"Good. Make it, would you? Thanks." She left him chuckling and hurried back into her bedroom.
West was behind the door. "Why'd you invite him in?" he whispered.
"He was getting suspicious. Let me get rid of him. Just don't leave. Promise me. I need time to...say goodbye."
"It would be easier if I left now."
She wrapped her arms tight around his neck. "Please. Just wait for me." She gave him a quick kiss and stepped back. "Please."
He struggled with his answer before finally agreeing. She smiled and reached for the door. He grabbed her arm and handed her a sweatshirt.
"Oh, yeah, that would have been bad. Be back in a few."
She joined Lynx in the kitchen, struggling to get the sweatshirt over her head. She preferred the zipped-up kind that hung by the door. Oh crap. She hoped Lynx hadn't noticed that she had five or six sweatshirts hanging right there. "Coffee ready?"
"Of course. All you have is instant, so it was ready in an instant." He brought the cup up to his lips and sipped and then set it down on the counter. "Yeah, I'll stop in town and find some real coffee. This stuff is awful."
"Well, I like it." Briar took his cup and sipped from it. Instant had been good enough for her dad, and she'd been raised on it. She took a healthy swallow. "Okay, let's get Van Halen ready to fly the coop."
Things were unraveling out of his control. What a laugh. He hadn't been in control of anything since he'd been arrested almost a year ago.
West entered the main room of the cabin, keeping low and undercover so that no one caught a glimpse of him through the windows.
The raptor enclosure was far enough from the cabin that he couldn't see what Briar was doing with this other man Lynx. He'd gotten a good look at him standing in Briar's kitchen as if he'd been here many times. He was almost as big as West, maybe an inch or two shorter is all, but probably as wide in the shoulders. Their strength would be matched, and it would be anyone's guess who'd come out the winner if it came to that.
Briar seemed very comfortable with Lynx, and it spoke of history.
But what kind of history? Lovers or friends?
He hoped to God it was friends.
After loving Briar all night long, he wanted to lay claim to her. The thought of her sharing her body with anyone else like she had him, made him want to beat the shit out of someone. And that made him a bastard. The best thing he could do for her was to get out of her life as soon as possible.
He wasn't going anywhere right now, not with this Lynx character here. He glanced at the clock. He should have left hours ago, but he hadn't been able to leave the comfort of Briar's arms. Now he had the sinking feeling that time had run out.
He heard the sound of gravel crunching under foot and then Briar's lilting laugh. He returned to the bedroom but kept the door propped open, ready in case. In case of what, he had no idea.
He heard a truck fire up and back out of the driveway. The front door opened and quietly shut.
"West?" Briar called. "Lynx is gone. Everything's fine now."
But it wasn't.
Cautiously he left the bedroom. One look at Briar and he yanked her into his arms and just held her, his heart pounding, his soul tearing. "I have to go," he whispered in her ear.
Her arms tightened around him. "Maybe you should stay a little longer."
"If I stay any longer, I won't be able to leave." He smoothed her wild red hair around her ear. It sprang out and wouldn't be contained. "I have to leave."
"What if I drove you to the border?"
"There will be road blocks in place. I'm sure they're searching every vehicle leaving town." There was only one road into Seward so there would be no getting around a roadblock.
"What if I met you somewhere past the—"
He leaned down and kissed her hard, wishing he'd never involved her, never told her the truth. He should've let her believe that he'd murdered Yakov. He tore his mouth free and rested his forehead against hers. "You have to stay. This is as far as we go, sweetheart."
"But—"
"Briar, if you come with me, you will slow me down. There are too many animals and people counting on you. A life on the run with me is no life at all. You know this." The words were on his lips to tell her she was a good fuck and it had been a great one-night-stand.
But he couldn’t do it.
Couldn’t hurt her or diminish what had happened between them down to nothing but a physical release. It had been real. It had been special. And their night together would last him until the end of his days.
He just hoped today wouldn't be that day.
