Tempting Bounty (Inter-Galactic Bounty Hunter Series Book 2) (10 page)

Chapter 18

Where was he?
Lexi looked around the dark. Ever since they had pulled into the marina, she had been trying to locate Vic. She wanted to warn him that this was all an ambush and to get out while he could. Roland must have anticipated that, because he had covered her mouth and tied her hands in front of her. The lighting wasn’t very good and she had a hard making out shapes.

“Ah...there’s your lover,” Marcus whispered in her ear.

When had he moved behind her? She tried to shrug away from him but he grabbed her arm and dragged her alongside him. She halted her movements when she caught sight of Vic. He was standing larger than life, a dark figure against the grey sky. The closer she got the more of him she could see. She knew Dan was there somewhere too but she only had eyes for Vic.

Her heart jumped and she wanted to physically leap into his arms. If there were any doubts to how she felt about Vic, those doubts were gone. She was in love with him, totally and completely without question. Only now he was facing off with Marcus who was intent on killing him. She had to warn him somehow. She struggled against her binds but Marcus shook her arm to get her to be still.

*****

It took all of Vic’s control not to attack Roland. Watching him manhandle Lexi left him furious. His Decaros side was beginning to show as his horns started to rise up. He wanted to rip Roland’s arms off.

“Vic man, are you listening?” Isaac’s voice came over the line. It shook him from his thoughts.

“What?”

“Roland’s men are spread out and surrounding you. Keep to the shadows until we have locked down all their positions.”

“Stick to the shadows, got it.” He took a step back and motioned for Dan to do the same.

“Why don’t you bring Mr. Stratford forward so that we can do this exchange” Roland called out.

“Sure, after you send Lexi forward first. When she gets halfway between us, I’ll release Stratford.”

Marcus laughed. “You must think I’m a fool.”

“We can send them both at the same time then.” Vic knew he wouldn’t go for the first option — he was counting on that.

“Yes, let’s do that.” Marcus released Lexi’s arm and pushed her forward.

Vic motioned for Stratford to stand and start moving forward. Vic whispered to Stratford as he passed by him. “Remember…” Stratford nodded as though he understood, but didn’t say anything.

*****

Lexi stumbled forward and glared back at Marcus. She wanted to hurt him in the worst way possible. She moved slowly, her eyes moving from Vic’s shadowy face to Dan’s as he approached.
What was going on?
She felt eyes on her from the shadows; she assumed those belonged to Marcus’s men. Didn’t Vic know this was a set up? She had to warn him somehow.

As she was passing Dan, he reached out and grabbed her arm, halting her. She looked over at him. “What?”

“Now!” Vic yelled.

Everything happened so fast. The dim lighting went completely black. She couldn’t see anything. Then Dan was pulling her toward some trees. She tripped and fell and took him down with her. She reached down, trying to take off her heels. As soon as she grabbed one in each hand, she shoved herself off of the ground, clawing at Dan and scrambling to regain momentum.

“Come on, Lexi! We’ve got to get out of here! We’re in the line of fire!”

“What?” That’s when she heard the gunfire.
Fuck!
She felt like she was in the middle of a war zone.

As she got to her feet she turned to follow Dan, but he looked at her with a strange look spreading across his face. She spotted a patch of red on his shoulder. “Oh, God.” He started to fall to his knees. She reached out to try to catch him as he fell. They both went down.

*****

“Lexi!” Vic jumped to avoid being hit. He watched as she and Stratford fell. He saw what looked like blood on her hands but he couldn’t see where she had been shot.

He growled with frustration because he couldn’t get to her. He shot at one of Roland’s men hidden on a nearby boat.  He hit his mark, and the guy fell into the water. Vic moved on, firing and ducking to avoid shots fired at him. He reached for his earpiece.

“Do you have a visual on Roland yet?”

Isaac answered. “Not yet. Keep low, Vic, they may not see as well in the dark as we do, but that doesn’t mean they might not get lucky and hit you.”

“Can you tell what’s happening with Lexi? She and Stratford went down but I can’t tell which one of them is injured.”

“I’ll try to get some eyes on them. Stay low and stay put until we have Roland’s men taken out.”

