by Kim Fox
“You’re still mad because you had to settle for being a Bounty Hunter,” Jordy said with a smirk. “You couldn’t make it in the big leagues.”
“Why didn’t you get hired at the firehouse?” Tempest asked her man. He flashed her a warning look.
“He never told you?” Jordy asked with a smirk on his face. “Ryder, would you like to tell them or should I?”
“How about you get the fuck off my ranch before I shove that microphone up your ass?” Ryder shot back. “I didn’t take the job because you guys are all a bunch of no-talent assholes.”
Tempest was staring at Jordy, waiting with excitement to hear the story.
“He walked in thinking he was a big hotshot,” Jordy said with a smile. “He grabbed one of the axes and started showing off, trying to hit a target in the distance. He missed by a mile and popped one of the tires on the firetruck.”
Ryder frowned as everyone laughed, including Tempest.
“You missed?” Tempest asked, staring at him in disbelief.
“My hands were sweaty,” Ryder answered with a shrug. “I was nervous.”
“We felt so sorry for him that we all chipped in and got him a golden ax as a gift,” Jordy said with a laugh.
Tempest whipped her head around to her mate. The golden ax was hanging from her belt. “You told me the Fire Department gave this to you because you tracked down an arsonist!”
Jordy let out a deep belly laugh. “He told you that? The only thing that was fired was him!”
Tempest stared at Ryder expectantly, but he just shrugged. She shrugged to as she stroked the oak handle of the ax. “I still love it.”
“Well, I have an announcement,” Logan said, getting the attention off of poor Ryder. Elodie walked over shyly and ducked under his arm as everyone turned to the new couple.
“No!” Amélie gasped.
Elodie had a big smile on her face as she nodded her head up and down. “We’re mates!”
They all rushed forward, smothering them in hugs and congratulations and questions of how, where, and when.
Logan told them all about it, grinning happily the entire time.
“Tell them the good part,” Jordy said once his patience was wearing thin. “About the band.”
“Did you break up?” Ryder asked, shooting Jordy a wicked glare.
“No,” Jordy shot back. “We got ourselves a record contract for your information.”
There were more cheers and congratulations as Logan and Elodie took turns finishing each other’s sentences as they recounted the story.
“That’s not all,” Logan said, looking at Grant. “Your family legacy is going to be safe.”
Grant looked confused. “What do you mean?”
“It’s all paid off,” Logan said proudly. “The bills, the taxes, the fines, everything. It’s all gone and it’s not coming back.” Logan had met with the temporary Governor and the replacement wasn’t a fan of Reyes. Not only did he accept the check, but he also knocked off some of the bullshit taxes and fines, so they only had to pay one point one million after all. They had enough to fix up the storefront, get some proper trucks that didn’t belong to the US military, and pay off all of the credit cards that Grant had run up while saving all of the civilians they had freed.
Their money problems were over.
“Wow,” Grant said, looking like he didn’t know what to say. “But the Governor… when he finds out he’ll—”
“He’s not going to find out,” Caleb interrupted with a grin. “Not unless he’s a zombie shifter.”
Grant looked even more confused.
Logan walked over and wrapped his arm around his alpha’s shoulders. “Let’s get some beers and I’ll tell you all about it.”
“Great,” Jordy said, leaping over the railing onto the ground. “I could use a drink.”
Ryder stopped him with a hand on his chest. “Bounty Hunters only.”
Dane laughed as he grabbed Jordy’s arm, pulling him to the truck. “Come. I’ll buy you a beer at The Slurry Rabbit.”
“Me too?” Caleb asked as he followed them out with his guitar.
Dane shook his head. “You’re a millionaire. You can buy your own damn beer.”
Elodie crept up to Logan’s side as he waved at the departing truck. His crew was looking like they all needed a drink as they shuffled toward the bar.
“Well,” Elodie whispered as she watched them collapse onto the barstools. “They’re home.”
Logan pulled her in close and gave her a deep kiss on the lips.
“And so are you.”
Epilogue
Elodie
“It should be Hush.” Jordy was starting to raise his voice. Elodie could sense the frustration in the recording studio, it was as thick as Jordy’s ego.
