Table of Contents
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER TWELVE
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
CHAPTER NINETEEN
CHAPTER TWENTY
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
CHAPTER THIRTY
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
CHAPTER FORTY
CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
THE BRILLIANCE TRILOGY
DIRTY RICH BETRAYAL
WALKER SECURITY
MORE BOOKS
ABOUT LISA RENEE JONES
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SAVAGE BURN
SAVAGE TRILOGY BOOK TWO
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR
LISA RENEE JONES
CHAPTER ONE
Savage
The car that I just ran off the road idles in the ditch a good two hundred feet away, and the driver has yet to exit. Seems he left his balls back on the highway where he started following me. Pussy bitch-ass bastard better grow some new ones because fear won’t save him. I’m coming for him, and not to whisper in his ear. More like rip it off his head.
With my gun in my hand, I stand in front of my rented Porsche. Rain pounds down on me, and around me, with the force of metal pinging metal, my jacket hood pulled low, shielding my eyes. Candace is behind me, locked inside the car, crouched on the floorboard, holding a gun. Scared. That’s the shit that shouldn’t be happening. To say that I’m pissed off and ready to kill someone is an understatement. Don’t interrupt my night with my lady and scare the hell out of her, or the sky will bleed your blood.
Seconds tick by, and there is only one reason that I’m still standing here rather than charging at my enemy: Candace. I’d be a fool to leave her alone when that could be exactly what I’m being set-up to do. Finally, one lone figure, shrouded in rain and darkness, exits the vehicle.
A light flickers to my left in a familiar coded rhythm that tells me Adam is here. He’s got my back. He’ll look after Candace while I take care of this little bitch. Or bitches. There could be a car full for all I know. Who I see doesn’t mean a whole fucking lot when I can’t scope out the inside of the car. I start walking. The one singular bastard in my view starts walking toward me. All right. Good. Bring it. We’re doing this. The dirt road has churned into a thick mud slopping around my heavy booted feet, my attention on the gait of the man headed my direction. It doesn’t take me long to figure out who I’m about to beat the shit out of. I’d know that husky linebacker of a walk anywhere.
Tag.
I don’t know what game he thinks he’s playing, but if he assumes Candace being in that car checks my temper or my behavior, he’s gambled wrong. Candace lights me up. Candace gives me a reason to fight. Candace is why he’s about to bleed. I step heavier, anticipating my fist in his face, where I’ve wanted it so damn long that it’s almost orgasmic.
The space between us closes and when I’m within reach of that ugly mug when I can say for certain that he’s not holding a weapon of his own, I holster mine and throw a fist. It lands hard, his head jerking right. He didn’t see it coming. He growls in fury, posturing for battle, fists forward. Bastard is a slow fighter. That move is like an invitation to hit him again. I land another blow. He stumbles, hunched over, but he manages to punch my leg before he comes at me with a tackle. We end up on the ground, in the slimefest of mud. I fucking love it. I lived in this shit in Cambodia for months on end and did so because this piss-ant bastard was pissed off at me for asking too many questions. I know how to make mud work in my favor and against his.
I start rolling the big boy, disorienting him, mud sloshing everywhere. I’m bigger than him, taller, younger. It’s all too damn easy to the point of laughable. When he’s clearly unable to keep up, I flatten him on his back. Well-timed, the godforsaken rain slows, thank you, Jesus. I plant my knee on his chest, his hand in my hand twisted just right. “Don’t fuck with me when I’m with her. Give me a reason to let you live.”
“You really want to kill me while that pretty girl watches? I thought you wanted to be a better man for her.”
Obviously, my mouth has no limits while drinking vodka. “Turns out,” I say, “me killing assholes like you turns her on.”
He laughs. “I bet it does. She did fuck you more than once, which says a lot about her. Does her father’s funeral do it for her, too?”
My jaw clenches. “What the fuck does that mean?”
“Honest Gabe wants me and the good general dead. He’s going to hit the general before he comes home. Kill Gabriel. Save me. Save her father. Save her that heartache.”
“Sounds like a threat to me.”
“It’s a warning. Gabriel isn’t going to stop with me. He’ll come at you, too.”
Translation: still a threat. “Let me be clear,” I bite out, “if her father dies, I’ll slice your throat. He’s your responsibility.”
“Then you best remember that I can’t protect him if I’m dead. In fact, I’ve made sure that if I die, he dies. Then you can tell your little girlfriend got him killed. Killing me kills him. Gabriel is on his way back to San Antonio now. Kill him tonight.”
“Why is he coming back tonight?”
“He heard her ex was back in town and fucking her brains out.”
