Page 1 of Their Little Christmas Bounty
1
Austin
After eight months in the Hunters Division of Ironwood Security, I’ve found there are two kinds of jobs.The hard ones, and the harder ones.I know it’s going to be a harder one when the owner himself, Jaxon Marsel, calls my partner Lyle and me in for a briefing.
“Special request from a friend-of-a-friend,” Jaxon says, turning his computer monitor around so Lyle and I can see it.“Ariel Capulet, age twenty-five, stole a family heirloom.Her father wants her—and the heirloom—retrieved before the new year.Something about healing the family and starting the year on the right foot.He doesn’t want law enforcement involved, which is where we come in.”
I’m struck dumb at the sight of our prey.Blond hair, green eyes, an impish expression on her mischievous face.Those plump pink lips smirk at me.
“Austin?”Lyle nudges me.“You listening?”
I tear my gaze away from the screen.“Yeah, yeah.By New Year’s, you say?”
“New Year’s,” Jaxon confirms.“You have the company card.Her father describes her as flighty, so you’ll likely have to travel.The holidays are coming up—will this be a problem for either of you?”
Not for me—my family’s on the East Coast and I wasn’t planning to see them this year.Too much drama with my golden child sister and her family.“No problem here,” I say to Jaxon.
“Same.”Lyle grins.“I already celebrated Hannukah with my parents, so I’m good.Besides, we can get her back before Christmas Eve, no problem.”
As soon as we’re out of Jaxon’s office, I punch Lyle’s shoulder.
“Ow, what the fuck?”
“‘Before Christmas Eve, no problem’?Are you trying to curse the mission, or what?”
He scoffs.“You saw her.Hardly a criminal mastermind.”
I shake my head.“We have her last known address.She won’t be there, but let’s check it out anyway.”
* * *
Ariel
My phone rings, pulling my attention away from my computer screen.I glance at the incoming caller ID.
Asshat Dad.
Fuck.No.
I ignore the call and try to go back to my work—designing security for a webstore.This is a decent-sized job, and since I work freelance, I can use every penny.While my services are highly recommended, there’s only one of me.
My phone dings a second later, indicating a voicemail.
Sighing, I stand up and stretch.Do I want to deal with this now?My mom’s ring sparkles on my hand.She would want me to talk to Dad, to hear him out.
He doesn’t deserve it.
But Mom would.
Knowing I won’t like what I hear, I tap the phone screen.My dad’s voice comes out over the speaker.
“Ariel.I miss you.It’s one week until Christmas, and I need to talk to you.I’ve taken a drastic measure, and I hope you can eventually forgive me.Please know my heart is in the right place.”
The voicemail ends with a soft beep.
Shit.A drastic measure?Coming from my father, that could mean any fucking thing.He could be on his way to my place right now, or he could be putting a lock on my trust fund.Which—fine, I haven’t touched that fund since I broke up with Leon and Dad took Leon’s side.Or he could’ve arranged a singing telegram.There’s just no way to know.
I type out a quick text to Janie.She’s my best friend, and Dad’s personal assistant.Hey...what’s my dad doing?He said something about a “drastic measure” in his voicemail.
