Pucci moved forward and patted Krissy’s shoulder. “It’s okay. Thanks for trying to help.”
She preened. I swear to God, she preened.
Pucci tucked an arm over her shoulder and tugged her close. “Listen. We got off to a bad start today, and I apologize. I’d like to finish up our business, and we need to be at the compound to get the ball finally rolling. I have trial tomorrow, and my witnesses are all at the campground, so it makes sense for my new lawyer to come with us. I guarantee her safety.”
Saber cut his engine. “That sounds good to me.”
Aiden gave him a look.
The other guy looked at me, then at Pucci, and then at Aiden. “We can cover her. This is business, Devlin, and we need the money. It’s up to you, but her safety was just guaranteed in front of witnesses.”
Aiden’s expression didn’t change, and now I was so curious about this mysterious compound that I could barely stand it. Plus, since Pucci needed me for trial the next day, it did seem like I was pretty safe. “It’s up to you, Anna,” Aiden said. “Whatever you decide goes.”
I wanted to ask whathewanted, but obviously whatever this business was he thought he needed to get done. “It’ll be easier to prepare for trial if I can speak to the witnesses beforehand.” That was the understatement of the century.
“There we go,” Pucci said. “All right. I hope you’re a good lawyer.” He turned toward the black truck.
I looked up at Aiden. “Does he know I’ve never been to trial?”
After all the tension, it felt good to hear Aiden laugh.
The compound was morethan an hour away up in a thickly forested area in the next northern county. For some reason, leaving Elk County made me feel nervous. Aiden and I sat in the back seat of Pucci’s truck with Krissy in front with him, and nobody spoke. So I read through the file on the ride. Pucci had been charged with violating Idaho Code §18-3316, which prohibited felons from possessing a firearm. I flipped through papers. “What were the felony convictions?”
Pucci turned the vehicle down yet another dirt road through more trees. “Robbery in California, felony assault in Wyoming, and felony domestic violence in Texas.” He smiled at Krissy. “It was a bogus charge, and she was sleeping with the judge, I’m pretty sure.”
Krissy nodded. “I’m sure.”
My stomach lurched. “All right.” I read through the complaint. “You were in Dunphey’s bar, there was an altercation, and you took it outside for a fight.” Three witnesses saw Pucci take a gun from an ankle holster and wave it in the guy’s face. By the time the police had arrived, Pucci and his guys had taken off, but people knew who they were. “Were the witnesses all from the bar? Had they been drinking?”
“Yep, and one of them has left the state.” Pucci grinned. “Guess it got too cold in Idaho.”
I so did not like this guy. Suddenly, I missed my job as a prosecutor. I would’ve loved to have put him in prison. “Witness intimidation is an even more serious charge, Rich. Just a caution from your very temporary lawyer.” I’d go to court the next day, but that was it. Plus, I wasn’t feeling a lot of pressure right now. Losing this one wouldn’t hurt at all. Although, I’d do my job.
A galvanized steel single swing barrier gate arm came into view. It wasn’t unusual to see such gates in forested areas, and most were maintained by Fish and Game, at least in Idaho. This one was alarming because of the man standing to the right of it holding an automatic rifle. One of the big and black ones that probably had initials for a name.
Pucci waved, and the guy lifted the arm for the gate. We drove through and kept going to another manned gate, which opened and then we drove toward a compound.
I looked at the main lodge and the surrounding quaint cabins. “Is this where you do your wilderness training?”
“Yep,” Pucci said.
It was kind of charming—except for the armed guards at the gates. There was no reason for them to be there if all Pucci was running was a business training folks how to survive. I kept my thoughts to myself for now.
Pucci parked in the dirt next to the rough hand-forged wooden lodge. “No tourists right now. Everyone here is one of my people in the organization.” He looked over the seat at me. “You’re gonna want a collar on her unless she wants to play.”
My entire body jerked. A collar? I reared up and Aiden clamped a hand on my thigh hard enough that I jumped. Any words I had been about to say stuck in my throat.
Pucci laughed. “This is gonna be fun to watch. We party hard, lawyer lady. The chicks here are here on their own will to play and have a really good time, and you are more than welcome to join in. In fact, Devlin, I wouldn’t mind trading for a night.”
My ears heated and my stomach rolled.
“I don’t share. Thought I made that clear,” Aiden said, sounding bored again. “That’s absolute, Pucci. Let your men know it, because if anybody so much as breathes on her, I’ll gut them right there and hang the entrails from the nearest tree. It’s important to feed the squirrels, you know. Winter will be here in a few months.”
I could actually feel the color drain from my face, leaving my skin cold. This was so out of my experience. Out of my world. I wanted to look at Aiden for reassurance or guidance, but I also wanted to appear cool, when I so was not anywhere near okay with any of this. My legs tingled as a panic attack threatened. I snuck a sideways glance to watch him.
“I’ll spread the word,” Pucci said, opening his door. “But you’re gonna want to lock her down when the party starts at night, just in case.”
“I have plans for her,” Aiden said carelessly. Or at least it sounded careless. But the way his body was on full alert, and the way his gaze roamed the full area around us was anything but that. He pulled me toward him and stepped outside, keeping me at his side. “Cabin?”