“Hush should be a single,” Caleb shot back. “But it shouldn’t be our first.”
“I agree,” Dane said, nodding. “It should be Bulletproof.”
“Bulletproof is our worst song!” Logan huffed. “I think we should lead with Entangled Melody.”
“You would,” Jordy said, rolling his eyes.
Elodie took out the USB that had Predatone’s brand new album on it and stepped outside. She closed the door behind her and took a deep breath of the cool autumn air. The leaves were starting to change color on the ranch and it was absolutely spectacular.
It all seemed much better now that their album was finally finished. A long month of being stuck in the recording studio with these bickering shifters was enough to drive anyone crazy.
Even now, they were finally finished and instead of celebrating, they were arguing over which song should be the first single. Elodie didn’t have the heart to tell them that it wasn’t up to them. Brian Jones would be choosing their first single. It was in the contract.
She grinned as she sat down on the steps, thinking of all that she had accomplished. The album was good, really good, and the boys were definitely going to be a hit. And she was the one who made it happen.
Memories of being locked in the facility came drifting back and she exhaled deeply as she let them go. That was the past. It was over. She had a new life here in Redemption Creek, Montana and for once, she finally felt like she belonged.
The door of their brand new studio opened behind her and Logan walked out, shaking his head. “Those guys are insane.”
Elodie turned her neck and looked past him into the room where Dane was trying to hit Jordy with his drumsticks.
“Nah,” she said with a chuckle. “You guys have just been cooped up together for too long. After a little break, you’ll be fine.”
“I hope,” he said as he sat down beside her.
Grant was so thrilled that the ranch debts had been paid off that he allowed them to convert the dilapidated storefront into a recording studio. It was perfect for what they needed. She just hoped that the boys wouldn’t destroy it before their next album.
“Know what I would like to do now that we’re done?” Logan asked.
Elodie grinned, hoping it involved a bed, candles, a locked door, and lasted at least a week.
“What?”
“Take you on a vacation,” he said as he slid his arm around her and pulled her a little closer. “Get away from here for the weekend.”
Elodie dropped her head onto his shoulder and smiled. “Tell me more.”
“I know a cute little inn that you would love,” he said. “The best part is, it’s away from all of this craziness.”
“I’m out of the band!” Jordy shouted as he stormed out of the recording studio. Elodie and Logan quickly separated as he barreled down the steps between them. “I quit! I mean it. I quit!”
“That’s what you said yesterday.” Logan shook his head as he came back together with Elodie.
“This time I mean it!” he shouted.
Elodie grinned. “Well, I guess that means you’ll have to give back all of the money. It says so in the contract.”
Jordy’s face drop
ped. He stared at her for a second and then sighed. “I’ll see you guys tomorrow.”
“Bye,” Logan said with a laugh as the firefighter got in his van and drove away. “Is that really in the contract?”
Elodie shrugged as she laughed. “Who knows? You were saying… about escaping this place?”
It really had been a busy month. Elodie had been keeping up with the investigation into the missing Governor. When the authorities began to look into it, they found that Reyes had been involved in some sketchy deals with some even sketchier people.
It seemed that the police were assuming some of the organized crime members that he was associated with made him disappear. That had been a relief to hear. They were off the hook.
Elodie loved the crew and she was getting along really well with Tempest and the boys. But the best part was being reunited with her sister. She had Amélie, her mother, and Logan all living together on a spectacular Montana ranch that she helped save. What could be better than that?
It wasn’t all smiles though. Bryce was still missing and Grant was working tirelessly to try and find him. Logan kept up hope that he was alive and they would find him soon. Elodie hoped that her mate was right.
“Does this place have a big bed?” Elodie asked as she closed her eyes, dreaming about a weekend alone with Logan.
“Huge,” Logan said with a smile.
“And a lock on the door?”
“Oh, yeah.”
They looked at each other with a spark in their eyes.
Elodie grinned. “How soon can we go?”
“Five minutes?”
“I’ll get the toothbrushes,” Elodie said as she jumped up. “You start the truck.”
They gave each other a quick kiss and then darted away in opposite directions with smiles on their faces.
Afterword
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