Chapter Eight
His fate rested in his boss’s hands, and it wasn’t looking good.
He’d failed and when someone failed Cummings it didn’t end well.
A cold sweat dripped down the nape of his neck as raised his hand to the wooden door.
Jimmy wrung his hands together, rocking from one foot to the other as he waited for Cummings to tell him to enter.
A roaring, “Enter,” ripped from behind the closed oak door.
Jimmy stole a glance at his partner John and shook his head as he turned the knob slowly, hoping to delay the truth.
He feared Cummings because a man willing to sell his child to feed his drug habit had no limits to his rage.
It pissed Jimmy off that he’d become so weak. When had he lost his spine?
Cummings stood up and looked around Jimmy and John, then sat back in his chair and leaned on his elbows. “Well?”
Rubbing the back of his neck and feeling the perspiration, Jimmy responded, “Boss, we didn’t have any luck. We’re thinking she jumped on the back of someone’s pickup truck, but we don’t have surveillance footage, so we can’t tell where she went.”
Cummings slammed his fist down on his desk, then stood straight up while pulling a gun out. Both men took a cautious step back and waited for Cummings to get his breathing under control long enough to speak. Jimmy swallowed hard.
“Damn it. You were supposed to have her delivered to Navarro. She was handed to you on a silver platter, and you couldn’t pull her off the damn bus. I should shoot you both right now,” he snarled, walking around his desk like a dangerous predator.
John pleaded his case, blurting out, “It’s not our fault. By the time we got there, she wasn’t anywhere to be found. The bus driver left her there, stranded as fuck. It should have been easy. There was only a handful of people around.”
Cummings lurched at him, grabbing John by the throat. “Whose fault is it? This is the second time you lost her.”
His grip tightened around John’s neck until he choked out, “Mine.”
“It’s both you motherfuckers’ fault. You better fucking find her before Navarro’s men do because she’ll be his for nothing then. He’s already asking for my head. If you don’t, I’ll be putting your heads on a platter. Understood?” He released his hold on John.
Jumping back and rubbing his neck, John’s eyes never left Cummings. There would be no way he’d turn his back to him. “Loud and clear,” Jimmy responded.
Both men fled the office as soon as humanly possible. Several of Cummings’s other goons shared commiserating looks with Jimmy and John. None of them wanted to be on that assignment.
The two hired men walked out to the SUV while looking over their shoulders. There was no guarantee that Cummings wouldn’t kill them for failing. As they pulled out of the estate, Jimmy said, “We should check with the people of the town nearest the gas station.”
“Yeah, maybe someone gave her a lift,” John tossed out.
“I bet. Why the fuck can’t she just accept her fate and take the dick?
” Jimmy banged the steering wheel in rage.
Letting his anger come over him, he continued to rant, “Pussy’s pussy.
I don’t know what the hell is so good about virgin pussy.
They don’t know what to do with it and they fucking cry when you steal it. ”
“Well, then we better get a move on. Navarro’s going to know she’s not cherry if someone else gets to her first. A tight-ass body roaming around alone, she’s liable to get picked up by a crazy fuck like you,” John said with a wry laugh.
They arrived in the first town east of the gas station, looking out of place in their well-tailored suits and catching glances from the residents.
Getting nowhere, they moved to the next town.
For six hours, they roamed two towns, questioning every soul around.
No one had seen her and were genuinely surprised.
That’s when they ran into the town Sheriff, Ray McCain.
“Can I help you, gentlemen?” he asked, sliding his hands along his gun belt.
Sensing the sheriff’s distrust, Jimmy blurted out, “We’re looking for my friend’s daughter. She went missing this morning, and we’re worried.” They handed the picture to the sheriff.
He stared at the photo, taking thorough look at the girl in the image and replied, “Sorry to hear that. She’s stunning, but I haven’t run into anyone I don’t know…well—except for you boys. Where did you say you were from?”
“We didn’t.”
“Well, it would help if you did, so’s if she did come around we could put up an alert, you know.” He gave them a curious appraisal that made them uncomfortable like he wasn’t as gullible as they initially believed.
His head tilted and his brows scrunched together as he took another look at the young woman’s picture. “We can put up her photo in our post office if you’d like.”
“No. If she’s not here, then she won’t be headed this way.”
“Well, then, there’s only one ranch nearby, but the owner’s a grumpy bastard. He might shoot you off his property. Still, you can try and ask him. Other than that, I’m afraid you’re wasting your time.” Ray knew something was off about the suits, and his cousin would be aware of who they were.
