by Taylor Lee
Tatiana giggled. “Especially when Captain America told Bram he needs to eat more. That he’s on the ‘puny’ side.”
Frowning, Tara added, “Burke told Tanya he needed to speak to her privately and they went off to the side. When Tanya came back, the proverbial shit hit the fan. Bram apparently didn’t see how upset she was and started hammering at her with his disparaging criticism. To our surprise, especially Bram’s, Tanya actually yelled at him, told him to shut the fuck up.”
“Uh-oh, Tara. Incoming. Look who is coming to join us.” Tatiana pressed her lips together in a straight line. “Hmm, he looks as annoyed with us as he usually does with Tanya.”
Bram marched toward their table, a grim expression tightening his face. Glaring at Titus, he said in a strained voice, “I didn’t expect to see you here, Sheriff Trouble, but I’m glad that you are. May I join you?”
Titus shrugged. “Of course, Bram. Please sit down.”
Apparently deciding that niceties weren’t required, Bram focused a stern scowl on the sheriff. “I know that Tara and Tatiana will support me, but you really need to deal with your youngest daughter.”
“Hmm, and what has my incorrigible deputy done now, Bram?”
“You are correct, Sheriff. Tanya is incorrigible as well as impertinent and exceptionally rude.”
Titus lifted a brow and said coolly, “I can see how you might describe Tanya that way. Although rude is not an adjective I would use—particularly if I were addressing her father.”
Clearly not hearing the disdain in Titus’s curt rejoinder, Bram barreled on. “You can add foolish and disrespectable to the words that describe her. You are not going to believe this, but she actually told me that I owe her an apology. Tara and Tatiana will confirm that is nonsense.”
Before any of them could respond, Bram continued, his strident tone confirming his anger. “That isn’t all, Sheriff Trouble. She . . . she actually gave me back my ring. If you can believe it, she said I didn’t deserve her. As if that wasn’t ridiculous enough, she added, rudely, that I better hope the next woman I try to buy with my beautiful ring isn’t as choosy as she is.” Bram blew out an incredulous breath. “Can you believe that?”
Holding the flushed, irate man in his stern gaze, Titus glanced at Tara and Tatiana, then said in a voice that could have chipped concrete, “I don’t know about you girls, but I couldn’t have said it better than your sister did.”
Chapter 24
At the turnoff to the Perkins ranch, Tanya dimmed her lights, clicking them off completely as she drove past the gate. Keeping the engine barely idling, she rolled past Sledge’s sprawling home and headed toward the bunkhouse. Confirming that all of the men’s trucks and cars were gone, she breathed a sigh of relief. Parking her squad car behind the bunkhouse, she moved to the side door. She’d been inside the bunkhouse once before and knew that in addition to a main room there were a number of private quarters. Testing the door and finding it locked, she took her balisong knife from her boot and made quick work of the lock. Slipping inside, she shined her flashlight and confirmed that she was in the great room. A heavy odor of alcohol and crystal compounded by the smell of grungy men filled the air. Shoving past the tattered armchairs and scarred tables, she made her way down the narrow hall.
She went from room to room, looking for Manny’s. From ploughing through the clutter of dirty clothes and plates of half-eaten food and the pungent smell of sweat she confirmed that the first couple of rooms belonged to Pete and Mac. She knew before she entered the third room that it was Ryker’s. The whiff of his cologne drew her inside. Shoving at the sensations tugging at her gut, she eased into the room. The sight of the carefully made bed and stacks of clean clothes on the shelves confirmed that the arrogant man was also a neat freak. On top of his dresser along with a tray of toiletries she saw a bottle of Tom Ford Oud Wood. Acknowledging the enticing fragrance that made her thighs tighten, she hurried from the room, not wanting to learn any more about the man whom she already knew much better than she should.
Knowing that the next room had to be either Manny’s or Greg’s, she saw Manny’s Lowbrow Custom motorcycle shirt tossed on the unmade bed, confirming she’d found the quarters she was hunting for. Switching on the bedside lamp, she began to search in earnest. Her solo foray to the ranch was as illegal as shit, and Tanya knew she had to hurry. No telling when the guys would be back. She wasn’t surprised to see piles of dirty clothes strewn across the room. God knows, Manny seemed to wear the same shirt at least three days in a row. The rumpled bed confirmed that it rarely, if ever, sported clean sheets. Knowing what a slob Manny was, Tanya had convinced herself that chances were good that he hadn’t gotten rid of the clothes that he wore the night Violeta was killed. If Tanya was really lucky, she might find evidence on his clothes or in his hamper. Specifically, she was looking for blood.