Anger explodes inside me. “You little bitch.” I punch him and it feels too damn good to stop at one. I punch him again and again and again until I’m yanked from behind.
I whirl on the new intrusion to find Adam standing behind me. “Enough,” he shouts at me, rain plastering us in sheets again. “You’ll kill him.”
“That was the plan.” I grab his shirt, frustrated as hell with his Navy SEAL save-the-day mentality. The day is only saved if Tag is dead. “You have two seconds to back the fuck off
, fish man,” I warn, “before I flatten you like a damn pancake.”
“I’m saving you, not him,” he shouts at me. “His men will come at you, asshole. Look.” He motions to the car I’d run off the road and when I turn my attention that way, gaze lifting over Tag’s limp body, I find four men standing in the distance, lined up, ready to march and fight.
“You have no idea how many ways I’m going to make that man pay,” I growl.
“And I'll help you,” Adam says. “But for now, get Candace out of here,” and on that, we agree.
I start walking, closing the space between me and the car. I want Candace out of here.
Muddy as hell, I dig the key out of my pocket, click the locks and open the door to the Porsche. I climb inside, settling me and a ten-gallon supply of mud into the leather seat before sealing us inside, and locking the door.
“Oh God,” Candace murmurs from the floorboard. “Are you okay?”
“Peachy keen, baby.” I eye the unmoving line of Tag’s goons, before leaning over the console toward her, taking the gun from her hand and sliding it under my seat. “And so are you. This is over for now.” I grab her hand and pull her to her seat. “Buckle up.”
“I saw you were fighting. Is that man—”
“Alive,” I assure her. “He gets to live a few more days, but not many.” I rev the engine and we’re already moving.
“Who?” She settles into her seat and buckles up. “What just happened? Who was that?”
“Tag,” I say, driving us past the four pieces of shit Tag brought with him, their presence proof that he had plenty of other men to do this job, to kill Honest Gabe. There’s more to this than I know. A whole fucking lot more. I glance over at her. “The mercenary I worked for. The one—”
“That wants you to kill Gabriel.”
“Yes,” I confirm, pulling us onto the main highway. “Him.”
“What did he want? And God, Rick, you’re covered in mud and you’re bleeding.”
This isn’t news, considering the taste of copper on my tongue. “He busted my lip,” I say and she tries to wipe the blood away. I catch her hand, mine covered in mud, a few cuts smarting on my knuckles. “I’m fine, baby.” I kiss her hand and then steer us off the highway at the next exit. “I need to talk to Adam. I’m pulling over at a gas station.” I don’t offer more right now. I damn sure won’t freak her out by telling her that Gabriel is on his way here until I confirm it’s true. I take the access road and turn right, into a car wash instead, where I shift into idle. “Stay here, baby,” I say, reaching for my door.
Candace catches my arm. “Rick.”
“I’ll tell you everything. I promise. Just not yet.” I lean in and cup her face, kissing her, smearing mud on her face as I do, but I don’t care. I don’t think she cares either. “I got this,” I promise. “I got you. I got your dad. Okay?”
“Yes. Yes. Okay.”
A vehicle pulls in behind us, the lights flickering in another coded message that tells me this is Adam. I kiss Candace’s forehead and exit the car in a barely-there sprinkle of rain. By the time I’ve shut her safely inside the Porsche and walked to the rear of the car, Adam is out of his vehicle as well, stretching his long-ass legs.
“What do I need to know?” he says, yanking down his hood, his dark hair a curled disarray, mud streaking his clothes.
“Tag claims Honest Gabe knows about me and Candace, and that he’s headed back here now. It’s his way of forcing me to kill him now. He wants to trigger me.”
Realization slides over his face. “He’s setting you up and he’s confident in his plan.”
“Yeah, whatever. I need to know if the dweeb is on his way back here or not.”
“And if he is?” Adam challenges. “Then what? What are you going to do, Savage?”
CHAPTER TWO
Savage
“Speaking of killing someone,” I say.
“Is that what we’re talking about?” Adam asks. “Killing someone? Because I didn’t know we were talking about killing someone.”
“Stupid goose,” I say. “Of course, we’re talking about killing someone.” I snap my fingers. “Come on, come on. I need to know if Honest Gabe really is on his way back here now.”
“Because you’re going to kill him and let Tag have his way?”
Now I grimace. “You know what, never mind. I’ll call Asher.” I reach for my phone.
“I’m calling him,” he says, snagging his phone, “but for the record, I will tie you up and throw you in a hole before I let you kill Honest Gabe and end up in jail. Don’t test me or you’ll find out what this fish man can really do.” He punches in Asher’s number and puts it on speakerphone.
I snort. “I didn’t know fish men wore panties, but clearly you do since yours are in a wad right now.”