“Thanks. We’ll make a stop over there.” They shook the sheriff’s hand, then jumped into their SUV and left. They passed a sign for Spring Water Texas that read:
Gibson Cattle Ranch—2 miles
“I bet that’s the one he’s talking about.” They drove up to the ranch, ignoring the “No Trespassing” sign. Just as they stepped out of the SUV, the cowboy they ran into earlier walked out onto the porch.
“I’m guessing you can’t read. It says no tres…wait…weren’t you the guys at the gas station?” He narrowed his gaze, drying his hands with a dish towel before tossing it over his shoulder.
“Yes, we were told to come here. Did she show up?” Jimmy asked him.
***
“No. I haven’t seen the woman you’re looking for.
It’s dark out, so she better be somewhere safe.
If she’s out on my fields, she won’t last the night.
Good luck, and get off my property. My new bull is a little restless if ya know what I mean, and he don’t take kindly to interruptions.
” He winked at the two guys. His cousin had given him a call telling him that there were two guys looking for a missing woman.
“Sorry about that.” Gage nodded and waited for them to get in their vehicle, but they first passed his SUV, looking into the back seat for her. Now I’m glad she grabbed her shit.
“This has been a fucking waste of a day. Where did that bitch go?” The lead prick in the suit ranted before he entered the driver’s side, unaware that voices carried in that part of the front yard. Gage heard his words, and so did Hope, who hid behind the door, shaking.
Hope felt Gage’s arms wrap around her as she shook. “I’m not going to let them get to you. Ever.”
“You know that I can’t stay here.”
“Yes, you can, and you will. They won’t be back, and tomorrow this place will be littered with men installing some high-tech gadgets. If I catch them on my property again, I can put a bullet in their heads. Come on. Let’s get you ready for bed.” Gage led her upstairs and to her room.
When left alone, Hope sat on the bed and just lost herself in thought. She knew that her attraction to Gage was once in a lifetime, but was it fair to be here when danger crept right up on his doorstep?
A loud sound of crashing pots and pans startled her out of it quickly. She jumped up and ran down the stairs to see what was wrong.
“What happened?”
“Baby, what are you doing down here?” He grabbed her around the waist and carried her over his shoulder back upstairs.
“Put me down,” she shouted and pounded on his back.
“Be quiet.” Gage marched her to her bedroom and closed the door with his foot.
Then he unceremoniously dropped her onto the bed while standing over her with a scowl.
“Don’t ever run to investigate a noise. I don’t give a fuck what it is.
Until this shit passes, I’m not letting you risk getting caught. ”
“So what am I supposed to do? Be a prisoner here like I was with my father? Will I be stuck inside this room with no contact with anyone?” she challenged, puffing out her chest.
“You want contact? I can give you contact.” He leaned forward and placed his hands on the bed beside her, trapping her in.
The air between the two of them was charged with sexual tension as they stared into each other’s eyes.
His body pressed her down into the mattress; their chests both heaved with hunger.
Gage’s cock jutted into her stomach, grinding back and forth while his mouth ravaged hers in a deep kiss.
Needing air, Gage pulled back and stood up.
“So is that how you’re going to keep me under lock and key?”
“I’m not going to keep you trapped forever.”
“You don’t know how long it’s going to take.”
“Well, no, but soon, I’ll take the main reason for the sale off the table.
” His intent was read loud and clear. He planned to take the two-million-dollar price tag for his own.
The vision of that popped in both their heads and they equally groaned and adjusted their heated bodies to the image they created.
“And I’m supposed to trust you?”
“Who the fuck else you got to trust?” She raised her brows at him, waiting for more. “Besides, I’m not just going to leave you in here. I want you ready to protect yourself, should I be out on the pastures.”
“What do you mean?”
“I’m going to teach you some self-defense.”
“Really? Like, you’re not bullshitting me, are you?”
“I’m for real, and if you’re a good girl, I’ll show you how to shoot. Have you ever fired a gun before?”
“No.” Hope closed her eyes, remember the incident with the online self-defense.
“Well, there’s no time to waste, then. First thing in the morning, you and I are going to ride out to a secluded spot on the property and I’m going to teach you to shoot. Now, do me a favor and get some sleep.”
“Um. I kind of have a problem. I don’t have any other clothes. I ditched my old ones, thinking I’d be buying a couple of outfits at the nearest Walmart.”
“Got that. I’ll have clothes delivered by tomorrow night.
For tonight, let me get you something to wear.
” Gage ran to his bedroom and pulled out his old high school T-shirt and a pair of boxers.
He’d grown out of them during his college days, but his mom had packed up a lot of his old things, and he’d had them ready to be sent to Goodwill.
He dropped off the clothes and went to his bathroom to take an icy shower before he lost control.