Fuck that.
He had to get to Lexi. What if she had been shot and was bleeding to death? He couldn’t lose her. He stayed low and moved his way toward the last place that he had seen Lexi. As he moved closer, he saw Stratford on the ground with Lexi crouched over him. She had her hands pressed against his bleeding shoulder.

“Lexi!”

She looked up at him, tears streaming down her face. “Vic! Dan’s been shot!”

“Stay there, I’m coming to you!” He had to get her out of danger. A bullet whizzed by her head. That was close — too close.

Just as he was about to reach her, she was jerked up and away from him. He crouched, pointing his gun up at Roland. The man held Lexi in front of him as he made her walk backward.

“Coward! Hiding behind a woman instead of fighting me like a man!” He stood up, despite the gunfire around him. He made himself a target in the hope that he would give Lexi the opportunity to break free and make a run for it.

*****

She winced as Marcus dragged her backward. Her bare foot stepped on a rock. Then she felt something in her hand. She glanced down to see her shoe in her hand. She must have grabbed it when Marcus yanked her away from Dan. She gripped the shoe hard. She wasn’t going to go down without a fight and she wasn’t going to let Marcus get a shot at Vic.

“Vic, get out of here!” Lexi yelled, trying to break free of Marcus He was standing out in the open, creating a huge target. She would kick his ass later for scaring her like that. She glanced over at Dan. His eyes were trained on her but he had lost so much blood. If they didn’t get him to a hospital soon, he would not survive.

Chapter 19

Lexi stomped on Marcus’s toes hard, making him loosen his grip. She didn’t think — she just clutched her shoe tightly in her hand. Then she whirled around and stabbed the heel of her shoe into the side of Marcus’s head. She shoved him backward and turned to run toward Dan.

She couldn’t hear much at first because of the gunfire. Then it was suddenly very, very quiet. She looked up and felt relief as she saw Vic and his team putting cuffs on Roland and the rest of his men. He came over to her and knelt down to check on Dan.

“He’s lost a lot of blood.” Lexi felt like she was in shock. There were times in her marriage where she wanted to kill Dan for being such an ass, but she didn’t really want him hurt or worse ... dead.

“Isaac called for an ambulance the moment we realized that he was shot. They’ll be here any moment. Are you hurt?”

She shook her head. “I have a few bruises, but otherwise I am fine. Just feeling really shaken from all of this.”

Vic reached out and caressed her cheek gently, wiping away her tears. She leaned her face against his warmth, wanting nothing more than to go to him. The several ambulances arrived behind them. She watched dazed as the paramedics rushed to Dan’s side inspecting his gunshot wound. She let go of Vic as he went to check on his crew to make sure they were okay.

The paramedics lifted Dan and began to load him in the back of the ambulance. Lexi felt that she needed to go with the paramedics because she knew all of Dan’s medical history. She waved Vic over and told him what she was going to do. Vic said that he had to remain behind to help hand over Marcus and his people to the local authority. As the ambulance doors closed, she looked up and caught one last glimpse of Vic,  then the doors closed and he was out of sight. She hadn’t even told him that she loved him. Would she see him again?

*****

Vic growled at the idiot officer who took his time processing Marcus Roland and his men. He had wanted to go with Lexi but the paramedics only had room for Lexi and Dan in the back of the ambulance. He hoped to be done with the questioning but the officers — one in particular — prolonged it.

“Can we go?” Vic asked, grumbling.

The officer glared at him before nodding his head.

“Just don’t leave the planet until we have gotten the statements of everyone involved.”

“Fine, thanks.” He left the interrogation room in a hurry. If their friend with the authority hadn’t vouched for this officer, he would have thought that the guy was on Roland’s payroll. He didn’t have time for any of that. He had to get to the hospital.

He burst out of the authority station. Isaac was there with transportation.

“Where’s Blade?”

“We were let go early and Blade went to the hospital to guard Stratford and Miss Tanner. I stayed behind to keep you updated on everything.”

They got into the van that Isaac had rented. Isaac drove while Vic sat in the passenger’s side. “Update me. How’s Lexi?”

“Lexi was treated for minor bruises and scratches. She’s fine. Stratford had to have surgery. He is still listed in critical condition. Lexi hasn’t left the hospital. Her assistant manager was the woman injured when the bar blew up. Lexi has been spending time visiting her as well. She is about to be released to go home.”

