Duke drove down the long gravel drive to Annie’s old house. He hadn’t remembered where the old dump was. She’d shown him once, but he didn’t pay attention. According to the map on his phone, only two properties sat this far out of town. The other property belonged to Wilde. When he got done here, he’d have to check the guy’s place out for himself. Wilde kicked his police senses up.

He gritted his teeth as he parked his truck, mad he was a day behind schedule.

Fucking stomach flu.

Half the station had supposedly come down with it, making him work a double on the Fourth. The bastards were all probably lying, soaking up some sun on the river. When he finally clocked out of his double shift, all he could manage to do was sleep.

Now, he was two days closer to his speech at the town meeting. Annie needed to be by his side and home, in his bed.

He turned off the ignition and stepped out. The hot summer sun beat down between the old tree branches covering the property. He glanced around the house, looking for signs of inhabitance. Definitely remote. If she were here, this would be a great place to hide out. Only problem with his previous thinking was he knew this place was here, and she’d been the one to show him. Why would she hide in a place she had showed him before? Would she be stupid enough to hide out in a place he could find her?

He glanced around the property, but didn’t see tire tracks or Annie’s car. His hopes began to diminish as his anger boiled. How had the little bitch outsmarted him this far?

Duke stomped up the front steps and jiggled the door handle. Wouldn’t budge. He peeked through the windows. No furniture. Slamming through the door would be easy enough, but the point seemed useless.

Stepping off the porch, he scanned the back of the house. Trash cans empty, the kitchen windows uninhibited of curtains. A quick glance through the pane confirmed there was no food on the counter, nothing. She wasn’t here.

“Shit.”

He kicked the ground, stirring up dead leaves, and stared into the trees. She could have gone on that ride with the Guardians. If so, perhaps the big guy did, too. According to that bimbo redheaded waitress, the diner owner was due back today. Which most likely meant they were all due back today.

He set at a clipped pace through the woods as he reached for his cellphone. One bar.

Fuck.

He dialed Brayden.

“Hey, boss.”

“Brayden, can you hear me?”

“Yeah, barely.”

“I want you to station your patrol unit on the edge of town. If you see an old blue pickup pass through, call me. A 1970s model.”

“Got a plate number?”

“No, but if you run the plate, it’ll belong to a Moss. Got it?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Don’t fuck up, Rookie. I’m counting on you.”

“Yes, sir.”

Duke tore through the trees and stumbled upon the creek. He glanced right and left. A cabin sat off to the left, across the water but there was no sign of a bridge anywhere, just a fallen log and some step stones. Several rocks jutted from the ground, making enough of a path for him to get to the other side. Carefully, he hoped across the water, and crawled up the slope of the bank. The other cabin sat quiet and dark with the curtains pulled shut. On the dock, fishing poles lay on the old rafters.

Two.

Garbage cans stood by the back of the house. Full. Too much trash for just one guy. He crept around the side, the front appearing as deserted as the back. No signs of a bike, or a truck, but tire tracks flattened the grass near the garage.

Duke ran around the front of the house and over to the small one and a half car garage. He jiggled the door. Locked. What was in there the guy wanted hidden so badly? Sliding his shopping card through the crack, he bumped the door open.

His clutch tightened on the door handle. Annie’s car.

Little bitch had been hiding right under his nose. And the big blond was her personal security guard. Explained why the ogre went to a bank he didn’t use…and just what had been under the tarp in his truck?

Annie.

Mother fucker.

His phone rang in his back pocket. Brayden. “What did you find?”

“Blue truck. I’m trailing it. Computer says it belongs to Moss.”

Annie’s on her way.

He scanned the garage and the grounds. Tree’s everywhere. Plenty of places to hide.

“Boss…you there?”

“Yep. Good job, Brayden.”

“Sir, I believe, well, I believe I saw that big blond guy driving, and Annie…I think she was in the truck, sir.”

“Rookie, not a fucking word. Do you understand me?”

“Yes, sir.”

He clicked off the phone, and locked the garage door. A patch of trees to the right held plenty of brush to hide him and his shadow.

Duke ran for cover. He had to catch a glimpse of her, make sure she stayed with the giant ogre before he made his next move. And if she was staying there, what in the hell was his next move? His chest tightened with uncertainty.

