at me.

  “Forgive me,” I say, leaning in close to his ear so no one else can hear me. “Why don’t we go out in the parking lot, and I can give you a reminder.” I thrust my chest out and bat my lashes, and as expected, he falls for it. Once we’re outside where Raide can’t see us, I’ll do the takedown.

  I bring my body closer to his, but before I begin to lead him out, I turn to the girl and whisper, “Don’t drink that, honey. He drugged you.”

  She stares down at her drink and drops it to the floor, glass smashing into thousands of tiny little pieces before she goes slinking off down the dark hall. I spin back to Terry, wrapping my arm around his biceps and leading him to the door.

  “There a problem here?”

  Shit. Raide.

  I stare over my shoulder to see him approaching. I quickly adjust my strategy. Raide’s the bigger bounty, so if I have to sacrifice Terry to keep my cover, so be it. But I’d still like to try to get the date-raping bastard if I can.

  “No problem at all. I’m just taking my cousin here home. He tried to drug that girl, and his dad is going to be super pissed.”

  Terry looks at me in confusion. “I think there’s been a mistake here.”

  He tries to pull away, but I don’t let him. Instead I use my foot to kick him over so he falls down on his hands and knees. I put my foot into the middle of his back and press. He lands on his stomach with a splat and I lean down, spreading my fingers over the back of his head, and push his face to the floor. “Terry, there’s no need to argue. I’m taking you home. We’re tired of the way you’re behaving. Drugging a girl is unacceptable.”