Too late, she heard the sound at the door.
“Well, well, well. What have we here?”
His glassy eyes and weaving gait confirmed that the large man lurching toward her was as dangerous as he was drunk. What was even more frightening than his mocking question was the M&P 9 Manny was pointing at her chest. Knowing that he was far from rational, Tanya shoved at her fear and did her best to speak in a confident tone.
“Hi there, Manny. I was surprised that none of you guys were home. I was in the neighborhood and thought I’d drop in for a chat. Check up on how my badass buddies were doing.”
“For a chat? Hmm, how neighborly.” The looming man’s slurred words indicated that he was likely stoned out of his mind, making him even more dangerous than usual and unpredictable at best. Tanya’s chance to get to her weapons was shot to hell when Manny said, “Now if you don’t mind, before you and I get down to business, Deputy Trouble, toss that piece of yours on the desk.” When she reached in her holster and complied, he pointed to her boot. “That one too, Deputy.”
Moving toward the desk, his M&P 9 trained on her chest, Manny shoved her Walther in his waistband and her Glock 19 next to it.
“Now that we’ve got that issue resolved, Tanya, before I tell you what you and I are going to do next, you need to tell me, little Miss Tanya Trouble, what the hell you think you are doing breaking into our house, specifically my room.”
Working through her options, Tanya knew the most she could do until she secured his gun was to egg him on. Heck, if she could get him angry, maybe she could hold him off long enough that some of the other guys might arrive. Maybe, she thought with mixed emotions, Ryker might be with them. Knowing how furious he would be that she’d come to ranch by her lonesome, she could only hope that Pete and Mac would be the ones to get there first.
Lifting her chin, she glared at Manny, then said with an impertinent shrug, “What do you think I’m doing, Manny? I’m looking for evidence.” At his questioning frown she added, “You know, big guy, evidence to confirm who killed Violeta Acedo.”
His voice should have scared the shit out of her and it came close when he growled, “Then why the fuck are you here, bitch? More important, why are you in my fucking room?”
Deciding she had nothing to lose and could maybe get to her pistol if she shocked him enough, she said blithely, “Why, Manny? Because, asshole, I know you killed her, and now all I have to do is prove it.”
Manny’s hand shot out and caught her on the side of her face. Not able to duck fast enough, she fell to the ground from the force of his blow. Scrabbling away from the irate man’s furious advance, she was glad he’d hit her with his fist and not the M&P. Even so, she couldn’t move fast enough to get away from him.
In seconds, he grabbed her arm and yanked her to her feet. He pressed his face next to hers, and the smell of alcohol contorted with fury took her breath away. His voice was shrill. “You skanky bitch. How dare you? Think you can come in my house and search my room? Find fucking evidence that I killed that little tramp?”
Unable to free herself from his fierce grip, Tanya knew that by morning—if she
lived that long—she would have a bruise on her arm as well as his handprint on her face. Seeing the ferocious anger emanating off Manny, she knew she’d badly miscalculated in her attempt to rile him. Remembering how Manny had come after her before, only to be stopped by Ryker, she knew she couldn’t hold him off. At that moment, the blessed sound of arriving vehicles and men’s voices signaled that her angels hadn’t abandoned her completely. Minutes later, she wondered how she could have been so off-base. Far from her angels popping in to give her a boost, the troupe of drunken men stomping into the great room proved to be as dangerous as the man practically wrenching her shoulder out of its joint.
Dragging her into the big room, Manny met his friends’ incredulous gazes with a rumbling sneer. “Glad you assholes got here in time. As you can see, we have a visitor. I caught little Miss Tanya Trouble snoopin’ in our digs. Seems she’s convinced that one or another of us killed that skaggy little Acedo chick and was lookin’ for evidence.”
