They’d had all sorts of bounties over the years, deadbeat dads, murderers, domestic abuse cases, escaped convicts, and they never varied from their mission in honor of Maxim Gribanov. Put the bad guys away for good; truth, justice, the American way—or some such noble cause.
“But do you remember the last time you got this involved, Teddy? Look, I only say this because we almost lost you. That you’re even out on this bounty now was enough to send both of us over the edge. We didn’t like it. We’d have done it for you and given you the money if not for all that pride you have when it comes to being independent. I know you need the money for Sanctuary, but it isn’t worth your life.”
The animals at Sanctuary were her life, but no one understood that in quite the way another activist passionate about preserving wildlife would. “I remember what happened, and I promise you, this isn’t like that. Swear it on my trusty dart gun,” she joked.
“So why not just take this to the law there in New York, Teddy?”
“And say what? This random guy who probably gave us a fake name hired us for a bounty he never intended to pay up on because really, all he needed was someone who knew the forest to track down the guy he wanted to murder himself? Besides, did you listen to what I told you about the police and Cormac’s sister? What if the one guy we turn to is dirty like in Toni’s case? This is the mob we’re talking about, Vadim. They hacked off Cormac’s finger, for Christ’s sake.”
The idea made her want to spit nails. Toni had done the right thing, only to end up losing three years of her life in hiding because the cops were on the take. Who did you trust? No way was she taking a chance on trusting the wrong person.
“Okay, so we come to you and bring you home and keep you safe until we figure this out. End of,” Viktor said.
“No!” she shouted into the phone. “I’m not leaving.” Crap. How was she going to explain wanting to stick this out to them? She’d have to tell them the truth, and then they’d claim her judgment was clouded by lust.
“Why the hell not?” Vadim yelped.
“Because I’m not. I started this. I virtually handed Cormac’s location over to McDaniels. I’m not just going to run away from my part in this. Is that what you two taught me to do? Run away from my responsibility?”
Vasim blustered with a huff. “Don’t you think this is a little different than when you helped Kevin Lightfoot steal his brother’s X-Box 360 by hoisting him up onto the trellis so he could sneak into his brother’s room? It’s way different, Teddy. We’re talking a guy is trying to kill you. Kill you.”
She got his point. She’d definitely helped Kevin Lightfoot steal his brother’s X-Box 360. She’d gone into it with the promise she could play Halo. Okay, so she didn’t directly steal it, but her brothers had made her own up to her part in the whole mess because she was guilty by association.
“You’re right; it’s not the same thing exactly. But I’m not leaving. And I already told you, I have a werewolf and a hybrid and a very ragey ex-vampire watching my back. I’m safe with them. Promise.”
Vadim barked at her, “How do you know you can trust these people? You don’t even know them. That’s insane.”
“I don’t know anything. I just know I’m an adult. Cormac’s been on the run for three years. We were going to collect a hefty bounty if we caught him, and even after I sent that jackhole his money back, I ended up leading that prick McDaniels right to him and he tried to kill me. Because he now knows that I know he was full of shit, telling us Cormac killed his friend. No way I’m walking away from this. Look, I have to go. I love you both. I promise I’ll keep in closer touch. I have a confession to make to Cormac and the ladies. In the meantime, why don’t you two go drum up some business now that we’ve lost the Vitali bounty and it’ll be on me—”
“Teddy! This isn’t about the damn money!” Viktor shouted.
But she knew better than to try to convince them she was doing the right thing. “Stop yelling at me and listen. I’m going to trash this phone because it wouldn’t surprise me if McDaniels tapped it to track me. He managed to find out I was here in New York somehow. I’ll get the burner from my backpack and text you with the number. Talk to you soon. I love you both.”
She hung up to their loud protests and closed her eyes, blowing out a long breath.
Okay, so one confession down, one more to go. The worst of it was yet to come, but she was determined to get everything out in the open.
“The Vitali bounty?”
Fuck all.
Chapter 9
Cormac’s voice, full of anger, forced her to acknowledge his presence whether she wanted to or not. Flames crept up along the back of her neck and onto her cheeks. Licking her lips, Teddy gazed up at him. Gone were the soft glances he’d shot her way over breakfast, now replaced with hot eyes full of accusation.
Closing her eyes again, she inhaled and said, “I know what this sounds like, Cormac, but I need you to just hear me out. Please. This wasn’t how I meant for you to find out.”