Wild Men of Alaska 04 - Wild Men of Alaska - Four Book Bundle

monotone as though she didn’t give a damn.
    “Don’t get me wrong, Kate, you’re good, but Sergei wouldn’t have let that happen,” Ivan said.
    Sergei stepped out of the shadows. “Ivan.”
    “Comrade.” Ivan let go of Kate and grabbed Sergei in a bear hug. “I was getting worried that she’d actually killed you. You said she wouldn’t, but you don’t know how much she’s wanted your head.”
    Sergei glanced at Kate. Her expression confused, the kerambit already palmed. Light slowly dawned.
    “Wait a fucking minute.” She turned to Ivan. “You two have been playing me?”
    “For reasons you vill understand soon,” Sergei said. “There isn’t time. Are they coming?”
    “Yes, brought them myself.”
    “Brought who?” Kate asked. “What the hell are you talking about?” She glared at Sergei. “Talk fast.”
    “I needed to know, Katja.”
    “Needed to know what?” Her voice continued to harden, become deadlier.
    “If I was still alive or not,” Perry said, entering the room from the kitchen, a gun pointed at Kate’s head.

C HAPTER S EVENTEEN

    Kate stood perfectly still, the barrel of Perry’s Sig pointed at her forehead.
    Perry was alive.
    He stood before her, a cocky sneer on his modestly attractive face. She used to see that look as confidence, wishing she could be more like him. Average height, and average build, hid his muscled-physique and wrestler-prowess well, making him a formidable weapon. Part of her wanted to hug him. The other wanted to run a knife through him. Before she could decide anything, she had to know what the hell was going on, and why everyone seemed to know everything but her.
    “You’re dead,” she said to Perry. “I indentified your body.”
    A sick smile played over Perry’s mouth. How had she not noticed its cruel bent before?
    “The morgue didn’t have the best lighting,” Perry said. “I did enjoy your tears, my dear. Heart wrenching really, but I was a tad disappointed you didn’t stay around long enough to feel for a pulse.”
    She’d been so overcome with grief and guilt, she’d lit out of that two-bit hospital like the shameful, sullied woman she’d been.
    “You knew he was alive?” she demanded of both Sergei and Ivan. Why had she been left in the dark? Manipulated.
    “I’d begun to suspect,” Sergei said.
    “I wasn’t sure until these brutes jumped me in Homer outside the Salty Dawg,” Ivan said, stretching his neck. “I’ve been their ‘guest’ until your call this afternoon.”
    Kate looked closer and could see bruises darkening Ivan’s skin around his jaw. Her hands itched to slice.
    “Drop the knife, Kate,” Perry ordered. “Knives,” he added after summing her up. She tossed the knives at his feet, coming close to stabbing his booted-foot. “Still as brazen as ever. I always did like that about you.” Still holding the gun on her, Perry reached around to her back, seizing the Glock where she’d stashed it in the waistband of her pants, and stuffed it into the pocket of his Columbia jacket. “I’ll put a bullet through her head. Toss over your weapon.” He waited for Sergei to lay down the Remington. “Kick it over here.”
    Sergei’s sharpened stare centered on Perry as he did as instructed. “There are three of us. Do you really think this is ending vell for you?”
    “I’m not alone,” Perry scoffed. Two big thugs stepped into the room from behind Perry. “I think I’ve more than leveled the playing field,” he added, smug as hell. He looked at Kate. “Besides, one of you is a woman.”
    “You should know better than to underestimate me, you son of a bitch,” Kate said.
    “You’ve always been so droll, Kate. Content to be told what to do. A government lackey.”
    “Are you going to let him talk to you like that, Katja?” Sergei asked, his tone dry as dust.
    “ Katja? Oh, isn’t that sweet,” Perry sneered. “Twenty-four hours and you’re back to being his whore.”
    “Don’t call her names just because you couldn’t satisfy her,” Sergei said.
    “Shut up.” Perry aimed his weapon at Sergei.
    Kate used it as her opening to kick the gun free of Perry’s hand. Much like a flare going off at the races, they charged. Thug One and Thug Two went for Sergei and Ivan leaving her to face off with Perry.
    Gladly.
    Perry made a tsk-tsk sound as he advanced. “You really shouldn’t have been so straight-laced, sweetheart. You and I could’ve had something promising together.”
    She’d