Petty crime was one thing. That, Remmy could handle. This shit? He didn’t need it.
Trying for a bravado he clearly lacked, Danny said, “Remmy took too long. I didn’t know if something had happened to him.”
King laughed. “Idiot. I’ve already determined that Remmy is thorough, and he can take care of himself. You, though?” Clinking the ice in his glass, he strolled closer, making Danny’s mouth tighten in dread.
The attack came fast.
Remmy barely had time to get out of the way before King nailed Danny in the temple with his thick whiskey glass. The drink sprayed, ice hit the floor and Danny slid off the chair to his knees, blank and disoriented from the blow.
Fuck, Remmy hated this unpredictable stuff, but he knew better than to get involved.
King’s brutal kick caused Danny to cower.
Pity surfaced. Remmy hated bullies—but right now, King had a whole room full of them waiting for him to rejoin them in cards. He didn’t think King would go too far. Not with others around who might catch on.
Breathing harder, King curled his lip. “You’ll learn to follow orders, Danny, if I have to beat them into you.”
Holding a hand to his bleeding head, using the chair for support, Danny struggled to stand.
Disgusted, King turned away. “Get up, for God’s sake. Stop sniveling.”
With his back turned, King didn’t see the killing glare Danny shot at him, and Remmy wasn’t about to comment on it.
“Now.” King faced them again, his expression once more contained. “So, a woman has moved in.”
“Yes.” Not by posture or tone did Remmy give away his apprehension. Never would he show either of these pricks a weakness. “Sorry I couldn’t find out more, but she had the place locked up. Even the broken windows were secured.”
“Don’t sweat it. I have sources.”
“Worth Linlow?” Remmy knew the car salesman was among the group of card players.
“He’s a damned busybody and keeps track of everyone and everything. He was already bitching about her, saying she was rude and tried to cheat him.”
Everyone knew that was bogus. Worth was the biggest swindler in Triple Creek.
“According to him, she’s ballsy and mouthy, but he also said she’s a looker.” King waited for Remmy to verify it.
He did so with a shrug. “From what I caught, she’s small, brownish or dark blond hair, on the skinny side.”
“You said you didn’t see her closely?”
“No. She was around back, maybe checking out the creek or something.” More like sneaking up to shoot me, but that’s my business. “It was getting dark, and I only saw her from a distance.”
King wasn’t deterred. “Did you know she’s a landscaper? She cuts the grass and trims the weeds on the shitty little businesses in town.”
Remmy thought of the woman, how her small form had silently, furtively moved closer, and the experienced way she’d held her weapon. She would defend what was hers, he didn’t have a doubt. And damn it, he hated to see her needlessly hurt. “She had a big commercial-grade mower stored under her carport.” Which had left her truck parked in the yard.
“So you said.” King leaned against the wall, and they both ignored Danny. “From what he said, Worth pissed her off. Probably trying to cheat her.”
Again, Remmy said nothing.
“Apparently, she did her best to intimidate him. He said she made a spectacle of herself and so he fired her.” That idea had King grinning. “I admire a person who doesn’t care about an audience.”
Worth cared, because the arrogant dumbass thought he still had a good standing in the community. Too late for that, though. Remmy had been here long enough now to know exactly who and what Worth was.
King was the opposite. He thrived on his bad reputation, one that, from Remmy’s limited acquaintance, made others fearful.
And Remmy... Well, he was just killing time and making a few bucks until he was ready to move on. If that meant cracking the heads of other thugs, so what? He wouldn’t lose sleep over it.
But a woman? On that, he’d have to draw the line.
When the noise in the other room swelled, King glanced at the door. “Before the night is over, Worth will rethink his decision on Ms. Bentley. He’ll hire her again, and he’ll keep close tabs on her.”
Because King would make sure he did.
Hoping to avoid a bigger problem, Remmy spoke before King decided to leave. “If she works in town, we could break in when she’s not there. Danny could grab your package and we’d be gone before anyone knew.”
“No.” A nasty smile emphasized King’s cruel bent. “She’s got my attention now. I want to meet her. I want to play with her.” He slanted a frown at Danny. “You,” he said, “will do nothing until I tell you to. Do you understand?”
Dropping his hand from his head and trying to look cocky, Danny nodded. “Sure, boss.” A trickle of blood seeped from his cheek, mixing with the liquor on his neck and in his shirt. “No problem.”
“Good. I’m glad that’s clear.” He pinned Remmy with his black gaze. “I want you in town when she’s there next. You’re a good-looking guy, muscular. Flirt with her.”
Well, hell.
“Make sure she notices you. I’m curious to how she’ll respond.”
To what end? Remmy didn’t dare ask. Aware of the hatred emanating off Danny, and of King’s vile intent, he rolled a shoulder. “Consider it done.”
Now he just had to figure a way out of this...without leaving the woman at the sadistic mercy of Russ King.
* * *
THEY FELL INTO a comfortable routine. For now, Jodi was content.
Over the past week, she and Hunter had shared two more meals. She’d repaid all the foodstuff he’d given her and brought dessert to each of the additional meals. Now, with her own grill set up, she wondered if she should ask him over.
It was nearing the end of the day, but she hadn’t seen him yet. Did he watch her through his binoculars? No way to know.
Hunter was cagey. Checking up on her while acting like he wasn’t. He had this sneaky way of pretending he needed a favor, which he used as an opportunity to ask if anyone else had been around or if she’d had any trouble.
Not like she’d tell him if she did. But...it was kind of nice how he checked up on her without shoving it in her face. Sure, she knew he thought himself bigger and badder, and therefore superior. She snorted to herself.