Victor tapped his cigar. An ash fell to the ground and glowed red before disappearing into the dirt. He scraped mud from the sole of his glossy black shoe onto a wooden stake holding string that marked the corner of the excavation site.
The sun had been up for over an hour, and Cooper still hadn’t made an appearance. He’d come to personally have a chat with the procrastinating bitch. She obviously needed more persuasion than the nudges he’d given her.
Finally, Cooper’s cheap Honda pulled up, and she parked next to his Bentley. She got out and glanced in his direction. Her eyes widened.
He tapped his watch and frowned. Clearly, she hadn’t spent the morning on her appearance. Even pulled back in a ponytail, her wild hair refused to be constrained. Stray curls fell around her forehead. In cargo pants and a worn denim jacket with multiple pockets, she’d come dressed to play in the dirt.
At least she’d come, for once.
She opened the trunk and yanked out a tool caddy. He puffed on a cigar and blew out smoke circles in the calm, misty air. The complete opposite of the angry storm brewing inside of him.
Shoulders back, head held high, she approached him with long strides, her breasts bouncing. He had a thing for redheads with big racks. Maybe he’d have another use for her once she’d finished the survey. But the girl had an attitude. If she didn’t check it, she’d get more than she bargained for out of their deal.
She dropped her bag at the perimeter of the site. “I didn’t expect anyone to be here.”
“We had an agreement, and you’re not holding up your end.”
She waved a hand at the staked area. “What do you call this?”
“Late.”
“I’ve been busy working at the other site. We have a lot of missing pieces to try to replace. And you never set a time frame for this.” Her eyes flashed with anger.
“You should have been here.” He took a few steps along the side to come closer. “I’m not sure you’re getting the message. I don’t see any results.”
Her nostrils flared. “I got the message. I’m doing the job.”
Snarky bitch. He stepped nearer, using his height to intimidate her. He could twist her pale neck and snap it like a twig. “If you want your money, I expect this to be done soon, or there will be consequences.”
“Let me clue you in. I’m the only archaeologist within a hundred miles who’s qualified to do this survey. If you want it to stand up to scrutiny, then I need to do it.” She thrust her chin out. “And your threats are as unnecessary as your presence here. Push me, and I’ll quit.”
Bitch had balls of steel. His hand itched to smack that insolent face of hers. He held her gaze and chewed on the end of his cigar. Dominating her would be a challenge, and she needed taming, but business first. He glanced at the staked site. “Why so big an area?”
“I have to follow procedure, and everything has to be done by the book so no questions come up. I have a career to protect, and you don’t want any official attention. This is the proper size for the amount of land.”
He didn’t need anyone nosing around the survey results. “How much longer before you write the report?”
She cocked her head. “I have to finish prepping, dig, document, and then write it up. I’d say a minimum of four days, maybe longer.”
“That’s as fast as you can do it?”
“If you don’t want questions asked, yes.”
“I expect you to call and update Gina at the end of each day until this is done.” He puffed again on the cigar. “If there are any delays, I want to know immediately.”
“Understood. Now I should get to work.” She bent to pick up a ball of string from the toolkit.
He checked out her ass. “You should have been here earlier. The sun’s been up for over an hour.” He rubbed his jaw. “Maybe that dog of yours is taking too much of your time. I’d hate to have to clear more things from your schedule.”
Her head snapped up, and her eyes grew wide. Bright red patches stained her cheeks as her breath hitched.
That was more like it. Bitch needed to know who was in charge. “I don’t play games, and I don’t waste my time. You’d fucking better not, either. Understand?”
She nodded, her whole face red now.
He smiled. “I see you’re chummy with the police force.”
She squeezed the ball of string. Her chest heaved.
Victor dropped his gaze to her breasts, and his groin tightened. “I keep tabs on my people. Tell me, are you cozy with the whole police force or just the men?”
“What?” She flinched.
“Living with one, and all the help moving. You do get around. Our business had better not become pillow talk.”
As shock registered on her face, he leaned in. “Make sure you get around to this.” He knocked the ball of string out of her hand and strode toward his car.
Yeah. Now he fucking had her attention.
