Page 83 of Dangerous Obsession

“Viking, make that son of a bitch pay.” Calliope sounded angrier than he’d ever heard before.

“Consider it done.” Viking remained out of sight.

The car pulled straight onto the shoulder in front of Viking and rolled to a stop. The driver’s door was only about twenty feet from his position. This close, he could easily take Barnum out with a single round from his pistol. But he wanted, no, heneededto put hands on that son of a bitch.

Viking was capable of a level of violence he rarely exhibited as a sniper, and he wanted to be the one to teach the asshole a lesson about what happens to a man who abuses someone smaller or weaker than him.

“Do what you have to do,” Cole whispered. “I’ll secure Marigold.”

The driver’s door swung open, and Barnum hurried around to the other side.

“Get the fuck out.” He was highly agitated as he looked around and swung the door open. He reached in and dragged Marigold out.

She lost her footing, pitched forward, and put her hands out to break her fall. They were bound together, so when she hit the ground, there was a sickening crack.

Her cries of pain sent a hot, burning fury coursing through Viking’s blood, and nothing could have stopped what happened next.

He exploded from behind the tree, tossed his rifle on the grass, and barreled toward Barnum like a bull charging a red cape. Barnum turned at his approach, and his eyes widened in surprise. Viking threw his arms around him, lifted him off the ground and slammed him down onto the gravel. His head bounced off the ground, and before the son of a bitch could recover, Viking grabbed a handful of his shirt and forced him to his feet. Barnum wavered side to side, unable to focus. Viking grabbed his shoulders, jerked him close, and kneed him in the balls.

Barnum let loose a high-pitched scream, grabbed his crotch, and doubled over before collapsing to the ground and rolling around.

Not good enough.

“This is for what you did to her.” Viking jumped onto his chest and straddled him, then balled up his fist, drew it way back, and slammed it into Barnum’s face.

Right hand, left hand, right again—one blow after the other, he just kept pounding on him.

Blood sprayed from the guy’s nose, his lips were torn apart, and blood trailed from one of his ears. None of that mattered. He’d hurt Marigold, so Viking continued driving his fists into his face.

“Viking! Stop!” Small hands gripped his shoulders, but nothing could stop him.

He drew his fist back, ready to pummel him some more, when Cole’s deep voice broke through his blinding rage.

“Let him be, Marigold, and step back before you get hurt.”

At the sound of her name, Viking stopped, and his fist dropped to the ground. His long hair hung forward, his chest heaved with each breath, and his fists bled, yet he felt no pain.

Marigold hurried over and dropped to her knees next to him.

“It’s okay.” She gently laid her hand on one side of his face, turned it toward her, and her eyes searched his. “I’m okay, Viking.”

Careful of her injured wrist, he scooped her up, stood with her in his arms, and moved away from Barnum. She wrapped her good arm around his shoulders and buried her face in his neck.

Hawk’s truck and Cole’s SUV rolled to a stop nearby.

Shayna bounded out of the truck and ran over to Viking, looking down at Barnum and giving him a wide berth on her way. Though he wouldn’t be able to hurt anyone else anytime soon.

Hawk stepped out and swung his door shut. “She insisted on seeing Marigold.”

Marigold lifted her head and smiled. “How ya doin’, honey?”

“Little bit of a headache, but I’m fine.” Shayna smiled back, and then they both started to happy-cry.

Eddie used heavy-duty zip ties to bind Barnum’s wrists together. He circled his fingers around the asshole’s arms, and Hawk got his ankles. He wailed in pain when they lifted him off the ground and carried him to the back of the truck. On the count of three, they swung him up onto the truck bed, and slammed the tailgate shut.

“Mr. Tough Guy.” Calliope pointed over her shoulder toward Barnum. “He’s back there crying like a fuckin’ baby.” She plucked a leaf from her hair. “You okay, Marigold?”

“I will be.” She lifted her arm. “I can’t believe he screwed up the same arm as last time.”

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