Junkyard Dog

by Katja Desjarlais

  She sat back against the far side of the sofa, her arms wrapping around herself. “You kill people for money.”

  “Catch,” he corrected, thinking about the loophole he was currently exploiting. “I catch them, alongside my brothers. I’m better at picking up the trail than they are, so I’m more on the recon side.”

  Bullshit.

  Her dark eyes narrowed. “How bad are these bad guys?”

  Poisoned bloodline.

  “All I can say is that for each one we eliminate, we save dozens of lives.”

  She looked away, her lips pursing. “So this killer in the park, is he one of your hunts?”

  He shrugged. “Won’t know until I track him down. The guy I’m after now was in this area six months ago, so it’s definitely possible. The kills are consistent with his profile.”

  She regarded him for a few agonizing moments. “And I take it fraternizing with the locals is frowned on?”

  He ran his hands through his hair and leaned forward onto his elbows. “Yeah, that’s the problem. I’ve been putting my brothers off for a month now, and there’s a really good chance one or both of them will be coming here any day. And my boss probably wouldn’t be too pleased to find out I was spending any hours off the clock or extending my time here for even a day.”

  “Why are you?”

  He gave her a pointed look. “Why do you think? Because the tips at Tom’s Tavern are too good to pass up? I’m hanging around in the hopes I can, I don’t know, have a half-assed normal relationship before I’m shipped off to hell.”

  Literally.

  “Hence why you’re spilling all this now,” she stated, crossing her arms.

  “No,” he argued. “Well, yes. I’m spilling it because I really, really want to kiss you again and it doesn’t feel right to do it unless you know where things stand. And because, yeah, I have an older brother who’s kind of controlling and a twin with more issues than Vogue who could show up tomorrow and screw me over in any way they deem appropriate.”

  She went silent again until her lips turned up slightly. “A twin?”

  He glared at her. “Seriously?”

  “I’m sorry.” She laughed, tugging at her shirt hem. “It’s just a lot to take in and I have no idea how I’m supposed to react.” She adjusted her position to face him. “You track down killers, pass them to your brothers who, what, dispose of them? And then you leave. Oh, and you’re currently lying about your work to your family, who may or may not show up here and be really pissed. Did I miss anything?”

  He leaned his head back. “Aside from the kissing you part and the fact I’m lying to my brothers about the kissing you part, no.”

  “You’re trusting I won’t go to the cops with this,” she said, ignoring his sarcastic response.

  “I don’t exist in any database.”

  She licked her lips, her eyes narrowing. “What would your boss do if he knew you were telling me this?”

  Shoving the memories of chains and muzzles from his mind, he shrugged. “I’d rather not think about it.”

  She whistled low. “You’re in a bad situation.”

  “No,” he replied, reaching over to grab her hand. “I’m in a good situation that’s going to go bad eventually. Big difference.”

  *

  Charlotte looked down at the large mitt completely enveloping her hand.

  Of course he was a bounty hunter. Why wouldn’t he be?

  “This is a lot heavier than you being a man-whore,” she said, her eyes still locked on their joined hands.

  Alex snorted. “It kind of ties into it.”

  “So what do you want from me?”

  He mulled over the question, his blue and hazel eyes darkening and lightening as thoughts passed through his head. “You,” he finally settled on.

  She rolled her eyes. “And if you get me, you’ll leave. Why bother?”

  “It’s worth it for me,” he muttered, turning her hand over in his and examining her palm. “You’ll eventually get the total shit end of the stick, if you don’t get fed up with me before that. But if you know we have an end…” He sighed and leaned back. “This is a stupid idea.”

  She cocked her head and looked at him long and hard.

  Morally questionable.

  Ethical issues through the roof.

  Nothing more than a dangerous little fling with a guarantee of no strings.

  She leaned across him and brought her lips to his, kissing him softly until his head caught up with what she was doing.

  She smiled against his mouth. “I’m not sleeping with you, since your shelf-life is limited. This is purely a meet-and-greet.”

