Beautiful Criminal by Shady Grace Page B

his body over her back, fusing as one with her. Then he reached round and strummed her clit like a guitar string, and her entire world spun out of control. Mima buried her face into the material of her jacket, muffling the sound of her orgasmic cries. She quivered and bucked while he panted and quickened his pace, before finding his own wicked climax.
    Gabe grunted and stilled, gripping her hips hard as he came inside her. Mima had never felt so satisfied until now, as she looked over her shoulder and smiled.
    He stared at her with an odd expression on his face. “What you asked earlier, about loving a woman—” He turned his head suddenly and peered out the window. “Shit. Somebody’s outside.”
    Mima pushed up to look out the window. Sure enough, a man carrying what looked like a machine gun was heading toward the outhouse.
    “I can’t believe Colton would send Malik here. I need to get that weapon from him. It’s our only chance.” Gabe fixed his clothes in a flash.
    “Wait. Don’t go alone. What if something happens?” She tried to pull him back, but Gabe ignored her. He opened the latch and disappeared through the door.
    Terrified, Mima fixed her clothes and stared out the window, hoping to God Gabe didn’t make a big mistake.
    * * * *
    The outhouse was located about three hundred yards from the tree house, on the same side of the bush. Gabe inched his way between the trees, keeping his gaze trained on Malik. Every step Malik took, Gabe copied, making sure the other guy didn’t hear him. He didn’t want to kill him, but he didn’t have a choice. If they were in Mima’s cabin and Malik had a weapon, then they were here for one thing and one thing only: to get rid of him.
    He didn’t think Colton or Terry would ever betray him, but Ben might. Ever since that night Ben walked in at the wrong moment when his wife was trying to seduce him, Ben had had it out for him. Jealously could change a person in a second. He should’ve known talking to her over the radio would get him in trouble, and now he had to get Mima out of his mind and focus on what his hands were made for.
    Malik entered the outhouse. Gabe waited behind it, focused on the task at hand while his old friend took a shit. Several minutes passed, then the door opened. Before Malik realized he wasn’t alone, Gabe grabbed him in a headlock and twisted his neck until he heard the snap. Malik sagged, dropping the Tec 9 to the snowy ground.
    Gabe immediately put the machine-gun strap over his shoulder and dragged Malik’s body behind the bushes. Once Malik was missing long enough, Gabe knew somebody would check on him, but at least he had a weapon now. Unfortunately, he couldn’t go back to the tree fort without putting Mima in danger. His footprints needed to lead away from her. He looked back from where he’d come, hoping she stayed put. Then he turned in the opposite direction and worked his way around to the bushes facing the front of the cabin.
    As long as Mima was safe, that was all that mattered. He’d put her and Mary into this mess; now he’d get them out of it.
    No matter what it took.
     
     

Chapter Eight
     
    “I think you’ve been lying to us, Mary,” Ben said, pacing the cabin. He was tired of waiting for Gabe and his little lover to show up. He checked his watch. “Where the fuck is Malik? How long does it take to have a shit? Jimmy, go check on him.”
    The moment Jimmy left the cabin, Ben spun around and backhanded Mary. He hit her hard enough that it stung his hand. Her chair toppled back, smashing against the floor. Mary sobbed as blood trickled from her mouth.
    Terry rushed forward in her defense. “What the fuck is wrong with you?”
    The boss’s weak son lifted her up and righted her chair. Then Terry turned on him. “Are you forgetting who’s in charge here, Ben? Do another stupid thing, and I’ll make sure you get what you deserve.”
    “Oh, really? And what would that be?” Ben put his arm over Terry’s