LOGAN (BAD BOY BIKER ROMANCE) (28 page)

Chapter 15

Owen

Owen was screaming even as he dove for cover. Bullets passed by him like lethal angry insects intent on his death. He scrambled into the jungle, trying to get away from the shooting.

He hugged the ground, laying as flat as he could.

The shooting had stopped.

What had happened to Cole?

Slowly, unsure of what was happening, he crawled back toward the ravine. Once he was close, and sure he hadn't been observed, he parted some leaves.

There, across the ravine, were the two men. They had hoisted Cole up from the ground. Even from this distance he could tell he had been hurt. Shot?

No. There was blood along the right side of his face. Had he been hit?

Thankfully, the men no longer gave Owen any regard. Instead, they turned their backs to the ravine, and with Cole wobbling between them, moved off into the jungle.

Oh, my God, he thought. They got him. No, that was entirely true. Cole had given himself up to them. To save him. That was the only explanation for his insane behaviour, cutting the ropes on the bridge.

It kept the men from crossing after his, but it prevented Cole from crossing, too. He had sacrificed himself for Owen's safety.

The fool! He thought, tears welling in his eyes. The handsome, wonderful fool!

Get a hold of yourself, girl. You have to do something. You can't just let them take him away, whether that was Cole's intention or not. It wasn't going to happen. Not on his watch.

He wiped tears away from his eyes and face. He needed to follow them. Somehow. If they got away from his, he would never have an opportunity to help. Whatever that mysterious help may be.

Okay, that's what he would do. Follow them. But first, he had to get around this ravine. He turned toward the east, since he sensed it was the closest direction to the edge of the island and pushed through the jungle.

Soon, he passed the ravine entirely, and trudged on. It was only after a short while that he realized he no longer had his day bag. He must have dropped it when the man was shooting at his. He shrugged. Nothing he could do about it now. he kept going.

He must of been marching through the jungle for a good twenty minutes when he noticed a change in his surroundings. Through the trees, in the distance he could now see the ocean. He had made it to the east side of the island. At least he had an idea where he was.

Turning north, he resumed his trek. he hoped that the men would not march Cole all the way back to the resort. Instead, there was a good chance they may pick him up at a nearby beach. If he got there in time maybe he could do something.

But what?

As if on cue the trees ahead of his thinned out. He could see a long white beach extend out in front of his, which was nestled up against a little cove.

Not here, he thought glumly. But as he started to turn away, his eyes caught movement.

Peering through the trees he could see two men walk onto the beach, way down at the other end. They had Cole between them. he felt his heart leap in his chest. He was alive, and mostly unharmed.

The three men stopped, looking out to sea. Owen turned to look. He saw a large ship pulling into the little cove a short distance away. At first he thought it might be a rescue ship of some sort, but that thought quickly vanished when he recognized it.

It was the same one that had arrived at the dock back at the resort. The pirate's ship.

Still, he had to do something. What it was he did not have the foggiest notion. he started walking toward the beach.

"Ah," someone said. "There you are."

Owen stopped in his tracks, just as a man stepped out from behind a large tree right beside his.

They looked at each other.

"Who is stupid?" The man asked. "You are. And I'm going to teach you some manners. Yes?"

Owen was shocked. It was the man Cole had tackled back at the resort. The man he had shot.

He didn't look much worse for wear for someone who had been rendered unconscious a few hours earlier. He did have a huge red welt on his neck from the dart. But he was up and about now.

And he was right here.

Owen's eyes went to the submachine gun he held in both hands, pointed at him. He noticed the man had another dart pistol holstered on his hip.

"You found me," Owen said, trying to buy some time. He needed a plan. They were taking Cole away. He couldn't afford to waste time on this idiot.

The man took a few steps toward him. He leered at him with his half toothed smile. "I think for a stupid man-bitch you are pretty. Pretty enough to make me happy, huh?"

Dread washed over Owen. Ice shot up his spine. This was going to get ugly, and quick if he didn't do something. But what?

As the man entered his personal space, Owen cowered in fright. He had been shorter than Cole, but was still a couple of inches taller than him. He was very wiry, and he stunk to high heaven.

"You make me feel good, maybe I let you live, huh?" He licked his lips. His eyes raked over his body hungrily. his legs, his crotch, his mouth. It made Owen shudder in revulsion.

"I... I think I understand," Owen said. He allowed his look of fright to slowly morph to one of appeasement. He tried to smile at him.