“What’s up, Adam?” Ash says, answering the call.
“I’m here with our resident prick, Savage.”
“Hey, asshole,” Asher calls out.
“Love you too, pretty boy,” I reply. “Where’s that piece-of-shift lying Gabe right now?”
“In bed with Monica. And the kink factor has me ready to throw up. Candace needs to dump him in an embarrassing way.”
“He won’t live that long,” I say. “Any talk of him knowing about me? About me being here?”
“Nothing. Negative. He doesn’t know you’re there. I’m certain of it. Why?”
“We’ll get back to you,” Adam says, disconnecting. “Thank fuck I don’t have to tie you up just yet, but what the hell was Tag trying to achieve by lying to you?”
“He was reminding me how quickly Candace could be forced back into that shithead’s bed to protect her father. He wants me to kill him now, while he’s in Austin.”
“And, of course, you’re not. And to save you the embarrassment of me beating your ass, I could give you ten reasons why you’re not, starting with it’s a trap.”
“I’d be the one embarrassing you, but that’s only one reason. Do continue.”
“That counts as a few. You’re also a Walker and her man now. That changes things. It damn sure better change you.”
“Right. Because I have all the Walker morals just bursting from pretty little me.”
“Pretty little you is bleeding and muddy. Go let your woman undress you and kiss it and make it feel better. And I’m sure you can do the same for her in return.”
“Candace kissing it and making it better always works for me. The problem is, I’m not sure I can kiss it and make it better for her. Not with Tag threatening her father.”
“He threatened her father?”
“Yeah. He said Gabriel is planning to kill him before he returns home. That I need to kill Gabriel or face Candace knowing I let her father die. And I have to decide what to tell her right now.”
“Telling her would be easier if you knew he was safe. Give me until morning to try to get eyes on her father.”
“Find him,” I say. “And watch him. We need to protect him, but don’t extract him. Not without a plan, Tag will retaliate.”
“Rick?!”
At the sound of Candace’s voice, Adam murmurs softly. “I’ll find him.” He gives me a mock salute and turns away, heading for his car.
By the time I turn, Candace is already at the end of the car. I’m there in a few strides, catching her to me. “Candy, baby—”
“What is going on? I don’t like being shoved in the car and not knowing what is going on.”
“Just talking to Adam. I wanted you inside, where it’s safer.”
Her eyes go wide. “Safer? Are they coming after us?”
“No. No, baby. I’m just being cautious. Let’s talk in the car and at home.” I herd her back to her side of the 911 and help her inside. Once she’s settled into the leather seat, I kneel next to her. “I know you’re scared. When we get home, I’ll tell you everything, but we’re safe.”
“What is going on?” she repeats. “Were they trying to kill us?”
That’s when I realize that if I were her, I’d want answers and I’d want them now. She’s right. I shoved her in the car. I told her nothing when she’s desperate for peace of mind, and now, not later. “Nothing has changed. Tag doesn’t want us dead. That back there was him trying to offer me a convincing reason to kill Gabriel now, tonight, rather than later.”
“How and why now?”
“He reminded me that Honest Gabe could end up back in your bed.”
She lowers her face to her hands as if punched and then looks at me. “I knew he’d use me against you.”
I cup her face again and tilt her gaze to mine. “What he doesn’t understand is that you bring out the best in me.”
“And he brings out the worst?”
“Yes, and he seems to discount how easily the bad gets directed at him. This tonight was all one of Tag’s head games. Don’t let him win.”
“I think he’s already winning.”
“He’s not winning. I know I don’t deserve it, but try, please try, and have some faith in me.”
I kiss her hand and when I intend to stand up, she catches my arm. “I do have faith in you,” she says.
“You want to, baby. I know you want to, but you don’t. And that’s okay. We’ll get there.” I stroke her creamy white cheek, and this time I do stand up, shutting the door, sealing her inside.
He’s playing head games, I repeat in my head.
Don’t fucking let him win.
My jaw sets hard. He’s not going to fucking win.
I round the car and climb inside. “Home we go,” I say, giving Candace a wink. “Adam suggested you kiss my boo-boos and make them better. I vote yes.” I shift us into drive. My attempt at a lighter mood falls flat.
She doesn’t laugh. “Is it safe to go back to the house?” she asks.
“Tag needs us alive right now,” I say, pulling us onto the highway. “You’re leverage and I’m the murder weapon. So yes, it’s safe.”
“Right. You said that. The whole high-speed chase followed with me on the floorboard with a gun thing has apparently fixated my brain on those moments when I thought we might die tonight. But what about when this is over? Is Tag going to let us live?”
Savage Burn Page 1
