Page 4 of Burn Bag (Owens Protective Services #31)

KAVANAUGH

“I just don’t understand why I have to be here,” Dash whined. “I’ve already done this whole thing. And let me tell you, the last time I was in Arches, it didn’t turn out so well.”

I adjusted my pack and continued hiking, ignoring the comments rolling in from the peanut gallery.

“You? I’m on vacation with the man who used to fuck my woman,” IKE muttered. “I hardly think you have it bad.”

I stopped and spun around, glaring at the men who were making my life miserable. “Hey, you got the girl. Is it too much to ask that for a week you wear something other than a suit? Maybe a pair of boots and tactical gear?”

“Tactical gear is for pussies.”

I glared at both of them. “I don’t want to hear another fucking word out of your mouth for the next mile.”

I spun back around and started hiking. They should be fucking thanking me. I chose to come at a time when the heat of summer had mostly passed. At least they weren’t sweating their balls off right now.

Thumper caught up with me, eyes narrowing as he stared off in the distance. “I can’t believe you made me come back here. ”

“Yeah, I was holding a gun to your head,” I snorted.

He stopped and snarled, “You literally held a gun to my head.”

That was right. I had. I shrugged and kept moving. “But don’t you feel great about it?”

“About coming back to the place where assassins nearly took me out? No. You know, that does not make me feel great.”

“Well, that sounds like a personal problem, but never fear, I have something special planned for this trip that you’re gonna love.”

“Yeah? What’s that?”

“Remember those yurts you stayed in the last time you were here?”

He stopped walking, which made me stop walking. “You didn’t.”

“I did. I thought it would be awesome.”

“Awesome? We shot up the place the last time we were there. Do you honestly think he’s going to let us stay there again?”

“Relax,” I chuckled, slapping him on the back. “It’s booked under my name. You have nothing to worry about.”

“Yeah, until he sees us and throws us all out. Then what’s your plan?”

“I don’t have a plan because I don’t need one. It’s gonna be good. I promise.”

I wasn’t worried about a thing. Ever since I got out here, everything just shifted in the right direction.

The worst of my worries melted away and I started to remember why I got into the business to begin with.

Yeah, there was a shit ton to worry about when we went home, but until then, I was forgetting about all of it.

“The last thing we need to worry about is where we’re staying. I’m telling you, this trip is going to be amazing.”

Somehow, none of the rest of them looked too thrilled. Still, I hiked on and enjoyed the desert—the crisp, cool morning air and the bright sun. It was fucking perfect.

“Oh shit!” Dash shouted beside me.

I spun, just in time to see him teetering on the edge, his arms whirling viciously as he tried not to fall. I leapt forward, snatching his arm before he went over the edge, and tugged him back. But I lost my footing and tripped on the uneven rock. My body catapulted backward, taking Dash with me.

Letting out a shout, I landed hard, then started rolling down the rock we’d just climbed, my pack hurling me further and further from where I’d just been. I landed with a thud, eyes widening just before Dash landed on top of me, knocking all the air from my lungs.

I was like a bug splattered against a windshield.

My body was battered and bruised, and my face had just taken the brunt of his pack.

I shoved him off me, sucking in a harsh breath as I thanked my lucky stars that I’d landed here instead of at the bottom of the canyon Dash had just about tumbled into.

“Thanks, man,” he sighed, breathing heavily. “That could have been bad.”

“No shit,” I muttered, sitting up, my back tweaking at the movement. “Fuck, that was not fun.”

“You guys alright?” Thumper shouted from further up.

I gave him a thumbs up even though my ass felt like it’d split in two when I landed. I shoved to my feet, only to gasp in pain when I tried to put weight on my ankle. “Fuck,” I hissed, testing it out again.

It was no use. I sprained it at the very least, essentially ending my day before it even began. “Thanks a lot, asshole. I hurt my ankle.”

“Me?” he asked, gaping at me like a fish. “I nearly fell off the fucking cliff! I’m lucky to be alive!”

“Yeah, and you took me down with you!”

“Only because you were stupid enough to save me. You could have let me fall.”

“Yeah, that would have made this trip better,” I hissed.

“Hey, I didn’t tell you to pull me back from the edge. I could have survived.”

“How’s that?”

He spluttered for a moment before narrowing his eyes at me. “Maybe FNG would have saved me. He has nine lives.”

“Right,” I snorted, testing out my ankle again, only to hiss in pain.

“Come on,” he groaned. “I’ll help you back to the car. ”

I backed up, hobbling on one foot. “Don’t do me any favors. I might end up in a casket.”

