Free Collision Force by C.A. Szarek

them. Men. She was used to being in a mostly male profession, so why she let Cole and Pete’s apparent ease get to her was irritating.
    “What’s next, you two?” Pete asked. “Any promising leads?”
    “Finding Maldonado,” Cole and Andi spoke at the same time. She glanced at him, a small look that locked with his. His eyes were intense. Andi swallowed hard and ignored how her body warmed up.
    Pete broke the spell with yet another laugh. “Would you look at that? Y’all are already in sync.”
    “Shut up, Pete,” Andi muttered. She slapped his good arm, but her partner only beamed. Cole shook his head and gave a small laugh.
    “I suppose that’ll come in handy,” Cole put in. He grinned, flashing dimples this time, and her heart went into overdrive.
    “We should probably go,” Andi said. Her words were rushed and she scrambled off Pete’s bed. Wait…what was wrong with her? She wanted to leave with Cole? Be alone with him? Jealous or not, Pete was a nice buffer.
    “Well, don’t forget about me, partner. I might be missing prom, but my head ain’t broke. If you guys get stuck, I can always put in a good two cents.”
    “Thanks, I’ll keep that in mind,” Cole said.
    Andi quirked an eyebrow. That from him?
    “Three heads are better than two,” Pete said.
    “Sure wouldn’t hurt.”
    “You want help all of a sudden?” Andi snapped.
    Pete’s eyes widened, but he said nothing.
    Cole had the nerve to just shrug. “Can’t hurt,” he repeated.
    “Let’s go.” Andi clenched her jaw. She headed for the door, not saying goodbye to her partner and ignoring his final bellow of laughter.
    Every time Cole redeemed himself a little, he had to piss her off and ruin it, damn him. And damn Pete for liking him, too.
     

Chapter Seven
     
     
     
    Carlo woke and rubbed his eyes. It took him a moment to orient to the room. Ah, yes, he was still in the ranch house. The couch spun when he tried to sit so he gave up and sank back down. His side burned. Shifting slightly, he moaned as the pain in his leg radiated outward.
    He was going to die. If he didn’t get his ass up and out of this house, he was going to die. He needed to find some antibiotics. How was going to be fun, because he couldn’t draw attention to himself. That was why he’d nixed the original plan to break into a pharmacy or some shit. As of right now, all he could manage was bleeding all over the place.
    Antioch wasn’t large, and if he could make it to the rodeo, he could find Berto. Or whatever he was calling himself these days. Supposedly, his old buddy had got out of the life, but Carlo didn’t buy it. Rumour had it that Caselli was branching out and Berto was the boss down south. The bastard was dark enough to pass for Hispanic, so who knew?
    There was some stupid big deal rodeo in town. Berto’s ranch was supposed to have a major part in it. No wonder his former boss had been able to track him to Texas if the rumours about Berto were true. But if that was the case, why was it that Gains and Reese were the first to come after him? If Caselli had resources in the south, he’d have used them. He was a cheap-ass, and it took funds to send two guys in a big black Escalade after Carlo.
    He sucked in a breath and pushed his body up and off the couch. “Fuuuuuck!” Carlo’s yell echoed in the large, empty living room, but at least he was up.
    His bladder throbbed as much as his wounds, so he headed to the bathroom. Carlo’s fingers trembled as he yanked his zipper down. He shook his hand before he made a grab for his dick. He didn’t want to piss all over his hand.
    “That went well,” he said, zipping up. “I’m still talking to myself. Jesus.”
    His reflection in the large mirror was a blur of messy dark hair in need of a cut and thick bags under his brown eyes. His normally olive skin was a shade or two paler than normal. He was sweaty, his limbs heavy.
    Carlo lumbered out of the bathroom. Checking his temperature was an