Bounty Hunter [REWRITTEN VERSION]

Chapter 62: Caught by the Hound

MAIZE

Silence. A heartbeat. Two. Four.

"You think you are in any position to even propose such an idea?" He questioned, voice like the low scraping of acid meting metal from how tempered, venomous and oh so loathing it sounded.

To contact him alone was a bold move. Even for her. As she thought, it was bound to make him even more ticked off than he most likely already was after their escape and the RCMP's raid on his compound. The incessant nerve that she would even consider seeking him out in direct contact.

She would be playing with fire however which way she decided to proceed. Though in her mind, the outcome of this excursion had already been made up the moment she sought out the phone from Ryder.

"You think you're in such a great position yourself that you don't want to at least hear what I have to offer?" Her words, her voice, everything was calm. For now. No matter what she said, he would be angry. But it was the indubitable lure she offered then that she was sure were enough to at least peak that sense of curiosity and crave for gambles she had always remembered of him.

And she was right.

"I'm listening."

Good. That was all she needed.

She began, "Your men were taken out. Your spy was caught. At the moment, I can't imagine you have that many quick options at your disposal to strike."

She had put it out there, what they both knew. She could hear his teeth grind. The confirmation she needed.

"So I'm going to make this easy for you," she said, willing her voice not to waver as she rattled off a pair of specific coordinates—ones that she had gotten just before making the call. "I'll be waiting there, just before midnight."

This was the gamble. A two-way rope being offered to him.

Would he take it?

No answer, but she knew he was still on the line from the subtle sound of his breathing. Thinking. He was going over every syllable of her words, every hint that could give a sign of what he most likely suspected; trickery, foul play. She was notorious for both was she not? At least, when he knew her.

"No RCMP. No traps," she said. "When you get there, you'll find me alone."

"You're so sure I'd come," he responded draggingly. "That I'd be stupid enough to take you at your word?"

"Daring. Not stupid," she lamented, before going as far as to put a smirk into her tone as her lip curved upwards. "Unless these past few years have turned you into more of a coward than you'd care to admit."

She was twirling with a burning poker. Walking a thin line.

Azeal knew better than to try a contradict her taunt, out of disinterest rather than taking any sort of offence. Her opinion meant nothing to him. Is what his lack of defence said.

But even so, an iron poker that had been jabbed lightly into burning coals would still have felt the blaze of heat even if on the surface it was barely warm.

"So, what is your ultimate game plan?" He questioned, his tone deceptively bored, looking for her to give up as much information as possible.

Maize answered honestly. "I want this to stop."

A contemplating hum from the other end. "So you're not baiting me into facing anything other than yourself? You think turning yourself in so pitifully now will make me stop?"