  “I think I can be okay with that,” he murmured, pulling her to him. One large hand wound into her hair at the nape of her neck, sending a little thrill buzz through her body as she crawled onto his lap and straddled him. “I’m totally okay with that, too.” He moaned, trailing his lips down her throat and shifting his hips beneath her.

  She could do this. Live on the edge a little. Add a dash of limited risk to her life until he poofed away and she could return to her happy, safe existence with her cat, her badge, and her grilled cheese sandwiches in a quiet apartment.

  Sitting back in his lap, she hesitated. “We agree this is just temporary then, right? No expectations.”

  “No expectations,” he echoed, his eyes flicking between her lips and her eyes. “Friends with benefits.”

  “Perfect.” She swatted a rogue hand as it moved toward her breast. “No way, killer,” she warned, whimpering when he ground against her center.

  “Hunter,” he corrected, slipping the chastised hand under her shirt and skimming his fingers lightly along her ribs. He brought his lips back up again, his tongue sliding into her mouth and dancing with hers leisurely as she traced her fingers down his arms, circling the muscles there before venturing to the abs she’d been drooling over for weeks.

  “Keep it above C-level,” he teased, pushing her back and gently tugging at the hem of her shirt. “Yes?”

  She took a deep breath and pulled the fabric over her head, dropping the tee beside them as he gripped her hands and placed them on his shoulders.

  “Damn,” he muttered, his hips jerking up involuntarily. “I… Damn. I promised no sex, right?”

  “Not in so many words, but yes.” She grinned, her confidence spiking as he ran his hands over her bare skin and licked his lips.

  “I’m an idiot.”

  Chapter Twelve

  Alex padded through the back streets of a small town north of Joshua Tree, making use of the first few hours of moonlight before Charlotte got off work. She had assured him that she and Max would be traveling together for the first few afternoon shifts as they acclimated to the different procedures and responsibilities that day shifts provided. He’d swung by for a quick belly rub before heading north, taking the rare opportunity to nip at Max’s hand when it got too close.

  The guy did kiss her once, after all.

  And man or beast, he definitely owned up to his jealous streak when it came to that woman. Even if they were officially nothing more than make-out buddies.

  He was nose-deep in a discarded burger when he caught it.

  Pirithous.

  He lifted his snout, turning slowly to pinpoint the direction of the scent. Once he zeroed in on it, he maneuvered through the streets, keeping tight to the dark corners to avoid detection as the bloodline grew stronger. Stopping at the entrance of a small apartment complex, he inched across the tiny parking lot, following the smell until he hit the jackpot.

  Fucking. Sedans.

  Memorizing the address and license plate, he tore off toward the highway where his SUV sat abandoned on a side road. He morphed quickly, yanking his jeans over his hips and pulling his cell phone out of the glove box.

  His thumb hovered over the phone icon.

  One more night.

  He glanced at the time. Charlotte would be off in an hour, and it would take him that long
to circle the park and meet her at the station.

  He’d found his prey. One more night wouldn’t be the end of the world.

  Shoving his phone into his pocket, he started the engine and pulled onto the highway.

  *

  “Dude,” Max said, gesturing wildly. “The thing is, like, this tall. Huge. You need to tell your woman to keep her distance from that animal. If it turns, it’ll kill her in a heartbeat.”

  Alex lifted a brow and leaned against the counter of the ranger station, watching Charlotte as she trailed her finger along a map to show a pair of hikers their path. “Tell my woman?” He laughed. “How about you tell your partner. See how well that goes over.”

  “I did. She yelled at me.”

  He smirked and turned his attention back to Charlotte, listening in to her enthusiastic description of Skull Rock, her dark eyes lighting up as she spoke. “Damn,” he muttered, taking a long drink from his water bottle. “So, is the dog aggressive?”

  Max snorted. “Rolls over like a fucking kitten for Chuck. Tried to take my hand off, though.” He leaned in and flexed his hand in front of Alex’s face. “Almost lost those three fingers.”

  Other hand.

