Page 24 of Rescued By the Mountain Man Cowboy
Twelve years apart, a killer in Portland, a woman I've known fourteen hours flat, and a foam mat that's still warm from her back.
Goddamn it.
Chapter Five
ANNA
We walk arm in arm, and I ignore Madi’s not-so-subtle chuckles. I roll my eyes, killing the temptation to look back and see if Luke is watching.
I can not form a crush on this man. There are so many reasons why that is a very bad idea. Is this me projecting so I don’t have to focus on the real issues: My life being threatened and all?
Madi sips her to-go coffee. “Alright. Let’s get the not-fun stuff out of the way first,” she begins.
My shoulders lock up, already knowing I have to listen and process what she’s got so far.
Madison guides us toward the tree line. The further we walk, the louder a nearby water source picks up. It’s rural as all hell, but also pretty beautiful and peaceful.
“I’ve been quietly looking into the company’s records. I’ve made copies of invoices, campaign, and vendor reports that look off.”
“How did you get access?” I ask.
Madi shoots me her signature smirk. “Babe,” she deadpans.
“Right,” I nod, knowing not to bother.
“How do they look off?” I ask instead.
“Certain accounts’ management doesn’t add up. Heard of Barron Associates?”
“Yeah, they worked on that last year,” I confirm.
“Huge ad spends on paper. Like, five-hundred thousand.”
“Yeah?” Seemed like a big investment for a shipping company, but all sorts of clients seek a marketing boost for different quarters.
“When I dug deeper, get this…only fifty-k was actually spent.”
I frown, thinking back to some of the emails I managed for that. “That…can’t be.”
“No clue where the rest of that budget was redirected to, but I plan on finding out,” Madi determines, and she has that shrew look in her eyes.
“Could they trace any of this digging to you, Mad, cause I couldn’t live with myself if anything?—”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” she coos, stopping and taking my shoulders in her hands. “Breathe.”
I didn’t realize my lungs hurt from racing to catch up. I grip her wrists, grounding myself, and then breathe.
“Anna. I love you like a sister. I would not further risk you or me. I have a lot to live for. I’m not going to jeopardize what I’ve discovered here or bring a shit storm to my man’s livelihood. I’m also not scared of these fuckers.”
“Maybe you should be. We don’t know how bad they are, Madison.”
Madi pulls me into a hug. I grip the back of her silk blouse, fear crawling up my veins.
“This is what I do. No, they can’t trace anything I’m doing. I’m being very thorough and careful. I also have extremelytrusted contacts who don’t fuck around and are the best at what they do. I promise, Anna. This will be over soon.”
I want to believe her. I do. But some things are bigger and out of our control. To appease my friend, I nod, and we pull apart.
“Alright. Enough with the heavy,” she says, linking our arms again and bringing us to a running creek. “Next time you’re being straddled by a cowboy, text me so I don’t show up.”
