Page 121 of Axe-ing for Trouble
“I’m willing to risk it. I swore to protect you no matter the cost, and I will.”
We needed a plan, some more time reviewing maps, and a way to get photos or videos that would send these fuckers away for good. “Are there any guns here?”
“There’s a hunting rifle in the shed. It probably needs to be cleaned.”
“Do you hunt?”
He shook his head. “There are bears out here. They mostly stay away, but it’s better to be safe.”
“Can you shoot?”
He scoffed. “A bear? Yeah, if I had to.”
“How about people?”
His face paled. My sweet lumberjack was a lover, not a fighter. “If I have to.”
I pushed up onto my tiptoes and kissed him. “Good. Make sure the ATV is gassed up and good to go. I’ve got to pull up some maps and make a plan.”
“You sure we shouldn’t get reinforcements first? The two of us can’t take on a whole trafficking ring by ourselves.”
He was right, of course. We couldn’t take them all down, so we’d have to go undetected and observe. We’d only intervene if absolutely necessary. Based on the way he’d described the land, there were plenty of potential approaches and ample forest to keep us out of sight.
“I’m a woman. Which means I’m perpetually underestimated. And we’re gonna take advantage of that.” I stood. “Now let’s get to work. This criminal enterprise isn’t going to take itself down.”
He wrapped an arm around me, squeezing my ass hard. “I fucking love you, Trouble.”
Chapter39
Jude
Insanity.
Outright insanity.
But she had asked me to help her.
She wasn’t running off, trying to do it all on her own. I loved this woman and she loved me enough to let me in. To allow me to make this fight—her fight—mine too.
And damn if that didn’t make my heart swell.
We’d spent the night plotting a course to the site and locating as many potential trails and roads to and from the area as we could.
If there was any chance in hell I could protect her, I would. Or I’d die trying.
Because Mila was my person.
It was stupid of me to fight it.
It was a certainty.
An eventuality.
We fell into bed in the middle of the night, and I watched over her as she tossed and turned.
Early in the morning, I crept out of the cabin. When I got to the end of the dock, I turned on the satphone. I needed to talk to someone. Someone who would get it. Who understood what I was doing.
“You okay?” Gus asked, his voice hoarse.