Chapter Thirteen
Hugh watched Garrett Hunt from under the bill of his US Marshal ball cap. He'd been covertly keeping him under surveillance. If anyone would 'hunt' down McAllister, it would be this Alaska State Trooper. He'd followed him inside the Ranting Raven, a small eclectic coffee and gift shop in downtown Seward near the Sea Life Center.
A tall dark-haired man greeted Garrett Hunt with a big hug. A few back slaps and they sat down at a table, their heads knitted over the top, voices low.
The hair on the back of Hugh's neck twitched. He slowly ambled over and tried to listen in, pretending to look at the photography and artwork along with knickknacks for sale as he waited for his coffee order.
"I think I know where your man is," the newcomer said.
Hugh went absolutely still. Didn't even breathe.
"You know the wildlife rehabilitation habitat outside of town?"
"I've seen it on the map," Garrett said. "It was searched late last night, and the troopers reported no sign of him."
"I know the woman who runs it. I was just there picking up an eagle and something was off. She was different. Nervous, and let me tell you, that woman has nerves of steel."
"Do you have the eagle with you?" Garrett asked.
"Yes, he's in the covered shell of my truck, ready for transport. I tried to stay, but she wanted me gone and that isn't like her either."
"Got it."
"Listen, I'm headed to the Sea Life Center to see if I can stow the eagle there with a buddy of mine, but then I'm heading back to her place. I'd rather not go in alone. Besides, Eva would kill me if I pulled something like that."
"I'll call Judd and Shyla and we'll head out there and take a look around."
"Good. I don't want Briar hurt, and I think he's inside the house."
Hugh grabbed his coffee, walked out of the café, and made his own phone call.
Chapter Fourteen
"I have some energy bars hidden in here somewhere, and take what's left of the beef jerky." Briar dug into the back of the pantry. "There's some leftover pizza in the fridge that I can put in a gallon-size baggy."
"Briar, this is more than enough food. Anymore and I won't be able to carry this backpack."
Her heart heavy, Briar shut the pantry and turned toward West. He looked resigned and ready. A hardness—an inevitability—had entered his expression, and Briar knew this would be the last time she'd ever see him. He knew it and had accepted it, but she didn't want to. There had to be something she could do. This wasn't fair.
O.D. sat at his feet. His furry head swiveling between the two of them, his whiskers twitching as though he knew something big was going on.
There was no more stalling. She had to let him go.
He cradled her face in his hands. "Thank you, Briar. I will never forget you."
A sob escaped at his words.
"Don't cry over me. Don't wait for me either. I won't come back for you." He wiped away a rogue tear that she couldn't blink away. "Come on, you don't fall in love with someone in one night. Things like that don't happen in real life."
"Just shut up." She swallowed the rest of her tears. She wouldn't cry now. She'd wait until he was gone and then she'd have a proper bawl with chocolate and a bottle of wine. Besides she didn't want his last picture of her to be one that was blubbering and begging him to stay. "If you die out there I'll be really p
issed."
He smiled. "That's my girl."
Her lips trembled as she tried a smile of her own. "I want you to have this." She reached into her pocket and pulled out her dad's knife and offered it to him.
"Briar."
"Take it. Please."
"You already gave me the gun. This is too much."
"You'll need a knife. Plus Dad would have liked knowing that it now belongs to you. He would have approved of you."
His hand covered hers and squeezed before taking the knife and slipping it into the front pocket of his jeans. "Thank you."
He hefted up the backpack they'd loaded with everything he'd need on his break for freedom and adjusted the straps. O.D. patted his leg. West reached down and scratched the top of his head. "Listen, One Direction, you and Alice Cooper take care of this woman for me. She's one of a kind."
He cupped the back of Briar's neck and kissed her. The kiss was full of regret and longing and her tears returned in a rush.
If only...
He released her as fast as he'd grabbed her. "Goodbye, Briar Levine."
The front door busted open, and troopers Hagan and Stohl blasted in, baring their firearms.
"Freeze!" They both yelled pointing their guns at Briar and West.