“Lexi must be exhausted.”

“Blade said that she refuses to go home until she knows that Stratford will live.”

Vic sighed as he ran his hand through his thick hair. “This was a royal clusterfuck.”

“Jagger called,” Isaac told him.

“What did he say?”

“He is on his way.”

“Why?”

“I explained your situation with Lexi and he is coming to take over transporting Stratford back when he is released, so that you can deal with everything else.”

Vic growled. “I can do my damn job.”

“Hey man, he’s just trying to help. Take the time off and try to convince her to come back with you.”

“She might say no.”

“She might say yes. She doesn’t have a business now because Roland destroyed it. She’ll have to rebuild and she can do that just as easily on Fin-Dieskau as she can here. Isn’t there an empty building next to Daniela’s restaurant?”

Vic silently thought about what Isaac was saying. “Yes. What if I ask her to come back to Fin-Dieskau with me and she says no?”

“What if she says yes? Are you ready to open your life up for a steady relationship?”

“I ... I am. I want her more than anyone I have ever met before.”

“Then you need to tell her that. Tell her how you feel about her, and be ready to fight to keep her. Love is too precious to let it slip through your fingers, not when there is something you can do to prevent that. I can tell you right now, if you let this chance go — if you let her go —you will be missing out on the best thing that ever happened to you. You don’t know if you’ll have a second chance at this kind of love again.” Isaac’s voice took on a sad tone.

He glanced over at the other man knowing that Isaac had suffered some kind of a loss in his past one that he rarely talked about. “Thanks, Isaac. I’m going to fight for her no matter what.”

Isaac smiled. “Glad to hear, because we’re here.” He pulled into a parking spot in front of the hospital. “Go get your girl.”

Vic got out, silently praying that he could convince Lexi to give him a chance.

Chapter 20

Lexi paced the room and waited for the nurses to bring Dan back from surgery. She hadn’t heard anything from Vic. She tried to get some information from the stoic bounty hunter Blade, but he wasn’t much for talking. All he would say was that Vic was still being questioned by the authority. He had said as much in only a few words. It was very annoying.

“I can’t take this anymore!” She walked out into the hallway, intending to go outside for some fresh air. She stopped walking as two men got off the elevator nearby.

“Vic.” She whispered his name.

He looked at her and she couldn’t stop herself. She started walking, then jogging, then full-out running before she threw herself into his arms. “Vic! Oh God, I was so worried about you.”

He squeezed her tightly against him. “Baby, are you okay?”

“I was so scared, Vic. When all the shooting started I wanted to find you … then Dan got shot … he needed me to stop the flow of the blood … so much blood…” The gateway to her tears broke and she shook as she cried in his arms. She was lost in the emotional release that she had been holding inside.

She felt Vic’s arms wrap around her legs, then he lifted her in his arms. He and the other bounty hunter Isaac said something, but she didn’t pay attention to them. It wasn’t until she felt herself being lowered inside a van that she calmed down enough to question him.

“What’s going on? Where are we going?” She watched as he walked around to the driver’s side and got in.

“I think we should go back to your place and have some alone time.”

“Okay, but I haven’t had a chance to fix anything that Roland’s men had messed up yet.”

He paused, turning the van on and looking at her with his dark eyes.

“I don’t care about that, I just want to be alone with you so that I can remove your clothes and kiss every inch of you slowly until you nearly go insane from the pleasure. Then I plan to fuck you for hours.”

Lexi felt her pussy clench with need. She gulped and tried to keep her breathing under control.

“Drive fast.”

*****

Vic made record time getting them back to her apartment. She refused to let him carry her in. She could walk and she didn’t want to draw any more attention from her neighbors. She hoped to avoid her landlord until she was able to get a construction crew out to make repairs. “Crap.”

“What is it?” Vic asked as he followed her through the front door. He closed it behind him.

“I’ve got to call the insurance company about my bar. Roland blew it up.”

“I’m sorry about that; and I’m sorry about your assistant manager getting hurt.”

“Roxy’s okay — just shaken up. Thank God she had gotten out of the back door before the bomb went off.”

