Read Online Terror Stash by Tracy Cooper-Posey - Free Book Online Page B

with graceful disdain, walked along the bar with his bent tail up at full mast and plonked himself down in front of Caden, looking up at him without blinking.
    Caden studied him, astonishment warring with amusement. “Stubborn cuss, huh? I like that.” He reached his hand out slowly, to avoid startling the old warrior, and left it in mid-air for the cat to decide what he’d do with it.
    After a second, the cat stood and rubbed the side of his face along Caden’s fingers. Caden felt rough, dry fur and sharply defined bones beneath. He didn’t know much about cats, so he experimented. He turned his hand over, still moving slowly, and rubbed the cat under the chin then scratched him behind the ragged ears.
    The cat’s reaction was nothing short of amazing. It began to purr and the purr was loud enough to be heard over the white noise of the busy bar. The low, deep motor sound rumbled through the cat’s body and he melted onto the counter, a suddenly boneless bag of pleasure. He rolled over on his back, legs splayed and paws up, opening up his vulnerable stomach to Caden’s scratching. His mouth hung open a little and Caden swore the cat was smiling at him.
    He found he was grinning back and obligingly rubbed the cat’s chest between the bent paws. He felt old scars under his fingers.
    “Put that thing down, will you?” Barbs demanded in her tobacco-abused husk. “It’s probably riddled with fleas and kangaroo ticks, just to start. It’s the meanest tomcat I ever met. For god’s sake, throw it out, will you?”
    He looked up at her. “I don’t think so,” he said softly.
    She visibly swallowed and shrank back. Then she turned and busied herself with furiously cutting seals on spirit bottles, her back to him.
    Caden grinned at the cat again. “So, you’re the meanest one around, huh, mate?” It was the first time he’d ever used the casual Australian endearment. “That makes us a pair, you and me. Scars and all.”
    The cat licked his knuckles. He went on purring as his eyes slowly closed.
    Caden finished his drink with his left hand resting on the cat’s belly, enjoying a small glow of contentment before he had to turn to bloody business.
    * * * * *
    It took barely two minutes for Montana to realize that she and Rabbit were at cross-purposes. None of his responses made any sense. Mystified, she held up her hand. “Let’s start again. The reason I was trying to find you, the only reason I sought you out, is because I have information that says that you know, or possibly even work for, a person called Nicollo.”
    His jaw sagged almost comically. “ Nicollo? That’s what you want?”
    “Do you know who Nicollo is?” She held her breath.
    “Sure, I know her.”
    A champagne fizz of adrenaline exploded in her. She had carefully avoided a gender, yet Rabbit referred to Nicollo as ‘she.’ “You do know her.” It was almost unbelievable that a slimeball like Rabbit was her key to finding Nicollo after all these years.
    “Well, well, well. Stewart Connie. The rabbit comes back to its hole.” The voice was deep and seemed to rumble.
    Montana jumped at the sound and looked up. The big man, Rawn, had managed to step up alongside her without her even noticing. She had been too distracted by Rabbit’s revelation. Now her pulse spiked hard again. Harder. This close, the man’s physical presence was overwhelming. He was staring at Rabbit, his powerful arms hanging loosely at his sides.
    Rabbit picked up his beer bottle, took a long drink from it, then wiped his lips. “Rawn,” he offered.
    Irritation prickled through Montana. Not only was her inexplicable reaction to Rawn bothering her, but it was clear that his arrival had completely shifted the topic of conversation. She had been so close, damn it!
    Montana stood up awkwardly, because the attached bench wouldn’t let her straighten out her legs properly. “Listen,” she told Rawn, straddling the bench. “You’re interrupting. I was in the middle