Pushing past Pete, Mac, and Greg, Manny dragged her to the front of the room. Shoving her up against the wall, he turned a bleary eye on his compadres. His voice was contorted with an ugly combination of hate and what Tanya feared was lust. Leaving nothing to the imagination on what he intended to do next, he snarled, “I don’t know about you cocksuckers, but I’ve been wanting to see in the flesh all those wares Tanya the Terrible has been flashing at us, challenging us to take her up on her dare.” Rubbing at the obvious bulge in front of his jeans, he growled, “Listen up, motherfuckers, cuz I’m tellin’ you tonight’s the night that Deputy Trouble is gonna pay for all those dares.” Taking in the group of startled men, he said, “Which of you assholes are with me?” His eyes lit with a demonic gleam as he dragged Tanya to the front of the room, “If so, motherfuckers, get in line.”
****
Titus and his daughters were quiet for several minutes after Bram stormed off, anger rolling off him in palpable sheets. Not surprisingly, Tara broke their studied silence.
“Uh, Dad, now seems to be a particularly good time to reiterate my previous question. And if you would, please, no prevarications. To repeat, what the hell is going on with my little sister?”
Titus look a long, slow sip of his Jameson, then pinned a thoughtful gaze on his serious daughter. Breathing an audible sigh, he said carefully, “To put it succinctly, it would appear that your sister, my daughter and fearless deputy, has met a powerful man. Perhaps a better way to say it is that our indomitable little firebrand has met her match.”
Tatiana didn’t hide her shock. “Are you . . . talking about Flint Burke?”
When Titus merely nodded, Tara was horrified. “Good God, Dad. Gunnar told us today that as hot as he is, Captain America is a . . . felon. He served time at Leavenworth. Damn, Dad, doesn’t that cloud the issue—to say the least?”
Again, Titus nodded. A mysterious smile tugging at the corner of his mouth, he shrugged as he rose to his feet. “Let’s just say it does complicate things a bit.”
****
Leaning against the corner of the bar where he’d been chatting with Dante, Ryker cast a furtive glance around the tavern. Sheriff Trouble and his two oldest daughters were sitting at what appeared to be their favorite table. Ryker wondered where Tanya was, a question that became pertinent when Bram joined the sheriff and his daughters. Within minutes, it was clear from Bram’s animated gestures and the solemn expressions on the faces of the Trouble trio that they were engaged in a heated, if one-way, conversation given that Bram was clearly doing most of the talking. Ryker shoved at the gorge rising in his throat, sure that the doc was complaining about Tanya. Swallowing his anger, he admitted there was nothing he could do about it. He’d done what he could, even going so far as to insist that Tanya give back the elitist fucker’s ostentatious ring. He snorted softly. So much for ultimatums. At least when dealing with the headstrong deputy. Glancing at his watch, he decided he needed to check in with Barrett Meier, then head home to get some much needed shut-eye.
As he pulled into a parking spot at Sadie’s, his cell phone vibrated. Ryker saw Titus’s ID on the screen.
“What’s up, Sheriff?”
“I have a strange question . . . but then, maybe not. Any chance Tanya is with you?”
Acknowledging the unease hitting his gut at the unexpected question, Ryker responded carefully. “No, why?”
“I got a message from her saying she was meeting Marcie Jones. That was several hours ago, and she’s not answering my texts. She’s been acting a little strange lately, if you haven’t noticed. The way she gets when she is confident she is closing in on a case.”
Ryker pressed him. “What about her partner? Isn’t Sorenson with her?”
“Gunnar hasn’t seen her all day.” Titus paused, then asked in a circumspect tone, “Are all those buddies of yours at home safely tucked in bed?”
Knowing that Sheriff Trouble was not given to dramatic excess, Ryker said carefully, “I presume so.” With a flash of insight, he spit out, “Jesus, Sheriff, surely she wouldn’t—”
“Wouldn’t what, Agent Thompson? Deputy Trouble wouldn’t follow up on a gut feeling she had, no matter how dangerous it might be?”
With a hard squeal of his tires that scared up a spray of gravel, Ryker was backing out of the Sadie’s parking lot and heading to the ranch before he answered. His tone was low, casual, but riddled with concern. “Hmm, I was going to check in with Barrett, but I think I’ll mosey on back to the ranch. Take a breath, Sheriff Trouble. I’m on it.”
