Page 55 of Hunted

“Lucky for me you’re not an assassin.”

She raised her eyebrows. “I still know six ways to kill you. But I’m not going to, because I need you to be an evil Swiss trafficker who looks hot in a tux.” She smiled at him. “We’re gonna need to go shopping, Cinderella, because we just got an invitation to the ball.”

Chapter 24

Gunn walked over and took the excuse to kiss her. “Nice work, ‘Angela.’ Although I hate to think what Trevor will want in return.”

She shrugged. “Trevor has a short attention span. Wave a supermodel or two in front of him, and he’ll forget all about Angela. Except for her money.”

Gunn doubted that. Any guy who could just forget about Mikey didn’t even deserve to have a dick. “So when do we get the auction details?”

“His assistant is supposed to be texting them to me.” As if to back up her words, her phone beeped, and she checked it. “And there it is.”

“Great,” Gunn said. “That confirms the timeframe for the auction. Better yet, Switch came through with some blueprints.” He took a deep breath. “We have everything we’re going to get, for now. It’s time for us to talk to Thanatos. Our intel, for the promise to let us lead the mission—and to leave you the hell alone after.”

“Will he keep to a deal, do you think?”

Gunn bit his lip. “He’s tricky with his promises, but I’ve never known him to renege on a deal once he’s made it.”

“Okay, then,” she said. “Let’s just hope he’s willing to deal.”

Yeah, Gunn thought. And that he wasn’t going to ask for more than they could give.

Using one of their burn phones, Gunn dialed the Big House, putting it on speaker so Mikey could hear. Sugar answered on the third ring. As always. It was freakin’ creepy.

When he heard Gunn’s voice, he said, “You are immediately recalled to Outlaw Ridge. Thanatos’s orders. Bring the girl.”

Mikey mouthed, Hell no.

Gunn seconded that. He said to Sugar, “You can tell Thanatos to go fuck himself. I may or may not come back, but he’s never getting his shadowy overdramatic paws on Mikey. Not while there’s still breath in my body.”

There was a short silence. Then Sugar said, “I assume you called for a reason? Other than telling Thanatos to fuck himself? Which I wouldn’t recommend you do in person, by the way.”

“I’m calling because Mikey and I are finalizing our plans to finish Dobe’s mission, and rescue the girl. I’m assuming you read the texts on my phone and know where she’s been moved to, and what they’re going to do with her?”

“Of course,” Sugar said. “We’re mobilizing a team as we speak. You’re not needed there.”

“I figured you were putting a team together,” Gunn said. “But I have information—and a way to get inside—that you don’t. So, in the interests of saving that little girl—and you all not fucking this up by busting in at the wrong moment, guns blazing—I want to cut a deal with Thanatos to work together.”

Sugar was silent again, long enough for Gunn and Mikey to exchange ‘what do we do if this doesn’t work’ looks.

Finally Sugar said, “I’ll tell him. Hold on.”

He apparently put them on hold; a fucking orchestral version of “I Will Always Love You” started playing in the background. Mikey rolled her eyes and started to say something, but Gunn held up a finger. He muted the phone.

“Just because they’re playing fucking elevator music doesn’t mean they’re not listening,” he said.

“Do you think they’ll go for it?” Mikey asked. “It doesn’t sound promising.”

Gunn shrugged. “Thanatos’s primary concern is the mission. And even though he’s pissed at me—and might fuck with me if I was there—he’s pretty stone-cold. He won’t take a chance on losing the kid just to get back at me for defying him.”

It was what he might do afterwards that was the problem.

Thanatos came on the line, and he was not happy. “Gunnar Jorgenson. Explain yourself.”

Gunn was suddenly hit by the same feeling he’d gotten as a teenager, when Thanatos was disappointed in him. He shoved it away.

He was a grown-ass man, and damned if he was going to let Thanatos own him.