Chapter 12
Stinger
The road ahead is as tedious as fuck. Flat and straight, nothing but snowy fields on either side.
But I don’t care. Because my mind is bursting with thoughts of Ava.
And our pup—growing inside her. My girls.
The thought heats up my chest like a radiator.
It was so cute how Ava didn’t know the sex of her baby.
For me, it’s obvious. If I close my eyes, I can see this tiny female fetus, growing in Ava’s womb.
Waiting to meet us. I swear she’s gonna be the happiest baby that ever lived.
I’m heading south. I collected my last load of contraband, and I’m driving it to its destination. Then I’m done. No more long-ass journeys and lonely roads for me.
It’s been a busy three days—which all started when I parked up in the old lot where Vaughn said I could stay.
I ran into a cool wolf named Beau and his mate, Savannah.
Despite it being the middle of fricking winter, they were staying in a camper van on the lot.
It’s romantic, apparently. I snort. When I get a house for Ava and me, I’m gonna look for a place that’s real cozy.
I know my baby feels the cold, and I’ll make sure she’s so warm she’ll be walking around in her underwear all the time.
A grin spreads across my face as my brain superimposes the memory of Ava naked in my truck onto a sweet, cozy home. I wonder when she’ll start to show. I can’t wait to see her baby bump growing.
Can’t wait to claim her sweet body again. Finally give her my mark.
Anyway—
I drag my thoughts back to the present.
Turns out Beau is an investigator, and he was happy for me to hire him to track down the governmental agencies that have been harassing my sweet girl.
Beau said it’s all scare tactics, anyway. He hacked into the DOJ’s pre-trial evidence log and there’s nothing on Ava at all. She’s innocent.
I’m so proud of my baby for refusing to get tangled up in her family empire. For being true to herself and her beliefs. The only leverage the government has against her is loyalty to her family, and she’s told me they’re dead to her.
But for good measure, I paid the DA a visit, at his big fancy house. Scared the bejeezus out of him. Made him an offer he couldn’t refuse. Not real classy to be honest, but two can play at that game. He shouldn’t have hired someone to chase a scared woman down an icy sidewalk.
He won’t bother us again, I’m pretty darn sure of that.
My GPS tells me to take the next exit, and I press on the turn signal and pull into the outside lane.
Five minutes later, I’m turning into an abandoned airfield.
The door of the aircraft hangar is open, like always. I drive straight in, brakes hissing as I come to a stop.
There’s the guy who deals with me—tall, skinny, scarred face, bandana. Looks like a ferret shifter or something, but he’s all human. Some MC asshole.
“All there?” he demands, eyeing me suspiciously.
“As it was when it was loaded,” I grunt.
I unlock the rear doors of the truck and he clambers in, goes through the entire shipment, matching it against something on his phone screen.
At last, he nods in satisfaction and gets me to sign something.
Then he gives me a slow, calculating look. “Got time for another load?”
“No, I’m done,” I tell him.
“Huh?”
“This is my last delivery. I’m quitting.”
His eyebrows shoot up. “Guys like you don’t quit. Come on, I’ll make it worth your while. This is a special shipment. Pay’s triple what you’ve been getting before.”
Triple. I could sure use the money. The plans I’ve been putting together are gonna need a big cash injection. I’ve already agreed on the sale of my rig, but I don’t know if it’s gonna be enough. It could pay for so many things.
I shake my head. “No, I’m good.” Nothing’s going to keep me away from Ava. I’ll find the money some other way.
“One last delivery. Down to Mexico and back again. You’ll be done in three days.” He pulls a pocketbook from his back pocket and shows me a wad of cash. “Come on, guy like you could use the money.”
“You don’t know me,” I snarl.
A cold gleam comes into his eyes and he takes a step closer.
“I know all about guys like you, believe me. I make it my business to know who my drivers are. Which is how I know you’re going to go over the border, collect my shipment and bring it back to me.
” His hand moves to his hip and I catch a glimpse of a leather holster and dark metal.
My heart sinks, while my animal shoves up inside me, already bristling. “You really don’t know me,” I growl. “And if you know what’s good for you, you’ll drop this shit, and I’ll be on my way.”
He clicks his tongue and shakes his head sadly. “You disappoint me.” He shoves two fingers in his mouth and whistles.
My beast’s fur burns my skin, its sharp canines already bursting through. I hunch my shoulders, readying myself.
And I’m not at all surprised when a metal door shrieks on its hinges and another four guys appear from the far side of the hangar.
All brandishing guns.
My turn to shake my head.
Bringing guns to a wolf fight. Amateurs. And I really don’t want to get into this. I just want to be on my way. Back to my girl.
“You’re making a big mistake,” I growl. “You have no idea what you’re dealing with.”
The guy grins. “And I’d say you’re outnumbered right now. Give me your phone, get back in the truck, and get your ass down to the location I’m giving you.”
“You can’t blackmail me. I have no one,” I lie.
The guy’s grin falters, but he recovers fast. “Let’s find out.” He draws his gun and aims it at my heart. “Give. Me. Your. Phone.”
I’m a shifter. I could probably survive a bullet in the heart. But no one gets to threaten me like that and live. I take a long, slow breath. And I unleash my beast.
I’m barely aware of my clothes shredding as it bursts out of me. Snarling. Hungry for blood.
Barely aware of four human faces contorted in terror.
A couple of bullets are fired. My shoulder burns. Just a flesh wound. Nowhere crucial.
My jaws snap and my razor-sharp teeth shred at vulnerable human flesh. Blood, screams, pleas for mercy.
I leave the ringleader for last. Human trafficking. That’s what the shipment was supposed to be. I feel it deep in my bones.
He’s done, in one clean snap of his neck. His eyes still bulging in disbelief at the sight of my wolf.
I leave them where they fell, and head back to my truck. The wad of cash is somewhere among that heap of human filth. I leave it, too. I don’t want any part of that blood money.
But then I go back and collect the ringleader’s cell phone. Maybe Beau will have some use for whatever info is on it.
Bridges burned, I think as I glance at the hangar in my rearview mirror. I closed and locked the door behind me. Hopefully it’ll be a while before someone discovers all the carnage.
And that was the last time.
No more violence. No more shipping contraband. I don’t need to be that guy anymore.
From now on, I’m gonna stay on the straight and narrow, no matter how tough it might be.
For Ava.
And our little one.