Chapter 21
Own who you are.
One week later
“You got a minute?”
Scout looked up as Hudson stepped into the kitchen. They’d mostly been avoiding each other for the last week so she was surprised he’d searched her out. Even as she cursed the little jump her heart gave at the mere sight of him.
The man was just too gorgeous and overprotective for his own good. Or for her own good. His dark hair was slightly tousled, his dark eyes way too serious, and his forearms were mocking her. Or taunting her. Maybe both.
“Is everything okay?”
“Yeah, just wanted to talk. Can I sit?” He motioned at the island countertop.
“You don’t have to ask.” But yeah, she understood, things had been awkward between them. They’d barely talked since they’d had sex, and all she could do was obsess about it.
And his distance. He just refused to open up to her about anything and it was maddening.
She wasn’t asking for marriage and kids, but she would like to know more about who he was as a person.
The one thing she did like—but wasn’t going to tell him—was that he was insistent on not lying to her. Hence the no opening up.
Clearing his throat, he sat across from where she leaned against the counter next to the fridge.
“Want anything to drink?” She’d just been in here cleaning up after a long day at the festival.
There were only a few more days left to go and Christmas was in four days.
They’d be closed then, something she was looking forward to.
Two weeks was way too long and she’d already made the decision to scale back to one next year.
“I’m good.” He cleared his throat again. “I don’t know how to say this so I’m just going to throw it out there. The Feds just raided the Willman Ranch for trafficking of exotic animals.”
She blinked. That…had not been what she was expecting. “Uh, what? Like snakes and stuff?”
“More like tigers and pangolins. Among other things. They’re basically a holding place for some of these animals, and in some cases they were actually breeding them.
It’s a relatively sophisticated operation.
And part of the reason they moved it to Florida and this ranch is because of the tropical weather. ”
She blinked again. “How… Uh, I guess first, what does this have to do with me?”
“The trafficking? Nothing. But I’m guessing part of the reason Zack Willman wanted your land was to put a much bigger buffer between him and anyone else. Or maybe to traffic even more. You’ve got river access. I don’t know that we’ll ever know, but it’s a solid guess.”
She rounded the island, sat down a couple seats away, and turned toward him. “I have so many questions but I’m not sure where to start.”
“I’ll just tell you what I know, then.”
“Wait, did you have something to do with this? Is this why you and your friends have been sort of…shady?”
He cocked an eyebrow. “Shady?”
She huffed out a small laugh and wished there wasn’t such a canyon between them. “Maybe that’s the wrong word, but you’ve been disappearing and letting those two models watch me.”
“Models?” Oh, he didn’t like that at all.
She inwardly grinned. “Ace and Silas.”
“I know who you meant.” His gorgeous mouth pulled into a frown. “You think they look like models?”
“I was just messing with you,” she admitted. “To see if you even cared.”
He scrubbed a hand over his dark hair. “Of course I care.” His words came out raspy, with an edge to them.
And she liked that way too much. “Could’ve fooled me.”
“Damn it, Scout. Just…let me tell you this first. I don’t think Zack Willman is a threat to you anymore.
He’s got a lot more to worry about now with Fish and Wildlife arresting him.
Because I have a feeling there’s going to be more than just animals they’re dealing in, which will bring in more agencies. ”
This hadn’t been what she’d been expecting at all. “Huh. So, Hank and Lane…” She knew he’d taken care of them and didn’t actually want the details.
“Still not going to be a problem for you. And I doubt he’ll bring them up.”
“The sheriff is looking for them…I heard through the grapevine. A few people at the festival were talking about them. Oh, is the sheriff involved in the animal trafficking?”
“Still not sure on that one but he is being questioned. And they’re looking into all his finances.”
“How do you know all that? I can’t imagine the Feds told you unless…are you undercover? Is that why you’re here?” It would make sense if that was why he hadn’t wanted to open up to her.
He shook his head, gave a snort of what sounded like derision. “No. I…” He scrubbed a hand over his head again.
And she remembered how good his callused fingers had felt on her breasts, inside her, touching and stroking her.
Nope, not going there right now. Unless you know, he was offering. Because she was weak where he was concerned. So, very, weak.
And the way his forearms flexed when he moved his arms…
“Stop looking at me like that,” he growled.
She blinked in surprise for what felt like the hundredth time. “Like what?”
“Like you’re picturing me naked.”
