Hunted (Riley Cray)

by A. J. Colby

  “Looks that way,” Holbrook responded stiffly between sharp breaths.

  Looking over, I gagged at the sight of him removing his hand from the bowl, pink tinged water dripping from his raw fingers. The surface layer of skin was completely gone in places, the rest of it riddled with open blisters that oozed and gave off a smell akin to raw meat left too long in the sun.

  “Ugh, gross,” I murmured, wrinkling my nose at the foul odor.

  “Wanna help?” Holbrook asked, holding his dripping hand over the bowl.

  Raising my eyes from his hand to see if he was serious, my stomach clenched when it looked as if he was. “Er, sure.”

  “First aid kit is under the sink.”

  Pushing away from the counter I moved over to the sink, crouching down to fish the first aid kit out of the cabinet, and ignoring the way my ribs felt like they were grating against one another. Digging around amongst the clutter I fished out a white plastic box that looked like one of the old lunch boxes I’d had as a kid. Of course, my lunch box had been pink and plastered with My Little Pony rather than a large red plus sign. The thick layer of dust on the top gave me the impression it hadn’t seen much action. Then again, I supposed that working in an office, even if it was at the FBI, didn’t pose many hazards beyond the occasional paper cut.

  “What now?” I asked, setting the first aid kit down on the counter.

  “I’m gonna need some gauze, antiseptic, and bandages.”

  Popping the kit open I riffled through its contents before pulling out a box of bandages, a couple packs of sterile gauze pads, and a small spray bottle of antiseptic. “Alright. Now what?”

  “Wow, you really are sheltered, huh?”

  “Bite me, asshole,” I grumbled. “You know, before you came along, my life was blessedly devoid of dead bodies, psychotic FBI agents and whatever this is,” I added sourly, tilting my chin at his hand.

  “Somehow I have a feeling that trouble doesn’t have a problem finding you all on its own. Now, are you going to help me, or are you just going to stand there like a princess?”

  “I’m not a princess,” I replied, choosing not to acknowledge the amused curve of his lips.

  Following his directions I pulled on a pair of latex gloves and liberally sprayed antiseptic over his hand, trying not to gag every time I breathed in another lungful of the putrid smell of his decimated skin.

  “Oh, that’s just nasty.”

  “Seriously? You regularly kill and eat rabbits and deer, and this grosses you out?”

  “That’s different,” I sniffed, slapping a gauze pad on his hand with a little more force than was strictly necessary.

  “Ouch!”

  “Sorry,” I said, adding another layer of gauze with a bit more care.

  “Uh huh,” was all he said.

  We remained silent as I finished dressing his hand, wrapping it in several layers of bandages until he resembled a cheesy old Hollywood mummy. He wasn’t going to be using that hand for a while, and I couldn’t help feeling guilty that he’d been injured protecting me. The fact that it was all part and parcel of his job didn’t make me feel any less responsible for his injuries. The only small mercy was that he’d injured his left hand and would still be able to fire his gun if the need arose.

  More like when the need arises, I thought, all too aware that I was now in the crosshairs of two raving lunatics. Pushing the thoughts from my mind I took advantage of our brief moment alone to push a stray lock of damp hair back from his forehead.

  Surprised, his eyes rose to meet mine and the weight of his gaze crashed into me like a physical force, making my heart thump in my chest. The wolf stirred, flexing and stretching in a way she hadn’t since before Johnson’s attack. It was thrilling to feel her aware again, my excitement bubbling over into other, more primal feelings.

  Holbrook’s breath was soft and warm when I brushed my lips over his, ignoring the sting of my split lip in favor of brushing the tip of my tongue along the seam of his mouth. With a shuddering sigh he parted his lips, filling me with the minty sweetness of his breath.

  “What was that for?” he asked, breathless and his cheeks full of color when I broke the kiss several moments later. “Not that I’m complaining,” he added with a quirk of his lips.

  “Just wanted to say thanks,” I replied with a grin and a shrug.

  “You thank everyone who puts their life in danger for you this way? ‘Cause you know, that might require a lot of kissing.”