"That is a good man-bitch. Stupid, yes. But maybe good for us both," he said. Now unable to contain himself he started to grab at Owen, pulling up against him.

Owen endured it. The man kissed at his neck and groped at his body. Owen even embraced him, rubbing up against his wiry frame. The man was excited to the point of bursting.

"That's a good girl-man," he said, breathing harsh smelly air into his ear.

After a moment, Owen stood upright and looked directly into the man's face, bare inches away.

The man was surprised, but scowled. "What is this? Stupid bitch tricks?"

"I have a question for you, you handsome devil," Owen grinned at him.

Genuinely perplexed the man said, "What question?"

Owen shot him in the groin.

The man gasped in pain and pulled back from him. He gaped down at the little dart that protruded from his crotch.

"Who is stupid?" Owen asked.

The man then looked at him in complete surprise. Then he went cross-eyed, and fell to his knees. He made some sort of keening noise, then pitched forward into the dirt face first.

Owen allowed himself a moment of satisfaction. Letting this cretin feel him up gave him the opportunity to take the pistol from him. So intent on drooling over his flesh, the idiot didn't even notice.

He cast the spent pistol aside, then quickly bent down over the man. Mr. Smelly was snoring loudly in the dirt. He managed to pull the submachine gun out from under his still form.

He stood, examining it. This was exactly what he needed.

"Thanks for this," he said to the unconscious man.

He looked back down the beach again. To his relief, Cole was still there with his captors. The ship had dropped anchor and a small motor boat was making its way across the cove toward Cole. There were a couple of men on it. They were coming to take Cole away.

Not going to happen, he thought.

He hefted the submachine gun in his grip, and started hurrying toward the beach. He was going to show these idiots what an angry, armed Realtor would do to protect a client.

He was going to rescue Cole.

Chapter 16

Cole

Owen was safe, Cole thought. That was all that mattered now. They wouldn't pursue his anymore. They got what they wanted.

He tried to ease his worry with these thoughts as the two men half dragged him through the jungle. He had tackled the one that had been shooting and he stopped almost immediately. It was obvious they could not risk Cole getting seriously injured. They seemed to settle on just scowling at him, and cursing in their language.

At some point they paused. One of them was speaking into a handset of some sort. Something short range, modulated so as not to be effected by their jamming device.

Orders came over it, and they changed their course. Instead of heading north, back to the resort he assumed, they were heading east. Probably to the shore to be picked up.

And then what? Whisked away to some unknown island not much different than this one. Chained up and thrown in hole? They would demand money, that was for certain. He would play along with them. His security firm, once they realized he was kidnapped, would leap into action. And those guys were good. It could be that they could home in on his position and attempt a rescue.

If it was a success, he would give them all a bonus.

But then his attention would turn to the only thing on his mind: Owen. He would follow up with Owen, sending his security team to the island to scour it for him.

He prayed he was safe, and unharmed. He also hoped he had enough sense to stay far enough away from him right now. No sense them both getting caught. Or worse.

He and his captors suddenly arrived at a beach. Pure white powdery sand stretched off down the shore almost out of sight.

But his eyes caught movement out at sea. It was a ship, the one the pirates were using. Great. This was it.

The two men pushed him to his knees in the sand. Cole sagged. They had long before tied his hands together with twine, which cut into his wrists. He did not even have the energy to try and break them. Best to save his energy for whatever the future presented to him.

A boat left the ship, and headed toward the beach. Cole could make out two men on board. One didn't look Filipino. Maybe a Westerner, or European.

Cole closed his eyes. He would know soon enough. Instead, he listened to the waves lapping at the beach, and thought of Owen's face, smiling up at him from behind the waterfall.

The boat arrived, and the two men disembarked. The Westerner was tall, and commanding in presence. He grinned down at Cole, almost wild in his look.

"Mr. Grant, I presume?" the new arrival said, and then laughed at his own joke.

Cole frowned at him. "I know you?"

"Not formally, no. My name is Gideon. And I am your captor of the day." The grin never left his face. There was a glint in his eye. It was the look of absolute greed. And he was looking down at Cole, his treasure.

"Looks like you got yourself a major payday in your future," Cole said. He found himself working at the twine around his wrists. Like it would do much good now.

The man called Gideon laughed. "I am hoping it would be a sizable one."

Cole looked up at him, sunlight causing him to squint. "Whatever it is, I could ensure it would be double that amount."