Maddie’s keys jingled as she unlocked her apartment door. The scamper of Lucky’s feet and an impatient whine from the other side slowed her racing pulse. Damn Victor for threatening her sweet puppy. She entered and dropped to the floor to give the dog a hug. He nuzzled her face and licked her cheeks.
God, Victor knew about Tom and Scott helping her move. He could be watching her right now. The sick bastard could have hired someone to follow her. She might be in deeper than she thought, working for this guy. After a glance at the open blinds, she hurried over to lower them.
Lucky wagged his tail and barked by the door.
“Okay, boy. I’ll take you out.” She hated the sliver of fear sitting in her belly. Someone could follow them on the walk. Best to stay away from the woods just in case.
Victor’s arrogance was unbelievable. Bad enough she’d been seething over the theft of her artifacts, but when he’d threatened her dog, he’d taken the game to a whole new level. She’d held it together. Barely. Not easy for her, but she’d kept the big picture in mind.
She brought Lucky out to his usual place to do his business. If anyone was watching her, it wouldn’t be Victor. That pompous prick wouldn’t dirty his own hands. He’d hire someone else like he did to burglarize the storeroom. She needed to keep her eyes and ears open. Maybe invest in some pepper spray and give the guy a face full of chemicals the next time he jacked with her.
“Come on, Lucky. You have to be hungry.” She tugged on the leash and took Lucky back inside. After she fed him, she opened the refrigerator and stared at her empty shelves. Guess it would be carryout until she had a chance to food shop. Eight o’clock and she still hadn’t had dinner.
Her cell rang.
Nikki.
Maddie frowned. Nikki usually texted, not called.
“Maddie. I—I need a favor.” Nikki sniffed, her voice nervous.
“What’s wrong?” Oh no. Victor hadn’t mentioned Nikki in any threats, but he had eyes everywhere, apparently. What if he knew they were friends and had done something to scare or hurt her as another message?
“Can you give me a ride?”
“Where are you?” Maddie’s pulse quickened as she grabbed her purse and keys.
“In the parking lot behind the coffee shop. I can’t go home. I’m not safe there anymore.”
“Why aren’t you safe? Are you hurt?”
“Not bad. I need a lift to my friend’s dorm.”
“Stay put. I’ll be right there.” Not bad didn’t tell her much.
Ten minutes later, when she pulled into the parking lot, Nikki emerged from the woods by the dumpster, the hood of her jacket covering most of her face. She dropped into the passenger seat.
“Thanks for coming. I didn’t know who else to call.” Her hand shook as she pulled the door shut.
The hood slipped back when she turned to face Maddie. A bloody lip, bruised cheek, and a cut over her eyebrow marred her face.
The blood in Maddie’s veins turned to molten lava. “Did Eric do this to you?”
“Yeah.” Nikki tugged a tissue out of her pocket and dabbed at her lip.
That jerkoff asshole. “We need to get you to the hospital.”
“No. I’m okay. It’s not the first time, but it’s the last.”
“At least let me take you to the police station.”
Nikki’s eyes widened, and she shook her head hard. “If I report him, he’ll come after me. Do something worse.”
“Worse than this? Come on, Nikki. You can get a restraining order or something.”
“Like that would stop him. Please, can you take me to the university?” Her eyes pleaded. “I can stay at the dorm with my friend for a few nights.”
Maddie huffed. “That dick needs to get locked up.”
“You’re right. I don’t know what he’s capable of.” She glanced at the woods. “Please, can we get out of here?”
“Okay.” Maddie put the car in drive and pulled out of the lot. “What do you mean by you don’t know what he’s capable of?”
“He’s into drugs now.”
“I take it you don’t mean a little pot on the weekends?”
Nikki leaned her head back. “I found meth in the apartment, and he came home and saw me with the bag. He was high. All wired and jumpy. Glazed eyes. I’ve noticed a difference in him the last few months, but I guess I didn’t want to admit it.”
She swiped away a tear. “Yesterday, he wasn’t high. I thought maybe he’d quit. Nope. Tonight, he started yelling at me and calling me a meddling bitch. I…I told him no drugs, or I was done.”
Maddie glanced at Nikki. “Then what?”
Nikki looked out the window. A tear slid down her cheek.
“Nikki?”