  “Just the smart-assed ones,” I replied.

  “Agent Holbrook?” a fresh faced man-child asked from the doorway, a harried expression on his flushed face.

  “Yes?” Holbrook replied, all traces of amusement disappearing from his face in a heartbeat, though I was happy to see that he didn’t remove his hand from the curve of my hip.

  “Sorry to...interrupt you...” the young man floundered, blushing an even darker shade of crimson, his eyes dropping to the highly polished toes of his shoes.

  “Did you need something, Davis?”

  “Yes.”

  “Well?”

  “Oh! Umm Agent Santos...er...I mean, Division Chief Santos, wanted to see you, Sir.”

  Biting my lip, I turned my head into the curve of Holbrook’s shoulder, trying to hide my laughter. The poor boy was so flustered it was beyond funny. From his reaction, you would’ve thought he was the one who’d been caught making out in the break room like a randy teenager.

  “Thanks, Davis,” Holbrook replied, having far more luck keeping his laughter at bay though his efforts warmed the edges of his voice.

  Once Davis had retreated, Holbrook caught the edge of my chin with a finger, the faint sizzle of energy bleeding through his touch setting my teeth on edge. Turning my face up to his he leaned in slowly, his lips hovering mere inches from mine when he said, “You, Ms. Cray, are nothing but trouble.”

  “Yes, but I’m the best kind of trouble,” I replied before reaching up to close the space between us again.

  * * *

  When we entered Santos’s office, I was instantly sobered at the expression on his face. He was not a happy camper.

  “Given recent...developments...” Santos began to say, shooting me an irritated glance when I snorted at his politically correct wording. “As I was saying, given recent developments I’m going to have to insist that you return to protective custody right away.”

  “You must be high if you think I’m going back to the hotel,” I said, crossing my arms over my chest in a stance of outright defiance.

  “This isn’t a game, Ms. Cray,” he said, glowering at me.

  “Oh yes, because I can barely contain my excitement.”

  “You’re in protective custody. You have to go where we can protect you.”

  “Protect me? Because you’ve done such a bang up job of that so far?” I asked. “Fat chance. I’m going home.”

  I was already turning towards the door when Santos slammed his hand down on the desktop and said, “I can’t allow that.”

  Turning to face him again, I matched his angry glare with one of my own and felt the wolf bleed into my voice and eyes. “Allow it?” Maybe he didn’t deserve my anger, but he was going to get it. “You put me in the custody of a wolf-hating, wife-murdering, asshat and told me I would be safe. What do we do for an encore? Perhaps you have some confused and armed sex offenders on the payroll?”

  From the soundless working of his mouth I could see that my natural charm was in full effect. Before he could respond, I said, “Besides, I’d like to see you try and stop me.”

  “Can I suggest an alternative?” Holbrook asked.

  “No!” Santos and I growled in unison.

  Huffing in irritation Holbrook gave us both a look that clearly said he thought we were being childish.

  “Go ahead, Darius,” Santos said, running a hand back and forth across the lines in his forehead, the sight of his missing fingers giving me the willies.

  “We can put a protective det
ail on my house. Riley can stay there for a couple days until we figure out something else.”

  “Fine,” Santos and I grumbled, though it was obvious that neither one of us was happy with the idea.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

  IN THE TIME that it took to gather up a team of agents and make the drive back across town to Holbrook’s house, my anger had cooled from a raging inferno to a mild case of heartburn, leaving me short tempered, but unlikely to spontaneously rip someone’s head off. The stone faced entourage of agents ushered me into the safety of the house in a diamond formation, surrounding me with dark sunglasses and too much hair gel. I rolled my eyes and let them carry me along in their jetstream.

  Having skipped out on breakfast that morning, my first priority was fixing myself something to eat while Holbrook and the rest of the agents toured the property’s perimeter, devising the best vantage points to set up surveillance. I wished that I could have taken comfort in the knowledge that they were watching my back, but after the bang-up job they’d done so far I didn’t put much stock in their abilities. In an attempt to distract myself from my less than charitable thoughts I dug a pack of Muenster cheese and some thick slabs of bacon out of Holbrook’s fridge and snagged the bag of thick-cut bread on the counter.

