Hunt and Prey (Kelsey's Burden Series Book 8) Read online

  Hunt and Prey

  Kelsey’s Burden Series: Book Eight

  Crime Drama Series

  KAYLIE HUNTER

  This book is a work of fiction. All names, characters, places, businesses, incidents, etc., are the imagination of the author, and any resemblance to actual persons or otherwise is coincidental.

  Copyright 2021 by Kaylie Hunter

  All rights reserved.

  Cover design by ebooklaunch.com

  BOOKS BY KAYLIE

  Kelsey’s Burden Series

  Layered Lies

  Past Haunts

  Friends and Foes

  Blood and Tears

  Love and Rage

  Day and Night

  Hearts and Aces

  Hunt and Prey

  Heroes and Hellfire

  Standalone Novels

  Slightly Off-Balance

  Diamond’s Edge

  For an up-to-date book list, visit BooksByKaylie.com

  Dedication

  Happy 70th birthday, Mom!

  Covid prevented me from throwing you a big surprise party, but at least I get

  to embarrass you here. Thank you for being my constant rock.

  You mean the world to me.

  Love and kisses from your favorite child.

  Table of Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Chapter Thirty

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  Chapter Thirty-Five

  Chapter Thirty-Six

  Chapter Thirty-Seven

  Chapter Thirty-Eight

  Chapter Thirty-Nine

  Chapter Forty

  Chapter Forty-One

  Chapter Forty-Two

  Chapter Forty-Three

  Chapter Forty-Four

  Chapter Forty-Five

  Chapter Forty-Six

  Chapter Forty-Seven

  Chapter One

  KELSEY

  Sunday, 9:30 a.m.

  The neck cramp I’d earned from staring through the scope for two hours with my head tilted wasn’t half as miserable as the runny nose due to the rotting, soggy leaves piled beneath me. Cold, wet, and in desperate need of a tissue, I held my position and listened to Grady’s familiar call, a squirrel’s clucking, which alerted me that Team Alpha was getting closer.

  Based on the fog-horn blasts that signaled when contestants were eliminated, Team Alpha was down to three players. Team Kelsey also had three players left.

  At the start of the contest, we’d sent Trigger and Tech, guns blazing and thrashing loudly, into the woods ahead of us to take out as many rivals as they could while the rest of us advanced without concern of making noise. I knew we weren’t as stealthy as the other team, so a solid strategy was our only chance to win. Somehow Tech and Trigger eliminated one of our rivals in the process, which was an unexpected bonus.

  A half an hour later, the fog horn had sounded for Katie and Bridget who’d been our second line of offense. Both women were top-notch shooters and had eliminated three Alphas. And now here we were, even-Steven, with each team having three contestants still in the game.

  I flinched as the silent woods erupted with the sound of gunfire. The shots came from the far left, where Jackson had set up a nest for himself. After he fired off three rounds, I heard both Grady and Donovan curse. Two more rounds were fired near Jackson’s location.

  “Damn it,” Jackson yelled, followed by the rustling of leaves and branches. “How the hell did you sneak past me?”

  Bones’ deep chuckle sounded nearby. “I’m part Indian. It’s in my blood.”

  Jackson muffled a few choice curses under his breath. “At least I got Donovan and Grady first.”

  “Like I need them.” I could imagine him shrugging his indifference. “Kelsey’s no threat in this setting.”

  “You always underestimate her,” Jackson said before stomping loudly between the trees to catch up with Grady and Donovan.

  Grady had the ability to sense when someone was watching him so I was careful not to watch them leave. Unfortunately, I was now facing in the opposite direction of where my target was. Bones being behind our line wasn’t good. The woods had already lost their leaves and any movement would be easy to spot. Not to mention heard.

  His statement that the woods were more his element than mine, while arrogant, was nonetheless true. He could win in a sneak attack against me all day long. My only hope of winning rested on the mere few seconds when the fog horn blasts went off, which would allow me to roll over and not be heard.