Another man entered, wearing a navy blue US Marshal jacket and hat. "Hello, West." He looked at Briar. "You always did have a way with the ladies."
West moved to shield Briar and raised his hands. "Leave her out of this, Hugh. I'll come with you now, but you let her go."
"Yeah, I don't see things working out quite like that." Hugh advanced into the room, standing between the troopers who didn't relax their positions, their guns trained on West. "See," Hugh continued, "I have to know how a woman you just met was willing to take you in, knowing you are a convicted murderer. What did you tell her?"
"Nothing. I kidnapped her, tied her up, and threatened her."
Hugh laughed, the sound guttural and disbelieving.
"She isn't tied up now, is she? Looks pretty damn accommodating to me too. What lies did he tell you, Ms. Levine?" Hugh raised a brow in question. "How I framed him for murder? How he's completely innocent, yet there is no way for him to prove it? Well?"
"Screw you," Briar said.
"Told you she was a smartass," Hagan muttered.
Hugh chuckled again. "It's really too bad that you were both killed in a shootout with the Alaska State Troopers." He looked over Briar with an approving eye. "You're right, Hagan, she is one fine looking woman."
West's blood went cold. "I will kill you before you can touch her," he promised.
"So that's the way of it, is it?" Hugh said. "You've fallen for her in one night?" He regarded Briar with more interest. "I'm going to enjoy interrogating you."
"You're not man enough to interrogate me."
"Briar," West warned under his breath. He understood now that she became mouthier when she was nervous and scared, but some men you didn't provoke. Hugh Wiseman was one of those men.
Frantically he tried to think through scenarios of how the hell to get out of this mess. They all came out bad. Three armed officers against him and Briar and one confused otter. Not optimal. He had the gun tucked in his waistband under the backpack, but there'd be no time to retrieve it before he was shot by one of the troopers or Hugh. And Briar would be caught in the crossfire. Somehow he had to get her out of here.
"Hugh, this is between you and me. No one else. Let her go and I'll come with you peacefully."
"Now that's where you have it wrong. I don't want you to come peacefully. I want you dead. Silenced for good."
"What about them?" West nodded to the troopers who had yet to relax their stance. "Aren't you worried about them talking? How many people will you silence before you give it up?"
"I don't need to worry about them. They're loyal to me."
"How can you be loyal to a rat?" West asked Trooper Stohl. He didn't bother addressing Hagan as he was a follower, but Stohl held himself differently. There was something about him that West recognized, but Stohl didn't blink, let alone answer him.
"You're wasting your breath, West," Hugh said. "Now lower the backpack. Slowly."
West slipped the shoulder straps off and let the heavy pack slide down his arms. When it reached his fingers, he threw the pack at Hugh. Grabbing Briar, he tossed her behind the kitchen bar for cover, diving after her.
Gunshots fired, deafening in the small room. O.D. shrieked, and then he started up a loud accusing chatter, circling in a panicky manner around the cabin.
Someone screamed. There was another shot, and glass shattered.
West had the gun in one hand as he held Briar down with the other. He met her wide and anxious gaze and jerked his head toward the garage door. He'd create cover while she got the hell out of here. She nodded that she understood.
"You fucking sonovabitch!" Hugh hollered. "You really think you're getting away from me again?"
"Dead or alive, Hugh," West said. "You can bet your ass on that."
Chapter Fifteen
Briar inched opened the drawer above her. West shook his head. She held up her finger and thumb in the universal 'okay' symbol and reached into the drawer inching out a tranquilizer gun and darts. West's eyes smoldered with pride, and he gave her a quick kiss.
"West, it doesn't have to end like this," Hugh said. "Give yourself up now and we won't hurt the woman."
"Get this critter off me!" Hagan screamed like a little girl and then there was the sound of a gun going off again. Wood splinters rained down on them from where the bullet tore through the beam above them.
"You hurt O.D. and I'll feed you to Alice Cooper," Briar threatened, loading the tranquilizer gun.
"Call him off me!"
