Page 10 of Hard Rain

“Goddamn you, Mike!” Bobby shouted, exploding out of the laundry pile with one of Mike’s pistols clutched in his hand.

Axel put him down in a second flat. It was impressive. Show-off.

The gun went skidding across the trailer while Axel hooked an arm around Bobby’s neck and drove him face-first into the filthy carpet.

“Gah!” Bobby squawked.

With a knee planted between the guy’s shoulder blades, Axel zip-tied his hands behind his back before hauling him roughly to his feet.

Axel tossed him a very pleased-with-himself grin.

Insufferable.

Whip rolled his eyes and scanned the pair of men.

The cousins could’ve passed for brothers. Same red hair. Same skinny frame. Similar hard-luck looks carved into both their faces.

Bobby made one last attempt at struggling and stomped hard on Axel’s foot.

Axel swore, the sound bouncing off the cramped trailer walls. Hopping once on the injured foot, he slammed Bobby against the frame near the counter hard enough to rattle the sink full of dirty dishes.

Whip fought back a laugh, but his attention stayed on Axel. Bobby stomping his foot didn’t concern him nearly as much as the way Axel’s arm clipped the counter afterward.

“You do that again, and I’ll toss your ass into the mud,” Axel snarled, grabbing Bobby by the bicep and dragging him toward the door.

Whip tried like hell to keep from laughing, but the glare Axel shot him said he failed.

“Laugh it up, asshole.”

Axel flexed his hand around Bobby’s arm.

Whip’s grin faded slightly. The movement looked stiff.

“You good?”

“I’m fine.”

“You lying?”

“So what if I am? You gonna arrest me too?” Axel shot back as he hauled Bobby down the trailer steps.

“Nah. Paperwork’s a bitch.”

The corner of Axel’s mouth twitched.

Whip’s breath eased.

“Don’t let me interrupt,” Bobby drawled.

Both marshals turned toward him.

“But… should I come back later?”

“Shut the fuck up,” Axel muttered and gave Bobby a shove toward the jeep.

Whip couldn’t help but laugh as he followed them across the muddy yard.

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