Her cheeks warmed under his dark gaze. She wasn’t sure if she should be embarrassed that he read her so easily and then decided that she wasn’t. Because he wanted her too, she could see it when he turned that hungry gaze on her more often than not.
“Because you’re going to hate me in a minute,” he continued.
She straightened in alarm. “What, why? For keeping me safe?”
“No,” he gritted out. “You want to know why I’m here? Why…I stayed?”
She nodded as tension coiled low in her belly. His tone was off, edgy.
“When you first stumbled upon me, I really was lost. I was looking for someone. A man.” He seemed to struggle to get the words out. “He makes custom weapons. Like long-range rifles with scopes. And blades that can be smuggled on airlines. I had the wrong address though and got turned around.”
It took a moment for his words to set in. “Wait, you want weapons that can be smuggled on airlines?” she managed to whisper.
“Yep.”
“Why would you need something like that?” she whispered, even though she was pretty sure she already knew the answer.
“Because I kill people for a living. For money,” he said bluntly.
It took another, longer, moment for his words to roll around in her brain.
She wasn’t even sure she was surprised. Not with the way he’d basically made Hank and Lane disappear.
She’d just been holding on to some weird hope that he was in the military or undercover or something.
“Wait, you and Sarah…” They’d been talking about themselves being “the same.
So no black ops. They were both…contract killers.
Sarah had left this morning after giving her a big hug and told her she’d be back after Christmas.
“Yes. And I’m only telling you that because she okayed it. She wanted to tell you earlier, for the record.” He was watching Scout as if she was a cobra ready to strike, as if he was afraid of her reaction.
And Scout figured there had to be some irony in that. She should be afraid of him, not the other way around. “So, like…you work for the government?”
“No. I did at one time. They trained me.” His tone was dry. “And I was honorably discharged, for the record. But I’m an independent contractor. I don’t want to sugarcoat what I do.”
“Is your name really Hudson?” she blurted, wondering if that had been a lie too.
“Yes. But my last name isn’t Concord. It’s one of my covers…which I’ll have to burn now.”
“Why? Because I know?”
“Yes.”
Oh. She hadn’t expected the honesty. “So you’re, what? Just telling me and then leaving? Or killing me?”
He glared at her, anger sparking in those dark eyes. “You can’t seriously be asking me that!”
“I don’t know! I don’t know how this works!”
“I’ve spent the last few weeks keeping you safe! Of course I’m not going to kill you.” And he was clearly offended she’d said that.
“Why’d you bother to stick around, to keep me safe?”
“Because I like you!” The words came out like a confession. “Maybe more than like you! I’ve never…felt like this about anyone before. I… You and your dumb llamas took me by surprise.” And he looked absolutely bewildered by that.
“My llamas aren’t dumb,” she muttered, more out of habit than anything else. “And I don’t know how to handle any of this.” She slid off the stool and took a step away from him. “I’m going to go see my girls and just…think.” She paused. “Are you running out on me now?”
“No.” He gritted that one word out, his jaw tight.
“Good.” Turning on her heel, she grabbed her puffer jacket by the front door and left, her mind going a hundred miles a minute.
What. The. Hell. Hudson was a hitman? A contract killer?
And she’d fallen for him.
How was she supposed to even digest any of this? Also, she was cursing herself for running out of there because she had so many questions.
So. Many.
She also wasn’t as horrified as she should be. She wasn’t sure what that said about her, but she wasn’t running for the hills.
Not that there were any real hills in Florida. But still.
Hudson had shown her who he was from the moment he got here. Not told her, but actually stepped up and looked out for her. He’d clearly killed Hank and Lane after they’d shot at her. And…she was okay knowing that for sure now.
Huh.
She guessed that Hudson could be lying to her, but what was the point? And by telling her the truth about himself—and clearly some of his friends—he was exposing himself. Unless he did plan to kill her. Which, in that case— She frowned as her boot crunched over a cluster of plastic debris.
“What the hell?” It took a moment for her to realize what she was looking at.
One of the security cameras was smashed on the ground by her llamas’ favorite resting area.
Her farm had long cleared out from the day’s festivities, and all the animals had been fed and were calm.
But she would have noticed this kind of destruction if it had happened during the day. And she’d have seen it during the cleanup. This must have happened recently.
A chill slicked down her spine, sending a shiver of unease through her. She needed to let Hudson know about this.
As she started to reach for her cell phone, pain exploded in the back of her skull. She thought she heard Lucy’s bleating in the distance, but couldn’t keep her eyes open as darkness swept her under.