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“Are y’all okay out there?” Willie hollered.
“Hold on, I’ll help you,” Ty said quickly. “You have to lift the claw—”
“I know, I know. I got it.” Because the curled claw would tear me up further if I ripped it away. Breathing shakily, tightening my hold on the foot, I carefully lifted the claw from my arm. A whimper slipped through my lips, and I gnashed my teeth, more determined than ever to pull through. I wasn’t giving up so easily. In a swift move, I hauled my tee over my head and wrapped it around my arm. Then I removed my belt and strapped it over the fabric, partly to cut off the circulation.
Ty dropped his knee over the lizard’s head, freeing up his hands, and took over without a word. He tightened the belt around me some more, then pushed the tip of the leather through the clasp and fastened it at the last loop.
“You okay?”
I nodded once and pushed the pain out of my head so I could finish the job. I would have time to feel sorry for myself later.
“He’s comin’ out!” Willie called.
“We got him,” Ty replied, out of breath. “Both hind legs are out now. Do you have the tail pinned in there, sir?”
“I’m sittin’ on it!”
I couldn’t help it; I grinned. And adrenaline spiked. It surged through me, along with glee and dark excitement, all of which sharpened my concentration and my senses.
In the heat of the moment, I felt a strange connection with Ty. We worked really fucking well together, and we knew what to do without saying anything. When nothing but the tail remained inside the toolshed, I released the lizard to grab the bag, and Ty automatically held the lizard more firmly, and then we assisted each other to drag the monitor into the bag. Head first. Foot by foot.
I glided my hands forward along the monitor’s rough scales, eventually reaching the base of its tail. “The strength in these beasts, I swear.”
Not all dinosaurs had gone extinct.
“Careful now,” Ty warned. “We’re almost there.”
I didn’t take any chances this time. I straddled the tail, trapping it between my thighs, and grabbed the noose. I had to detach the wire before we closed the bag.
The lizard kept thrashing and hissing, and I had to center all my weight to give Ty a chance at advancing with the bag. He got some lighter scratches through the fabric too, but nothing that bled very much.
“Okay—last stretch.” He was there to grip the tail when not much other than the tip remained, and I jumped to my feet to hold the bag higher up. Done. Got him. Talk about a fucking workout. All my body parts ached and protested.
Willie came out and relit his cigarette. “That’s a bit too much adventure for me.”
I chuckled breathlessly and slumped down on the ground again.
“I’ll come by tomorrow and help you set up a few traps.” Ty sat down on the ground too and removed his tee to wipe his face. “We have warmer weather comin’ in too. You’ll see some iguana traffic on the water.”
Willie dipped his chin. “You’re welcome to hunt on my grounds any time, son. You know that.”
“I might take you up on that.” Ty glanced up at him. “I have some friends visitin’, and we were gonna set up camp a bit north of here.”
Willie waved that off. “Don’t be stupid. This is where they cross. I’m headin’ up to Tampa to see my grandchildren anyway. I’ll leave the key to the toolshed in my generator box. Haul out the grill and have yourself an iguana barbecue on the dock. Maybe save me a fatty.”
Ty grinned and rose from the ground. “There’s an offer I can’t refuse.”
I got up too, in case we were leaving right away.
“Least I can do. Thank you kindly for catchin’ this fella.” Willie nodded at the monitor, who had settled down in the bag. “You know, I’m headin’ into town for a bite to eat. You want me to drop it off at Cole’s clinic? I know you ain’t goin’ in that direction.”
Ty blew out a breath and smirked softly. “Another offer I can’t refuse. I can’t stand the look in Cole’s eyes whenever I come in anymore.”
Huh?
Willie found that funny. “Oh boy—she just needs time, Ty. She’ll come around, that girl of yours.”
“No, why would she do that?” Ty asked. “Cole’s perfectly nice, works hard, shares most of her interests, and already owns a house. Marina prefers deadbeats.”
Oh. I guessed Cole was into Ty’s daughter, then. And Marina preferred losers…
I scratched the side of my head.
Kinda hard not to take that personally. Unless her “type” had changed since I’d met her…and that seemed unlikely if I went by Ty’s stories.
“Goddamn—why didn’t you say somethin’, boy?” Ty strode toward me, confusing the hell out of me, until he grabbed my injured arm. “You’re bleedin’ too much. We gotta get back to the house.”