“You’ve already been close. Why not let me shove your ass all the way in,” he snapped.

“You know, this is supposed to be my vacation,” I seethed.

“Then why the fuck did you bring us all along?”

“Because—” Fuck, I didn’t have a great answer for that. “Because you guys are all running off and having babies. I’m the last male standing, the only one who isn’t completely pussy-whipped. It’s about time you all remembered who we are!”

He burst out in laughter at that. “You would have been right there beside us if you hadn’t fucked things up with Isla.”

I knew that, and so did everyone else, but that didn’t mean I needed it pointed out to me.

“Whatever. Just get the fuck away from me before you get me killed.”

I turned and hobbled down the path, headed back to the minivan where I could rest my foot.

It was going to be a long fucking walk, but I was so pissed off now that I needed the time to work off my anger before I shot someone.

The guys were behind me, arguing about how their hike was cut short all because Dash couldn’t stay on his feet.

I grinned in amusement, knowing they’d give him hell all fucking night. At least I wasn’t the only one pissed off. By the time I made it back to the van, sweat was rolling down my back from the exertion, but I made it, and that was all that fucking mattered.

I opened the sliding door and climbed inside, letting out a harsh breath as I closed my eyes and leaned back in the seat. Silence. I took a deep breath and held it for five, then blew it out. I repeated the process again, trying to will away my anger.

Anger for losing Isla. Anger for my old man being shot right the fuck in front of me. For refusing to make up with my father when I had the chance. And most of all, for not knowing where the hell my life was going anymore. I was a fucking mess.

A loud crunch sounded in my ear and I shrieked, nearly jumping out of my skin until I smelled the foul onion breath .

“Hey, man,” Fox grinned as I spun around. “Funyun?”

“Fox,” I snapped. “What the fuck are you doing here?”

He frowned, the hurt showing on his face. “Well, I heard we were having a guys’ week. I was sort of hurt that you didn’t invite me along, so I decided to join up with you. And here I am!” He spread his arms wide as if he was waiting for me to leap into his arms.

“And?”

“And…” He frowned again, unsure of what to say.

“I thought you were on a mission.”

“Oh, right. Well, that went FUBAR,” he snorted. “But it’s all good. I blew up Cash.”

I paused at his words while he turned around searching for another bag of Funyuns. “I’m sorry, did you just say you blew up Cash?”

“Right,” he snorted. “Not the way he would have wanted to go, but I figured, hell, it’s not like he gave The Kamau a better send off.”

“Knight isn’t dead,” I said slowly.

He raised his eyes, cocking his head at me. “What’s your point?”

“My point is, why the fuck would you blow up Cash if The Kamau isn’t dead,” I said extremely slowly, hoping he’d get the point.

He didn’t.

“Well, the man had to be taught a lesson.”

“And what about Eva? What about their kids? Did you think of them?”

“Of course I did. What kind of monster do you think I am?” He tore open another bag of Funyuns and popped one in his mouth, crunching as he grinned. “Funyun?”

I shoved the bag out of my face and tried once again to understand him. “Fox, you love Eva like a sister. Why would you kill the man she loves?”

Again, he cocked his head at me in confusion. “You know, I’m sensing that you think I didn’t do the right thing.”

“You think?” I snapped, my anger overwhelming me. “You killed our boss! ”

“I know. I was there. Dude,” he chuckled, “Are you feeling okay? You’re having a hard time keeping up.”

I pinched the bridge of my nose, struggling to gain some control as I went round and round with Fox.

There was no point in telling him what he did was wrong.

He clearly didn’t get it. And that was just another fucking thing to add to my shit year.

I’d been fired by Cash, thrown out of the company because I wouldn’t give him what he wanted, and then he left us all behind and went rogue.

Now I had his death on my hands because I sure as shit knew he’d still be alive if I had just done what he asked.

“Hey, you okay, man? You don’t look so good.”

“Really? You think? Our boss is dead and it’s all my fault.”

“Well, that’s not true. I’m pretty sure it was me who planted the bomb under his vehicle,” he chuckled.

“How can you be like this?”

“Like what?”

“So…aloof! You just killed a man—someone you look up to! How the hell do you just walk away from that?”

He frowned for a second, then popped another Funyun in his mouth and chewed for a moment. “Well, I imagine with a lot of tasty treats and a good night’s sleep.”

I rolled my eyes and faced the front. I couldn’t deal with him. My foot was throbbing and I was in a shit mood on my vacation.