"Bite him, O.D.," Briar ordered.
"Hey!"
There was a flurry of activity, chattering that sounded a lot like scolding, and the sound of a few more items being broken as Hagan crashed around the cabin with the otter on his back.
"Just shoot it," Hugh said, his voice full of impatience.
"Don't you dare hurt him," Briar hollered.
"Briar! What the hell is going on?" Lynx's voice boomed from the front porch.
"Lynx, get out of here," Briar screamed. A gunshot pierced the air, and there was the sound of the window breaking, followed by a muffled 'oaff' and the thud of a large body hitting her porch. "Lynx!"
West grabbed her as she tried to get to her feet.
"What the shit, Hagan?" Stohl demanded.
"I was shooting at the otter!"
"Don't move, asshole," a new voice said, coming from the direction of Briar's bedroom.
West inched to his feet but motioned for Briar to stay where she was. Like that was going to happen. Before she could pop her head up over the bar, the door to the garage burst open, and another trooper entered her cabin brandishing an assault rifle. She froze, in a crouch.
"Iverson?" West asked.
"To the rescue," Iverson said, and then addressed Hugh and the others. "Give it up, Wiseman." The way he muttered 'Wiseman' clearly spoke of his negative opinion for the man.
"I'm here apprehending a convicted felon," Hugh spat. "I also out rank you. I will not drop my weapon."
"Then you will force me to shoot you."
"Or me," the trooper who'd entered from her bedroom threatened.
"Hunt, what the hell are you doing here?" Hugh asked.
"Don't forget me," West said. "I've already been convicted of murder. What's one more?"
Briar stood, searching out Lynx. All she saw were the soles of his boots through the open doorway.
"You're surrounded," Iverson continued. "Your posse outside has been neutralized. Even the men deep in the trees. Though one got a little too close to a moose and her babies and will need some medical care. Now, if you don't relish medical care yourself, I suggest you do what I say and drop your weapon."
Hugh swore and laid his gun on the ground and kicked it toward Iv
erson. "You will pay for this."
"Actually, you will." Trooper Stohl grabbed Hugh's wrists and cuffed them behind his back.
"What the fuck?"
"You've been under my surveillance for a while and you aren't going to like the information I've gathered." Stohl gave him a satisfied smile showing all his teeth.
"Lynx?" Briar hollered.
"I'm good," he said, sitting up like he wasn't that good.
"Someone better rescue that dumbass from the otter before he shoots someone else," Stohl said.
That was all Briar needed.
She pointed her tranquilizer gun and shot Hagan in the thigh. He yelped and then his eyes went wide before they rolled back in his head. He crumbled to the floor. O.D. sat on his chest, his fur all bristled up and agitated, chattering away.
"Sorry, I was...uh, aiming for the otter." Briar shrugged.
"Shy, you can come in now," Iverson hollered over his shoulder as the other trooper, Hunt, rushed to see to Lynx.
A woman entered who Briar recognized from the extensive TV news coverage. Her story was one that was made for the big screen, and she'd become somewhat of a crusader for cleaning up corruption in the state of Alaska. She was beautiful in that ethereal way, dark auburn hair and big green eyes with skin the color of cream. She was the type of redhead that Briar had always wished to be.
"About damn time," Shy said in a way that had Briar instantly liking her. While these men were armed, they clearly did her bidding. "How's Lynx?"
"He's going to be sore," Hunt said from outside, "but glad he wore the vest."
"Good. I've called for an ambulance." She glanced at West. "How are you doing? We've been worried about you."
"I'm starting to feel a little hopeful. Please don't disappoint me."
She smiled. "We’re getting there, West." She regarded Hugh with enthusiasm. "You'll be glad to know that Marshal Hannes woke up this morning, and he had a lot to say about West's 'escape' attempt or should I call it what it really was? A hit. He's singing like a...well, like a jailbird."
Hugh paled. "I want my lawyer."
"I bet you do." Shyla smirked. "Honey," she addressed Iverson, "read him his rights."
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