  “I wouldn’t be too worried,” he mused. “If the animal’s loyal to her, then he’s probably a good guard dog. And since no one seems able to track down whoever left those bodies in the park, a guard dog is a pretty appealing idea right about now.”

  Grumbling a reluctant agreement, Max leaned back in his chair and kicked his feet onto the counter Alex was using to remain upright, his entire body aching from lack of rest and the hours he’d spent monitoring Charlotte’s route and tracking his target.

  But it was a small price to pay to have one last uninterrupted evening with her. One more night before he called in Bo and Ryan.

  No harm, no foul.

  Charlotte dropped into the chair beside Max, her face flushed from the intense heat of the summer that battled valiantly against the station’s air conditioner. “That’s it. I’m done. Want to head back to my place for a bit?”

  Max slammed his hands on his knees. “Yes, yes I do.” When she leveled him with a glare, he grinned. “See you tomorrow. Leave your car and I’ll pick you up at eight.”

  Alex extended his hand to help Charlotte up. “Have a good night, Max,” he called over his shoulder as he led her to his SUV and opened her door. “Hungry?”

  “Tired.” She sighed, slumping back in the passenger seat and smiling at him lazily. “I’m getting too damn old to work in this heat.”

  Creeping through the park until he hit the highway, he looked over at her. “Any chance you’ll be transferred out?”

  “I keep one eye on the job postings,” she said, turning the music up a fraction. “My degree is in animal science with a few extra courses in environmental conservation, so between that and the police training, I’m hoping to move up the ladder pretty quick.”

  He turned into the residential area and wound through the side streets to her apartment. “So the whole white-picket-fence-settling-down thing isn’t in the cards anytime soon then?”

  “Not really. You and I are in kind of the same fenceless boat, I guess.” She chuckled, shaking her head. “Both of us have careers keeping us from putting down roots. Except your job has less paperwork.” She led him to her door, fumbling in her purse for her keys. “We should hit the twenty-four-hour gym sometime. I haven’t stayed on top of my training as much as should.” She pushed her door open. “Besides, I want to see if I can knock you on your ass.”

  Every time you fucking look at me.

  He turned on the TV and got comfortable. “And I’ll enjoy you trying.” He flicked through the channels. “Documentary or corny B-horror?”

  “Horror,” she called from her room before she joined him on the sofa, her beige and khaki uniform traded in for an oversized shirt and gray cotton shorts. She relaxed against him, curling up under his arm. “I’ve seen this.”

  Flashing to their last movie on her couch, he smirked. “I was kind of hoping you had.”

  He could feel the upturn of her cheek against his healing ribs.

  He held off twenty minutes before making his move.

  “Smooth.” She giggled when he wedged his hand underneath her ass and unceremoniously lifted her to straddle his lap.

  “I try,” he muttered, dropping his head into the crook of her neck and nipping at the soft skin. When her breath hitched, he trailed his tongue to her earlobe. “Are we still operating in the no-sex zone? The whole friends-with-benefits thing?” he whispered, inching his hands up the back of her shirt.

  “We are,” she breathed, her thighs tightening against his hips. “So behave, friend-with-limited-benefits.”

  With the practiced flick of his fingers, he unhooked her bra and smiled triumphantly. “I will.”

  *

  Alex sat in his SUV and stared absently at Charlotte’s window, watching as her shadow moved through the rooms and turned off the lights.

  Drive away, dumbass.

  He thumbed his phone in one hand, the Pirithous bloodline’s address fisted in the other.

  It was too late to call Ryan or Bo. Ryan would be sleeping. Bo would be drunk.

  He could do it in the morning.

  Slipping the crumpled paper underneath his phone case, he pulled out of the lot and headed north. The streets were busy, the bars closing down and unleashing their clientele into the world again. He hit the highway, blasting his music to drown out the thoughts rampaging through his head.

  Every night he put off reporting the bloodline’s whereabouts was another night Ryan went without closure. It was another night Bo spent hunting for the ultimate high. Another night Charlotte slipped deeper into his mind.