Gideon looked pleasantly shocked. "Why, isn't that kind of you. Whatever would you want in return for this generous offer?"

"Leave the man alone," Cole said. "The one that was with me. If your men are still looking for him, tell them to stop now. And if they caught here, let him go. Do this one thing and I will promise that the ransom paid to you would exceed your wildest dreams."

Gideon laughed, more with delight than anything. "A man? You would cough up untold hundreds of millions for a man?"

Play to his greed, Cole thought. "That is the offer."

Gideon seemed to consider it. Then he turned and asked one of the men a question in what sounded to be very broken Tagalog. The man shook his head.

Gideon looked at Cole again. "It would appear that this man-friend of yours is evading my men. But, I accept your offer. We will cease searching for him immediately. Good enough?"

Cole nodded.

As if basking in his own glory, Gideon sniffed and grinned. "A man. Ha! He had been nothing more than an annoyance. But I see now that he was useful to me after all. His presence got me you."

Gideon laughed. The other henchman laughed along with him. What did they care? They were rich now. Richer than they could ever dream.

"Now you've really gone and ticked me off!" Someone shouted.

Everyone jumped in surprise and stopped laughing. They turned toward the voice.

Cole gasped in shock.

Owen emerged slowly from the jungle directly behind them, only a few feet away. To Cole's amazement, he was armed with a submachine gun, which he had levelled at Gideon.

He also noticed something else about Owen. He was mad. Real mad.

Everyone tensed. When Owen emerged, all the men either had their weapons holstered, or slung over their shoulders. They hadn't expected any armed conflict standing here.

Owen had caught them all completely by surprise.

Cole beamed at him.

"What? What is this?" Gideon said, stunned.

Owen stopped moving, standing with his legs slightly apart, the submachine gun firmly levelled, finger on the trigger. "What is this? The end of the line for you idiots. Now, drop your weapons."

Cole could feel the tension rising amongst the group. Did they think they could get the drop on him? Would he even fire at them? He could sense these thoughts racing through their minds.

They were killers, mostly all. But not Owen. Did he have what it took to kill someone here and now?

Gideon seemed to regain some of his composure. "Now, look sir, I don't know what you were thinking coming here, but this game is over. Drop the weapon and I swear you won't be hurt."

"Yeah, I believe you," Owen said. He hoisted the gun up a little higher. "I said drop your weapons. All of you."

Now Gideon had worked up enough bravado that he obviously felt he could call his bluff. "You aren't going to shoot anyone. You don't have it in you, do you now? Now, put down that gun and we'll - ."

Owen shot at Gideon.

The noise was deafening as it was sudden. Cole blinked as sand shot up from the beach.

No, he didn't shoot Gideon, but he had shot a line through the sand between him and one of the other men.

A feeling of unease grew amongst the men.

"Drop them. I will not repeat myself," Owen said.

He had said it so angrily, that if Cole were carrying a gun at that moment, he would have dropped it, too.

Gideon scowled. "Drop them. Everyone."

Slowly, and under his very watchful gaze, the men dropped their weapons in the sand.

"Now untie him," Owen said.

Gideon nodded to one of the men, who bent down and quickly undid his bindings. Once free, Cole stood, rubbing at his wrists.

"Well this is a pleasant surprise," Cole said, grinning wildly.

Owen's features softened a little as he glanced at him. "Well, we can talk about that later. Grab a gun now, honey."

"Oh," Cole said. "Right." He selected a machine gun from the ample pile then walked over to stand by Owen.

They both looked at their new prisoners, who stood with shoulders slumped in defeat.

"Now what should we do with them?" Cole asked.

"I dunno," Owen said with a slight shrug. "I was hoping at some point now the cavalry would arrive."

"Cavalry?" Cole said.

There was a distant rumbling. Everyone looked about, blinking in confusion.

"What the hell?" Cole said.

Just then a helicopter shot over the jungle canopy and passed above them.

Stunned, the only thing everyone on the beach could do was stare in surprise.

The huge machine banked hard, and lowered a bit over the water right next to the beach. The water sprayed outwards, and kicked up sand.

A uniformed soldier hung out an open side hatch, a massive mounted gun pointed down at them.

Cole blinked at the lettering along the side of the helicopter. United States Navy.

Cole blinked in amazement. "Well, I'll be damned!" he said.

Owen and Cole laughed.