“He grabbed my purse and opened my wallet. Took my tip money. Said it wasn’t enough.” She drew in a shaky breath. “He told me I was nothing but a pitiful leeching whore and smacked me. Said I didn’t contribute shit and…hit me again.”
Son of a bitch. Maddie gripped the steering wheel tighter, turning her knuckles white.
Nikki covered her eyes with a hand. “I didn’t fight him. I just wanted to get away.”
Maddie reached over to pat Nikki’s leg. “It’s okay. You’re gonna be okay. Do you have any family you can stay with?”
“No. With Zach in jail, that’s kinda it.”
Maddie stopped at a red light in front of O’Leary’s. Nikki gasped and then ducked down. Maddie glanced at the parking lot. Good-for-nothing Eric was getting out of his truck.
Nikki shrank lower in the seat.
That asshole had balls. Beat up his girlfriend and then go for a beer to celebrate. Maddie’s blood pressure skyrocketed.
“Please don’t tell anyone about this. I’m done with him. I promise.”
The light turned green, and Nikki directed Maddie through the university to the right dorm lot. She stopped in front of the building entrance. “Are you going to be safe here?”
“Yeah. He said he was done with me as long as I kept my mouth shut. No one can get in the building here without swiping, anyway, and he doesn’t know where I am.”
“Okay.” Maddie leaned over to hug Nikki. “I’m glad you called me.”
Nikki squeezed her tight, and a tear dampened Maddie’s shirt. “Thanks.”
When Nikki let go, Maddie held her gaze. “Promise me if you hear anything from that prick, you’ll call the police.”
“I will.”
The events of the last week played through Maddie’s mind. Damn it, she was tired of being bullied. And now, Nikki, too?
She waited until Nikki was securely in the dorm and then gunned the car and headed to O’Leary’s.
Maddie glared at Eric’s black truck parked under a lamppost in the lot. That putrid piece-of-shit excuse for a man. At least Nikki had left him. But that could be temporary. She didn’t talk much about her past. Something must have scarred her enough to make her settle for that jackass.
Maddie would call her later and try to convince her to go to the police. Eric belonged behind bars. Maybe he’d get scared if he thought Nikki might press charges.
After cutting the engine, she grabbed her purse and climbed out of her car. She kicked the oversize tire of Eric’s truck on her way past, fighting against the urge to key the side. The last week had been just short of hell. The stolen artifacts, assault, threats from Victor, and now Nikki. Enough. Someone needed to put these assholes in their place.
After a last glance at the beast-mobile, she marched into the pub and scanned the room. A few of the regulars called out and waved to her. No time for chitchat.
Eric stood by the bar, his arm draped around the back of the bottle-blonde known in town for her easy hook-ups. Blood roared in Maddie’s ears. She strode across the room and tapped Eric on the shoulder. He turned around, and the stale scent of cigarette smoke wafted her way.
His red-rimmed eyes narrowed to slits. “What do you want?”
“To tell you to keep your hands off of Nikki. You touch her again, and you’ll go to jail.”
“What’d she do, run crying to you?” He held up a hand and fluttered his fingers. “Oh, look, I’m shaking.”
Maddie’s heart pounded against her rib cage. Dickhead. “You should be. I mean it. Stay away from her. And you”—she pointed to the blonde—“should quit while you’re ahead. He beats up his girlfriends.”
The blonde curled her lips in obvious disgust. She shook off his arm and stepped away. “Don’t need that shit.”
Eric’s gaze followed her. He turned back to Maddie. “You keep the fuck out of my business.”
“I will if you keep your filthy paws off of my friend. You want to beat someone up? Pick a fight with a man, you coward.” She pivoted on her heel.
Eric whipped a hand out and grabbed her arm, yanking her back. “Shut your mouth, bitch. I’ll do what I want. And if Nikki goes to the cops, I’ll tell them the truth.” He leaned down and sneered. His fingers dug into her still-sore bruise. “She likes it rough. What about you?”
Maddie sucked in a breath as a red haze blurred her vision. She cranked her arm back, fisted a hand, and punched Eric in the face. Blood spurted out of his nose as his head whipped to the side. He crashed against the bar, knocking glasses to the ground, where they shattered.
The room went silent.
Eric pushed off the counter and whirled around. Like a rabid dog, he bared his teeth, let out an angry snarl, and lunged for her.