  He circled the run-down apartment block slowly, scanning the windows for signs of movement. The sedan remained untouched, the scent of the driver fading. Parking beside the vehicle, he left the SUV running and got out, kneeling in front of the grille to remove the fur still hooked along the metal.

  Two dead already.

  He rose to his feet and ran his hand over his knotted shoulders. It was only a matter of time before the line struck again.

  His hesitation would be the unofficial cause of death of the next victim.

  He climbed back into his SUV and backed in tight to the shadows of the apartment block, locking his tired eyes on the sedan and forcing himself to remain focused and alert. If he could wait out the last hours of night, he could call Ryan on his way back to the park. Catch him before he left for work. Run Charlotte’s route ahead of her to ensure the Pirithous hadn’t passed through.

  Maybe talk to Bo before he cracked his morning beer.

  Hear Charlotte’s voice before heading to his shift at the tavern.

  He ran his hands through his hair, his fingers flexing as they continued to hold the sensation of her skin, the heaviness of her breasts in his palms. Leaning back in his seat, he rolled down his window and allowed the faint warm breeze to hold him in the moment, to force his focus to his mission and away from the siren luring him from it.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Charlotte bit her lip and took a step back as Alex closed in on her, his long hair tied back in a low ponytail he had instructed her very sternly not to pull. He assessed her stance, choosing to go with a frontal attack this time and regretting it as his back bounced off the gym mat.

  He rose up on his elbows, his healing ribs protesting loudly. “I give,” he announced, dropping back down and closing his eyes. “I’m man enough to know when I’m outclassed.”

  “You lasted longer than Max,” she offered, kneeling at his side and placing her hand on his stomach. “You’re all sweaty and gross. You slid right over me.”

  His arms shot up and wrapped around her, pulling her on top of him and holding her tight to him, sore ribs be damned. “It’s not gross,” he countered, tightening his hold when she screeched and attempted to squirm away from him. “It’s manly.�
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  “It’s icky.” She laughed, pushing off his chest and holding her palms out to him. “Eeeewwwwwwww.”

  He reached up, ran his hand along the back of her neck, and looked at her with amusement.

  “I’m glowing,” she retorted, rising to her feet and snatching a towel from the bench. “I’m glowing like a stuck pig but glowing nonetheless.” She tossed the towel at him. “Go shower up. I’ll meet you in the lobby.”

  He grunted as he got to his feet, admiring the view while she walked away from him, her shirt clinging to her glowing form. Keeping the water barely tepid to cool his amping libido, he showered quickly and dressed, running his fingers through his hair as he pulled his ball cap on.

  She was leaning against the door when he exited the showers, her gym bag slung over her shoulder and her wet hair dripping down the back of her shirt.

  Damn.

  “How’s the ego?” she inquired with a grin, glancing down when he grabbed her hand.

  “Nothing a raw steak can’t heal up.” He tossed his bag into his SUV. “You’re going to have to teach me that shoulder move so I can kick some ass on the job.” He smiled at her. “You coming over?”

  She hesitated.

  He tilted his head and watched while her expression grew thoughtful, her eyes hardening slightly as she tugged her hand out of his.

  “I think I’m going to head home,” she finally said, unlocking her car and throwing her bag in. She bent to get in before pausing and straightening, crossing over to kiss him quickly. “I’ll text you later this week, okay?”

  He leaned against his SUV until she was out of sight, knowing it was time to make the call he should have made two mornings ago.

  *

  Charlotte eased off the gas as she rounded a bend in the road, cracking a smile as Butch jogged up alongside the truck, his leash dangling from his jaws. “Hey, boy!” she called, draping her arm out the window for a quick ear scratch. “You riding in or out this evening?”

  Butch butted the door with his head, his preference clear. She unfastened her seat belt and got out, opening the back door for the beast and waiting until he’d settled before she tucked the leash tight to him and slammed the door closed. “I’ve got nothing but kibble today,” she warned, laughing when the immense animal snorted and turned his head away from her. “What do you say to a tour of Sheep’s Pass?”