Bearly Accidental (Accidentally Paranormal Book 12) (19 page)

She felt his chest expand beneath her cheek. “Damn these bastards. Damn them. Listen, when this is done, I’ll help you with Sanctuary, okay? We’ll figure something else out.”

“You’re very sweet to offer, but you don’t know thing one about wildlife rehabilitation, and the kind of dedication it takes to save some of these animals is stressful at the best of times. You have to really love animals, carry around a pager and a cell phone, sometimes two. You get involved. You suffer with them. You cry when there’s nothing you can do but watch them die.”

“Then we’ll be stressed together. And it can’t be all stressful. You’ve had success stories. I’m sure of it.”

A tear slipped from her eye and rolled down her cheek. “How can you possibly know something like that?”

His chin dropped to the top of her head, resting there. “Because the Teddy I’m discovering is made of sheer grit and determination. You survived domestic violence and you’re still standing. Taking bounties to help a place you love working for, even though I’m sure going back to bounty hunting was hard. Shit like what Dennis did to you can get in your head and ruin you. But you didn’t let it. That, in and of itself, is a success.”

Now her throat was so tight, she almost couldn’t speak. “You’d come back to Colorado?”

“Once this was over, I never planned on going anywhere else. I love Colorado—despite the fact that it was my prison. There’s nothing left for me here. Toni’s in this other realm and getting ready to marry a prince from another time and place, and my house…well, I imagine it’s long gone by now. The bank only goes so long without a payment.”

“I’m sorry, Cormac. God, they’ve ruined your life.” When she reflected on all he’d lost, she had no right to complain.

“Not all of it. If not for them, I wouldn’t have met you. So let’s make a pact, okay. Right here, right now.”

“Okay. Pact me.”

“When this is over, let’s get on a plane to Colorado and get you back home to the animals you love and your brothers, who are probably gonna want to kick my half-breed ass. Let’s figure out a way to save Sanctuary, and in the process, let’s get to know each other. I can’t deny anymore that I feel something for you. I’m not even going to try. I’m about as attracted to you as anyone’s ever been. I think you’re sexy and smart, funny and kind. But you have faults. So do I. I’m stubborn and sarcastic when cornered. I’m not a morning person. In fact, I’m normally a shithead in my first waking hour. I’ve just been hiding it because I’m a guest in someone else’s house. I’m a lot of things. But we’ve known each other all of three days and under some pretty messed-up circumstances. I want to see all sides of you, and I want you to see all the sides of me. Good, bad, and even ugly.”

Her eyes closed as she listened to the steady rhythm of his heart. “So what are you asking?”

“I want to use these feelings I’m having for you as a building block to a solid foundation for us. I want your trust. I want your honesty. I want to learn all the things that make Teddy who she is. I want the time to do that, and I especially don’t want you to feel rushed.”

“So what you’re saying is we do this the right way? Courtship, dating, texting, flowers—”

“Flowers? Are you a flower kind of girl?”

“What if I am?”

“I thought you were more of a weapons-and-ammo chick.”

Teddy laughed, all her fears set aside for the moment until she remembered what they were about to do. “I’m petrified.”

Cormac held her tighter, dropping a kiss on the top of her head. “This should be the part where I tell you I’m not. To reassure you—be all big and strong—but I am, too. I’m petrified you’ll get hurt, and I’m man enough to admit it. Going in with some fear is a good thing. It means we’ll be cautious. But I
need
you to be careful, Teddy. Do everything as we planned. Follow the script, because I’m pretty sure I couldn’t handle one more person taken from me—especially not you.”

“I’m gonna try like hell to do this right, I promise. I don’t want you to be cheated out of buying me guns and ammo. Oh, and camouflage. I love camouflage.”

Just as Cormac barked a laugh, Nina poked her head around the corner of the great room with Marty right behind her, fiddling with the red wig she’d secured to her head. “Saddle up, girls. Tonight, we ride!”

Squaring her shoulders, Teddy tried to focus on all the things Cormac had said—especially the part about having a future where they would really get to know one another.

It beat the alternative.

Which was dead.

“
W
ho the hell is this?” the heavily accented Russian voice, deep and thick, growled into her ear.

Nina gripped her hand as Teddy clung to the burner cell and Carl sat at her feet, letting his head rest on her knee.