She could have died. Vic could have died. Those thoughts made her realize just how important life was and that she didn’t want to waste one single moment. She turned to face him and looked up into his handsome face. She took a deep breath.

“I love you, Vic. I know it’s sudden and we have a lot of things to work out, but I am so deeply in love with you I can’t even think straight.” There, she had bared her soul. She shuffled from foot to foot, watching as a grin spread slowly on his face.

“I’m in love with you, too. I want you with me, always. Come with me to Fin-Dieskau.”

“I suppose...there’s nothing holding me here. I would have to wait until the insurance investigates the incident and get the money, look for a new location…”

“I know a place on Fin-Dieskau, an available building space that you could convert to whatever you want. I’ll help as much as you allow me to. Say yes.” His eyes pleaded with her.

How could she say no? She didn’t want to say no. This was her chance at love and happiness. She had never felt for Dan or any other man the love she felt for Vic. He made her feel treasured and loved.

“Okay, I’ll go with you.” She gasped as he lifted her in his arms and twirled her around. When he set her on her feet again, she held onto his forearms.

“You’re going to love Fin-Dieskau. There are so many things to do and my cousin Jagger and his wife are there and will help you get settled too, so you won’t be alone.”

“Hold on there, big guy. I still have things to take care of here. I can’t just hop on a space plane and leave tomorrow. Won’t your boss be mad that you’re taking off time from work?”

“Honey, I am the boss. My cousin and I own the bail bonds company. I know I may be rushing things and I’m sorry — I’m just so excited. My cousin is covering for me so that I can spend time with you. I can help you pack and settle things. Just tell me what you want me to do and I’ll do it.”

He was putting his own life on hold to help her. It made her love him more… and damn if he didn’t look sexy.

Vic sniffed the air. Then he grinned a sexy grin at her before picking her up and heading toward the bedroom.

“Where are we going?” she asked, confused.

“I almost lost you. If Dan had moved a few inches over that bullet would have missed him and hit you instead. It was bad enough that I could not go with you to the hospital. Instead, I had to spend hours at the authority answering their questions when all I wanted was to be by your side and hold you. So now that you have agreed to be in a relationship with me, I want to do that kissing and fucking that I promised you in the van.”

“Yes please.” It was all she could think to say. She teased his growing horns, which made him speed up and growl at her.

When he walked into her bedroom, he threw her onto the bed making her bounce up and down. She giggled. He made her feel carefree. She needed that light feeling after going through so much fear and danger. She bit her lip, wondering if what they were feeling would fade. Was it all based on the fact they had been in a dangerous situation.

“Why are you frowning?” Vic asked, removing her shoes.

“We’ve been through so much in such a short time. How do we know that what we feel for one another will last?”

He paused for a moment before responding. “There are no guarantees in life. There are people who have dated for years who aren’t in love and then there are those who are lucky enough to find that one special person that they have an immediate connection with. When you find that special person, you hang on for all that you’re worth and hope for the best. Besides, Decaros don’t give up their mates when we find them.” He pulled his shirt off and she could not think of another thing to say about that topic. 

“You’re so sexy,” she told him, reaching over to run her hands over his abs.

“Take off your clothes, Lexi. I don’t want to have to tear them off.”

Fuck, that was hot!
She quickly removed her clothes. By the time she was naked, he was already on the bed. He spread her knees apart.

“Wait, I’m turned on already. You don’t have to do that.”

He growled. “I want to taste every inch of you.”

She lay back, breathing heavy. “I’m not going to survive you.”

He chuckled. Then he plunged his tongue in and out of her. It didn’t take much. She gripped the sheets beneath her and arched up as her release hit her hard. Then he climbed up her body while the ripples of her release were still vibrating through her.

They both moaned as he entered her swiftly. Lexi wrapped her legs around his hips, holding on to him as he rode her rough and wildly. When she had another hard orgasm, he pumped his seed deep inside her. He held her afterwards soothing her by stroking her body. She felt protected, safe and loved.

“Vic I feel…” Her emotions choked the rest of her words and tears of joy slipped down her cheeks.
God, how she loved this man.

He smiled at her with a knowing look while gently wiping away her tears. “I know. I love you too, sweetness.”

“If our everyday life is anything like our sex life, we are in for an adventure.” She laughed.

“I’m looking forward to each and every moment.”