He counted to ten and controlled his breathing.

Must have control.

He maneuvered behind a large oak trunk, using the downed branches to cover himself. The rumble of the truck had him squatting lower in the trees. Glancing to the right, a blur of blue whizzed down the driveway as the ancient vehicle barreled to a stop in front of the small garage. Doors slammed, and then…he heard her.

“Do you think that cop saw me?”

Annie.

“I don’t think so, babe.”

Babe? The ogre calling his woman such an intimate name caused an inferno to burn in his chest.

Little whore.

Quietly, Duke sucked in another deep breath and continued counting. Breathe.

“He did follow for a little while, but I was speeding. I’m sure that was why.”

He watched them walk together in front of the truck and up the porch steps. A black dog followed behind, sniffing in the area where he’d stood at the garage.

Damn dog. Stay put.

“You’re sure it wasn’t Duke.”

“No, baby. It wasn’t Duke.” Ogre pulled her in for a hug.

Baby? Hugging?

Duke cracked his neck and grit his teeth. His woman was so close, yet, he couldn’t touch her. Not yet.

The dog sniffed the handle of the garage door then stuck his nose back in the grass. As much as he didn’t want Annie out of his sight, he needed her to go inside before the black beast gave away his hiding spot. He placed a hand on the butt of his gun. Just in case Fido tried to get too close.

“I don’t know why I’m worried,” she said as she stared into the giant’s eyes. “I’m going back to work in a few days.”

Returning to work? People would ask her where she went. He’d have to get to her first, tell her what to say, match their stories.

“I’m going to run into him again.”

“I know, and I’m still worried about you. What he did to you…”

Wilde dared to snake his hands down her back, lower, nearly gripping her ass.

“Don’t be worried. I have to return to life at some point. I have school loans still to pay. Besides, Duke isn’t going to do anything to me at the diner. Not in front of his voters.”

“He’ll never hurt you again. I’ll never let him.”

Hurt her? He was saving her from herself. Apparently, he still had more work to do.

“I know, baby.”

The words, the groping, his Annie with her hands all over another man… Her hands should be on him. Damn it.

The branch he used to help balance himself snapped under his grip, the noise low, yet loud enough for the dog to hear.

Black beast let out a bark.

He moved back behind the trunk, deeper into the shadows, his heart pounding in his chest while his grip tightened on the gun.

“Alfred, hush,” the ogre yelled.

The dog turned and trotted toward the porch, his tail wagging.

“Do you think something’s out there?” Annie turned toward the woods.

“I’m not sure. It could be a deer or something. I’ll go check.”

Fuck. No.

Duke looked left then right where a fallen log sat. He could hide on the opposite side of it. If he could get to it in time.

Wilde took the first step off the porch.

“No. Don’t go.” Annie pulled the giant back. “Al barks at everything.

As if on cue, the dog ran to the back of the house, barking the whole time. Ducks quacked in the distance.

“See,” she said. “He was just barking at the ducks. Come on. Let’s get out of this heat. We have to clean the house. Your mom’s coming in tonight, right?”

Meeting the mother? So soon? Annie needed to be taught a lesson or two, especially about cheating, but he didn’t think she was delusional. The poor bitch really thought she would get to pursue a relationship with this ogre. He’d have to teach her. Train her.

My Annie. What a slow learner you are.

“I can’t wait for you to meet her.” Wilde sounded excited.

Poor bastard.

“I can’t either.”

The monster kissed his Annie on the lips.

She kissed him back.

Little tramp.

“But.” The giant took her hand, pulled keys from his pocket with the other, and opened the door. “I had a better idea than cleaning. I promise you’ll like it.”

Just before entering, Annie jumped into his arms, snaking her legs around the mammoth’s waist. The furry beast ran back up the porch steps, following behind them before the guy kicked the door shut with his foot.

Annie, his Annie, was inside that house getting ready to fuck another man.

The ogre’s hands would touch her in places reserved only for him. Giving her pleasure that only he should be giving her.

Pleasure the little bitch didn’t deserve.

Duke took the broken branch and smashed it against the trunk. He’d teach her a lesson all right, and take care of that guy while he was at it.