Be confidant, Teddy Bear. You’ve got what they want.

“I think you know exactly who this is.”

Yeah. Grrrr, you cold-blooded killer!

Nina gave her the thumbs up while Cormac smoothed his hand over her back.

“Tell me,
malutka,
what can Stas do for you this snowy evening?”

She licked her lips and closed her eyes. “I have what you want.”

“And what do I want, Poopsie?” he drawled, clearly amused.

She imagined him sitting behind some long, shiny black desk with sexily-clad women draped on his arm, a cigar dangling from the corner of his mouth, surrounded by burgundy drapes on tall windows and leather furniture as he laughingly considered her words while he stroked his exotic Bengal tiger.

That rather burned her britches. So she dropped the bomb in his lap. “Cormac and Toni Vitali.”

There was a pause, a stomach-turning, nerve-racking pause, and then he laughed, a deep, gurgling belly laugh before he barked out a demand. “Speak!”

“Meet me at Leningrad’s Vodka Bar—one hour. I’ll have them with me. I trade them for my freedom from you.”

“And how do I know you speak the truth,
malutka
? What proof do you have that my sweet Antonia is with you?”

Not a question that was in the script. Shit! “You’ll just have to trust me,” she countered with alarming confidence that surprised even her, her heart punching the inside of her chest. “And it has to be you or
no one
. I’m not meeting with one of your flunkeys. If you’re not there, no deal.”

She held her breath while she waited for his answer. Seconds ticked by—seconds that felt like hours.

“
Dah.
You come. You bring my precious Antonia and her brother. We’ll drink to old friends.”

And then the line went dead. Just like that, she had exactly one hour before the universe decided if she and Cormac would see another day.

* * * *

Cormac sat in the back of the black SUV Nina drove through the sleet and snow like she’d been possessed by Dale Earnhardt Jr. and willed his thoughts to the task at hand. Forced himself to stop letting his imagination get the better of him, to stop letting endless scenarios of doom play out in his mind and just focus.

Get himself and Teddy out from under Stas’s thumb and get the evidence they needed to put the son of a bitch and his buddies in jail. Oh, and maybe knock the shit out of Andre for biting him.

Teddy sat in silence beside him, her jaw clenched, her eyes glazed, her hand cold and clammy.

As they turned into the side street a block away from Stas’s favorite hangout and Nina pulled to an abrupt stop, he grabbed Teddy’s hand, pulling her to him. “You do exactly as you were told. Just like we rehearsed it, you hear me? If one thing goes wrong, get the hell out, Teddy.
Get out
. Don’t think about me and what could happen—just get to Nina and Arch.”

She nodded, her breathing shallow and rapid.

“Be safe, okay? Don’t let him get to you. No matter what he says or does, stick to the plan.”

“You, too,” she whispered, gripping the front of his sweatshirt.

He pressed a hard kiss to her mouth before letting her go. The dome light in the car clicked on as Marty opened the door and hopped out, her heel—heels Toni would have worn—landing on the snowy sidewalk.

Arch turned around then, his fedora jauntily covering one eye. “When you are through with this ruffian, we shall celebrate, Teddy Bear. Hot toddies for all.”

Teddy gave him a wisp of a smile and nodded, squeezing his weathered hand.

Nina looked into the rearview mirror and winked. “Kick some fucking Russian ass. You got this, kiddo.” Then she looked to Cormac and nodded. “You watch my girl in there, Pooh Bear. Don’t go gettin’ your ass shot.”

He gripped her shoulder briefly and nodded. “Will do. Be safe. Lay low.”

Nina rolled down the window and looked directly at Marty. “Remember your fat ass is stuffed into that tight dress like some kinda sausage and you have to make time allowances for your getaway, Blondie.”

Marty’s eyes narrowed as she bumped fists with her bestie. “Fuck off, Ex-Elvira. And I’d better not see your face inside that bar, or I’m gonna turn your intestines into wall art. Now put your hands on the wheel at ten and two and do your job, chauffer.”

Nina snapped her teeth at her friend and rolled the window back up, driving away, leaving just the three of them on the sidewalk under the streetlamp.

Snow battered their faces; sleet slicked their clothing, giving a glossy sheen to Marty’s dress.