  I rested my paintball rifle on the ground as silently as possible. Under the netting, I edged my right hand to my hip to grip my pistol. I waited as I listened to the noises behind me. Only a barely audible snap of a small twig alerted me that Bones was moving north, deeper into the woods.

  As the fog horn sounded, I rolled to the right, sat up, and sighted my target. My movements caused Bones to turn, gun in hand. We both fired.

  The paintball hit me square in the chest at the same time I heard Bones yell, “Motherfucker.”

  I laid myself back in the leaves, both groaning and laughing. I used my left hand to rub my bruised breast plate, not caring that I was smearing the neon green paint in the process.

  Bones walked over and looked down at me. “Where the hell did you get camo netting?”

  I laughed as I reached my green-coated hand out for him to pull me up. “Our girly pink t-shirts with glitter lettering are reversible. It’s all camo and netting on this side. Itchy as hell, though.”

  “Bridget and Katie’s idea?”

  “Of course.” I rotated my head in circles, trying to loosen the kinks in my neck. “How do you guys stay still for so long? It was unbearable.”

  “You get used to it.” Bones gently shoved me toward the houses. “Donovan’s going to be pissed when he sees us walk out together. At least we ended in a tie.” He looked over his shoulder at me. “Team Alpha was three points ahead after the obstacle course this morning. We officially win the tournament.”

  I didn’t say anything as we exited the woods. Team Kelsey saw both of us walk out and started cheering. Bones looked back at me again. I winked before turning toward Pops. “Two more blasts on the fog horn, please.”

  Pops signaled the horn that two more players were eliminated. Seconds later, Anne’s gleeful shrieks were heard from the far end of the woods near the road.

  “Son of a bitch!” Bones growled as he punched the air.

  “Push-ups, Mr. Bones,” Hattie said while hiding her giggle.

  The look on Bones’ face was murderous. Donovan’s wasn’t much happier. The rest of the men, including the men from other teams, grumbled their complaints or ki
cked at the grass.

  Grady was the only one who seemed entertained, grinning at me. “You bet on our arrogance.”

  I shrugged. “You guys categorize people by threat level. And we all know Anne’s shooting skills are lacking.”

  We’d left Anne in hiding to be our last man standing, covered under a layer of leaves and nets. Her only job was to count the fog horn blasts until they hit the number thirteen. Even if I wouldn’t have eliminated Bones, the rules stated that once a player walked out of the woods, their participation in the competition was over. Our last hope of winning had been if team Alpha forgot about her or miscounted the fog horns and left the woods.

  “Nicely done, cousin,” Charlie said as she wrapped an arm around my shoulder.

  As Team Alpha and the other teams cussed their way back toward Headquarters, Team Kelsey and family waited for Anne. When she emerged from the woods, she ran to Whiskey, jumped into his open arms, and wrapped her legs around him. She was laughing into the nook of his shoulder. He chuckled and started carrying her to the house as we all followed.

  I was in desperate need of a shower and had already decided I was going to skip the singles competition for the Circle of Hell, the fighting machine Carl had built. I was sore and tired from the long weekend. Besides, Donovan, Grady, and Bones had practiced for weeks. One of them deserved to win. Taking the team trophy was more than enough for me.

  As we approached the house, Agent Kierson stepped out on the upper balcony.

  “Shit,” Charlie muttered beside me.

  “Trouble in paradise?”

  “I wasn’t built for this relationship crap.”

  “Must be in our bloodline. I can’t seem to figure it out either. Even before Grady cheated, the idea of marrying him freaked the crap out of me.”

  “You got further than I did. After living together for less than a week, I was contemplating setting him on fire while he slept.”

  “Damn.” I laughed as we separated. I walked with everyone else through the basement slider entrance as Charlie turned off to meet Kierson at the bottom of the deck stairs.

  “Everything okay?” Hattie asked me. “Agent Kierson looked upset.”

  “I don’t think they’re going to make it as a couple.”

  “That’s too bad. I’d like to see Charlie settled with someone who makes her happy.”

  “Based on the violent thoughts she just shared, Kierson doesn’t have what it takes to make her happy.”