  After I’d set a couple slices of bacon to cook in a pan Loki appeared out of nowhere, twining around my ankles and meowing persistently. I tore off a couple pieces of cheese and tossed them to him, shaking my head as they disappeared down his gullet before they barely even had a chance to hit the floor. I fed him the occasional nuggets of cheese as I finished assembling my grilled cheese and bacon sandwich, adding a thick slice of tomato before cutting it in half and putting it on a plate. Lifting one half of the sandwich I took the first hot and gooey bite as I walked over to the table, Loki trailing along behind me like a hungry shadow.

  I’d already demolished half of the sandwich, and was making short work of the other half, when Holbrook came in from outside, rubbing his hands together to warm his chilled fingers.

  “Something smells good. Any of it left for me?”

  Stopping mid-chew, I looked up at him and smiled guiltily. “Sorry, I only made one,” I mumbled around hot cheese and crispy bacon. At my feet Loki grunted as he devoured a chunk of bacon. Washing down my mouthful with a large gulp of ice cold milk, I wiped the back of my hand across my mouth before flashing Holbrook a sheepish smile.

  “I just kinda helped myself, sorry,” I said, brushing crumbs off the front of my shirt. “I can’t remember the last time I had something to eat.”

  Plucking what was left of my sandwich out of my fingers he said “No worries” before popping it into his mouth.

  “So what am I supposed to do while we’re camped out here? Even with my endurance I don’t think I’m quite up for marathon sex sessions yet,” I said, wiping the crumbs off my fingers and grinning at the rush of color in his cheeks.

  “This isn’t a vacation,” he replied, his voice a little gruff.

  “No shit. If it was, I’d be lying half-naked on a beach somewhere with a bronzed Adonis serving me an endless supply of Mai Tai’s.”

  “What would you be doing if you were at home?”

  “Working, running. Any number of things I’m not allowed to do now,” I replied, daring him to come up with a witty comeback.

  Rubbing a hand across his face, his fingers rasping over the stubble on his cheeks, he let out a heavy sigh before turning weary eyes on me. The mood was quickly shifting away from affectionate humor to irritated weariness. I’d been so wrapped up in my own shit storm of emotions that I hadn’t realized how taxing the whole situation must be for him too.

  “Cut me some slack, will you? I’m doing the best I can, Riley. I kept you from having to go back to the hotel, didn’t I? Isn’t that worth a little bit of credit?”

  Damn him for using logic against me. That’s such an unfair fight. Begrudgingly, I had to agree and wrangle my rising irritation under control.

  “Fine. But I want to go see Alyssa.”

  “What? Why?” he asked, his voice high and shaky like a pubescent boy going through the change.

  “I want to say thank you.”

  “Can’t you just send her a card or something?”

  “No. I want to go in person,” I replied, getting some sick enjoyment out of seeing him squirm.

  What’s the deal with those two anyway?

  It was obvious they shared some kind of history, and they both appeared seriously on edge around each other. If Holbrook and I were going to continue whatever it was that was happening between us, I figured I should know what went down.

  “Besides, you and Loki hogged all the wontons last night.”

  “If you’re that desperate for Chinese I’ll order something from the local place. You’re not leaving this house until we find Samson.”

  “And you’re nuts if you think you can keep me locked up here. What are you going to do, handcuff me to the bed?”

  “If I have to,” he replied in a growl that gave me pause. Up until that point I hadn’t really seen him as the authoritative figure he was. It was so easy to buy into the gorgeous, but harmless, cowboy façade, and forget that underneath the hat and boots he was a dangerous man with skills I couldn’t even begin to imagine.

  While the lust driven half of my brain was thrilled by the prospect of being handcuffed to the bed by him and all the fun activities that could lead to, the rational half knew that there wasn’t likely to be any fun involved if he followed through on his threat.