Are we ready?” Teddy asked, her voice shaky and shuddering.

Both Marty and Cormac turned around, putting their hands behind their backs.

As the cold plastic of the zip tie tightened around his wrists, and the butt of a pistol pressed between his shoulder blades, he sucked in a breath and sent up a silent prayer.

Just keep Teddy safe.

Whatever it takes, keep her safe.

* * * *

Loud folk music blared from the interior of the shadowy bar when they first entered, smoke filled the long, wide room and the scent of vodka, strong and Russian-made, permeated her nose.

Her hand shook momentarily, but she gripped the handle of the gun harder to steady herself, finding Darnell in the tiny, dark corner of the bar and using him as her center.

The moment they entered, he slipped his bulky body down along the plastic material of the booth like a melting puddle of wax, and huddled under the table.

Okay, step one complete.

Step two. Making an entrance.

Speaking of, their entrance was anything but dramatic. In her mind, she’d imagined the moment they stepped foot into the smoky, dark, red and purple room, guns would cock to the tune of Clint Eastwood’s infamous
Dirty Harry
.

Instead, four or five rough-looking men good-naturedly drank from glass tumblers at a long stretch of bar, laughed and chatted in Russian, and in general didn’t even realize they’d entered at all.

Which might have been a bit of a downer, but instead gave her too much time to think about what she was supposed to say next.

Marty wiggled her fingers, brushing the hem of Teddy’s vest. “Psst. It’s your turn, honey. Just like we rehearsed, remember?” she whispered out of the side of her mouth.

But she couldn’t remember. She was drawing a blank. Oh. God.

“Teddy!” Cormac whisper-yelled. “Demand to see Stas. Remember? You say, ‘Where’s Stas Vasilyev?’”

Oh right. Step two.

She cleared her throat as the music continued to play and no one paid any mind to them. “Hey!” she shouted, sort of. “Where’s Stas Vasilyev?”

Nothing. Not a soul turned from the bar.

“Louder, honey,” Marty prompted. “Then remember, when they respond, shove us to the corner of the bar where those booths are so we’re in the shadows and they can’t see my face.”

Fear and panic began that nauseating roll in her stomach again, and coupled with the frustration of being completely ignored, was probably what made her finally get some steam.

“Heeeeyyyy!” she roared, using her best bear’s voice.

Everything stopped then. The music, the bartender pouring drinks, the five thugs sitting at the bar.

Well. She smiled in satisfaction. That was more like it.

“Push us into the booth, Teddy. Do it like you mean it,” Cormac uttered under his breath.

Oh yeah. There was the opening line and then there was the shoving part. Darnell had come earlier in the day to scope the layout of the bar so they knew exactly how and where to position Marty in order to keep her in the shadows and not reveal her face, to make Stas think she was Toni.

So get everyone’s attention, shove, demand to see Stas. Okay. Got it.

With all her strength, she knocked Marty and Cormac sideways to the tune of Marty’s yelp and Cormac’s grunt. But then there was a loud clatter as Marty crashed into a table that wasn’t supposed to be next to the booth and fell over it with no way to brace herself from the fall.

Her legs flew up in the air and she lost one of her heels, but by God, her wig stayed securely on her head.

Teddy was quick to react, but Marty gave a curt shake of her head to stop her from helping her from the floor before she curled into a ball, keeping her face hidden.

Oh damn.
Think, Teddy. Think!

“Stop being so damn rough with her!” Cormac shouted at her from the floor, his voice dripping with distress, his eyes prompting her to react and remember what their roles were.

She was handing them over to save her own hide and they were her ticket to getting the hell away from Carmine, the cops, and Stas. Act accordingly. Be cagey, nervous, but above all, be angry.
Marty and Cormac are your hostages
, Wanda had coached.
You fought long and hard to get them and you’re livid they’ve involved you in this and put your life in danger. Behave as such.

Right. Angry.

Wow. Cormac had conveyed all that information with his eyes. He was good.

But oh, Jesus, this meant improv—something that was not in the script.

Gathering her wits, Teddy waved the gun at them and made a scary face. “Get in the damn booth and shut up!”

Marty winked just as she scrambled into the booth, pretending to cower behind Cormac, whose shoulders were wide enough to keep her face covered.