Several minutes later, he roared past the front gate of the Perkins ranch and pulled up next to the bunkhouse. Seeing her squad car parked in the back, Ryker sucked in as deep a breath as his constricted lungs would allow and barked into his cell, “She’s here, Titus. Hang tough, Sheriff. I’ve got her.”
Hearing the raucous sounds of men shouting and cheering as he strode toward the bunkhouse, Ryker could only pray that he wasn’t too late.
Chapter 25
Tanya shuddered at the sound of tearing fabric as Greg ripped her tee shirt from her neck to her waist. Tossing the shreds to the floor, he joined in the resounding cheers and catcalls from the rest of the men. Tanya didn’t have to open her eyes to know what had them cheering. The breeze against her bare skin confirmed that except for her lacy bra, she was naked from the waist up. Pete’s admiring cackle spoke for the group.
“Holy fucking Christ! Hot damn, guys. I don’t know about you, but our little deputy is even more stacked than she was letting on. Christ, and she even packs ’em in fuckin’ black lace.”
“Let go of her, Pete!” Manny’s order was harsh as he yanked Tanya out of Pete’s grip. “Goddammit, I done told you motherfuckers, hell yeah, we can all have at her. But I’m gonna take her first if it’s the last thing I do. So how about you all form a circle, provide us an audience. I’m tellin’ you assholes, you ain’t seen nuthin’ until you see what a righteous prick like mine can do to a hot cum cooker like our little deputy’s is sure to be. So stand back, motherfuckers, and prepare to be impressed. In case you’re wondering, this is how you bend a bitch over a barrel and jiffy-stiff the hell out of her. Show her what a real man can do to a stuck-up piece of ass like little Miss Tanya the Terrible.”
Ryker’s cool threat broke through the drunken cheers at Manny’s ribald boast.
“Not so fast, buddies. Not sure what’s on the agenda, fellows, but if it is what it looks like, you fuckers better pull it back.”
When all the other men jumped back in surprise, Ryker pressed forward, moving on Manny, who dragged Tanya closer to him and shot Ryker a hostile glare.
“What the hell, Burke. Who the fuck do you think you are? As for the agenda, me and the boys are gonna do something this deputy has been beggin’ us to do for a long time. We’re gonna show this cunt what real men can do to a stuck-up bitch. We’re gonna rape every hole she has and maybe make a few new ones. But one thing you need to get straight, Burke, is that I’m drivin’ this rodeo. You c
an have a turn, but you’re gonna have to get in line.”
Ryker was so close that he could feel the heat from Tanya’s body. Keeping his voice cool, he shook his head. “Only problem with that theory, Manny, if it takes five guys to do one woman, that sure as hell doesn’t sound like real men to me.” He nodded at the pistol that Manny had drawn. “Particularly if you have to do it at gunpoint. As for me participating, sorry, boys, I don’t do sloppy seconds, much less sloppy fifths. I like my woman one on one so she truly knows what it’s like to be fucked by a real man.”
Looking from one to the other of the startled men who, except for Manny, had continued to step back, Ryker said, “Moreover, assholes, I’m not willing to draw any more attention to our gang than we have to. Don’t know about the rest of you, but I’m inches away from Sheriff Trouble sniffing out my past. Something I definitely don’t plan to let him do.”
Reaching for Tanya’s arm, Ryker jerked her free from a glowering Manny. Snatching up the scraps of her shirt and her pistols that Manny had thrown on the table, he shoved them at her. His voice dropped dangerously low.
“Get the hell out of here, Deputy. And if you know what’s good for you, you’ll keep this aborted gangbang to yourself. At least until I finish my business here and blow this fuckin’ hellhole for good.”
Watching out of the corner of his eye to make sure she made it to the door, Ryker fought to control the adrenaline rush that had his entire body in attack mode. There was no question who was responsible for the bruise on Tanya’s face and arm. Eyeing Manny, Ryker almost wished that the drunken asshole would make a move for him. Although he knew that once he started on the loathsome prick, nothing and no one could hold him back. And he had to concede that killing the fucker by beating him to death wouldn’t be the wisest thing an FBI agent could do. Forcing himself to take deep, steadying breaths, he marched over to the counter and poured himself a healthy portion of Old Turkey. Tossing it back, he decided that the rotgut might become his favorite booze. He owed it some kind of loyalty given that it was keeping him from assaulting Manny.