  “You wouldn’t dare,” I said, though my stomach twisted with doubt.

  “I just might. At least then I’d be able to keep an eye on you.”

  “You can just as easily keep an eye on me if you take me to see Alyssa. Besides, someone needs to take a look at your hand before it falls off.”

  Flexing the swaddled fingers of his injured hand, he grimaced. He knew I was right, and that I made a crap nursemaid. My bedside manner was limited to hogging the covers and wanting to jump his bones, neither of which was all that conducive to staving off infection.

  “You’re not going to let this go are you?” he asked with a sigh, rubbing his uninjured hand over his face.

  “Nope,” I replied, rocking back and forth on my heels, a triumphant grin spreading across my face.

  “Alright. Let’s go get this over with.”

  Loki gave a short trill before jumping up onto the table and then launching himself to land deftly on Holbrook’s shoulder. For such a big cat he moved with a surprising amount of grace when he wanted to. Holbrook let out a startled breath, staggering under the unexpected weight, but didn’t say anything else as Loki settled himself on his shoulder. Apparently, he was set on coming along too. I couldn’t help the sharp stab of jealousy at the sight of my companion nestled up against the curve of Holbrook’s neck, riding along like a fat and furry parrot. But I couldn’t figure out which one of them made me jealous the most.

  We hadn’t even gotten halfway to the door before Collins and Hill materialized on either side of me, flanking me like a couple of golems in their matching suits.

  And here I thought I might get a break from my bodyguards.

  Another agent stood at the front door, watching us with narrowed eyes and a blank expression on his face. With the cord for his earpiece trailing down into his collar I figured all he needed to complete his Agent Smith look was a pair of dark sunglasses and a sneering voice. “Is everything alright, Sir?”

  Maybe just the sunglasses then.

  “We’re fine Townsend. We’re heading into town for some Chinese food.”

  “I would be happy to drive you, Sir,” he replied though the tone of his voice left me doubting whether or not he was actually familiar with happiness. Or any other human emotions for that matter.

  “No, it’s fine. We won’t be long,” Holbrook said, ushering me out the door.

  “Do you really think that’s–”

  “Stay here a
nd watch the perimeter. We’ll bring you back some dumplings.”

  “Uh, yes, Sir. Thank you, Sir,” Townsend replied, a furrow of confusion appearing between his eyes.

  “Come on. The sooner we get there, the sooner we can leave,” Holbrook muttered, leading the way towards one of the totally conspicuous black SUVs parked in the driveway.

  I’d have preferred to make the trip in his truck that was I sure was filled with the scent of him rather than the sleek SUV that smelled of leather cleaner and Windex, but I figured complaining would only get me handcuffed to the bed. Keeping my complaints to myself, I watched through the side mirror as Collins and Hill climbed into one of the other SUVs, relieved that I didn’t have to suffer the presence of the two mountains of flesh. A snort of laughter erupted from my lips when they donned matching sunglasses, looking like a couple of extras from The Matrix.

  “What’s so funny?”

  “Just the Sunshine Twins back there,” I replied, hooking my thumb towards the other car. “Anyone would think they’d break something if they dared to crack a smile.”

  Holbrook looked like he wanted to disagree with me, but knew he’d be lying if he did. Remaining silent he slid into the driver’s seat, grimacing when Loki jumped down from his shoulder to the center console where he perched, looking out the windshield. As soon as he started the engine, Loki stood up with his front feet resting on the dashboard as though he had taken on the role of navigator. The ride across town was silent except for Loki’s meowed directions which actually seemed pretty damn accurate.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

  THE SIGHT OF Alyssa struck me when I reached the top of the narrow stairs leading up to the clinic from the restaurant below, and I was glad we’d left Collins and Hill downstairs watching the entrances when I felt warmth fill my cheeks. The fluorescent lights cast her in a pool of light, highlighting the fiery cloud of her hair that tumbled over her shoulders in a “just fucked” tangle. My entire body came alive at the sight of her, my palms suddenly sweaty and my fingers tingling with the desire to touch her.