“Not your fault.”
The snores from the couch remind me of the unwanted guest who ruined our honeymoon. No one would blame me if I shot Brittany with my RF weapon. We’d call an ambulance and be free of her.
The image disappears as strong fingers knead my shoulders. Leaning back in pure bliss, I wish like hell I could drag him down the hall to the mattress.
As he leans over and kisses me, his phone rings. After a heavy sigh and a glance at the caller ID, my G-man swipes the screen. “Wulf here. Yeah… Give us about fifteen.”
The lump in my stomach grows heavier. “I guess this means our vacation is canceled?”
“Only postponed.” He squeezes my hand. “Are you mad?”
“I’m not. I do admit to being disappointed. However, if you arrest Ledbetter, it’ll be worth it.” A chill runs down my spine. The dealer traffics children as well as weapons. He’s an evil nemesis who must be liquidated or put behind bars, no matter the cost to me.
My lawman pulls me to stand. “I don’t suppose I can convince you to return to DC?”
And leave him to be eaten by Babs-The-Shark?Over my dead body.“How about I stay and let Callie know I’m working remotely?”
I’ll call her later to explain the circumstances and also check on Abbie, who I miss like crazy. Guilt threatens to overwhelm me until I recall how much my daughter loves her Uncle Lucky. She’s probably having a lot more fun than I am.
“Mmm.” For once, my spouse knows better than to argue.
Before long, Brittany wakes, yawns, and saunters into the kitchen, wearing nothing but a t-shirt and bikini undies. She frowns at the empty coffee pot and narrows her gaze at me. “Mind making more?”
“Sure.” The only reason I don’t lace it with ex-lax is because it would prolong her stay.
“Anyone need to use the facilities? I won’t be long.” When she eyes my husband as if he were her next meal, I grab the largest knife, slice a bagel, then offhandedly point it at her.
“No, please be my guest.”
“Great.” The near-naked, long-legged seductress pads across the faux wood floors to the shower.
Too quickly, she exits in a tiny towel and sidles up to my husband. “I don’t suppose you might have an outfit I could borrow?”
She aims her smirk at me. “I would ask you, but I’m much taller and bustier.”
A total guy, Axel misses the insult. He walks into our bedroom and returns, holding an old T-shirt and sweatpants. “Here you go.”
“You still smell delicious, Ax.” When the wannabe husband-thief brings his clothes to her nose, I narrow my gaze.
“That’s my fabric softener. I’ll give you a few sheets to take on your way out.”
“Do I detect a bit of jealousy?” Her chuckle makes me snort out my nose.
“Not hardly. I was only sharing some advice. Dirty laundry can be challenging to get rid of, but I have the resources to make it go away permanently.”
Before she can say more, my soon-to-be-dead husband snickers and breaks into ourtête-à-tête. “My team has arrived. We leave in five.”
Wulf drives, I take the front seat, and Brittany jumps in the back. While I ponder how to fumigate the cushions of my new Jeep Wrangler, we park in front of a luxury suites hotel.
The moment we exit, our collie-shepherd mix pulls on his leash. “Woof!”
Squatting beside him in the parking lot, I let him lick my face. “Oh, I have missed you so much. You’re such a good boy, aren’t you?”
“Bear,sitz.” At Axel’s command, the mammoth canine sits with his eyes glued to his master’s face.
“So ist brav.” The praise causes the well-behaved pooch to wag his tail and grin.
Done patting his loyal pet, Special Agent Wulf turns his attention to his team. He introduces Brittany to Hunt, Ink, Rhonda, and Trever. If the federal agents have misgivings about working alongside this crazy bitch, they hide it well.