  “Mom?” Nicholas interrupted as he slammed into my hip. “Can Sara and I go watch the fighting tournament?”

  “Ah, Nick,” I said, wiping the sweat off my forehead with my forearm. “I’m tired, muddy, and smelly. Can’t we sit this one out?”

  “Please, Aunt Kelsey?” Sara whined.

  “I’ll take them,” Anne said, still grinning ear to ear. “I’ll have Tyler drive us over.”

  “I’ll go with them,” Jackson offered. “Tyler can watch them long enough for me to take a shower, then I’ll bodyguard the little monsters.” He ruffled Nicholas’ hair. “I’ll bring them home after the tournament.”

  The second I agreed, the kids raced up the stairs in a loud commotion of giggles and laughter, with Anne hurrying after them. Hattie shook her head as she climbed the stairs at a slower pace. Pops walked up behind her, there to catch her if she slipped. She had been sick, but the new medicine she was taking was working its magic.

  I looked over at Jackson who stood beside me, smiling. “You’re not competing?”

  “Nah. No point. Donovan or Bones will take the trophy, which is how it should be.”

  “What about Grady? You don’t think he has a chance of winning?”

  Jackson’s face lit with mischief. “I’m still a little pissed at Grady for cheating on you.” He wrapped an arm around my shoulder and steered me toward the stairs. “I shot that paintball straight at his bad shoulder. He’ll be icing it the rest of the night.”

  While on a mission in Mexico to save his ex-wife Sebrina, Grady had been shot in the shoulder. The bullet went straight through and didn’t cause any permanent damage. The aftermath of him and his ex-wife reuniting, though, murdered our relationship.

  Grady claimed he was faking the relationship to protect the family. Stay close to the enemy and all that. Whether that was true or not, he took things too far when he chose to spend his nights with her in his dorm room.

  I looked up at Jackson. “Thanks, brother,” I said as I slugged him in the bicep.

  “That’s what family’s for,” he said as he shoved me ahead of him up the stairs.

  Chapter Two

  CHARLIE

  Sunday, 10:02 a.m.

  “Why are you here?” I asked as I approached Kierson.

  “The better question is, why are you here? You were supposed to come back to Atlanta so we can make this relationship work.” He carefully shifted his suit jacket away from his hips to place his fists there. The move rankled me. I mean, heaven forbid he’d chance being caught in wrinkled clothes, even while off-duty.

  “You and me… we don’t work.” I glanced around to be sure everyone had cleared out.

  “We just need more time.”

  I rubbed a hand on the back of my neck. “Jimmy, we are great in bed together. But the rest of the time—is horrible. We can’t go five minutes without fighting. And not the good kind of fighting.”

  “Horrible is a pretty strong word. We’ve struggled, sure, but—”

  “We have nothing in common! I like baseball. You like football. I like to cut loose on a dance floor. You like quiet evenings at home reading. I bend the law here and there, and you recite the rule book. We’re just not compatible.”

  Kierson slid a hand around me, pulling me into his body as he cupped my face with the other hand. “I think we are.”

  “Then you’re a fool,” I whispered, pushing him away.

  We both remained quiet for a long time. Kierson was an amazing man. I kept hoping that I could make it work with him, but it was like oil and water. And we both knew I was the oil.

  “I’m sorry. But I’m done pretending,” I said, finally looking back up at him. “I’m not the woman you’re looking for.”

  I turned and climbed the hill to the front of the house, leaving him behind. In the front yard, I saw Katie reversing out the drive and waved to get her attention as I jogged over.

  She stopped and rolled the window down. “You need to make a fast getaway?”

  “Something like that. You going across the street?”

  “Yup. Hop in. We’ve got room for one more.”

  “Where are the kids?” I asked Anne and Whiskey as I slid into the back seat with them.

  “Already at Headquarters with Jackson and Tyler,” Anne answered. “I needed a quick shower first. I stunk.”

  “Kelsey with them?”

  Anne shook her head. “She wanted to soak in the tub until her skin wrinkled. She’s ready for this weekend to be over.”

  “Between the tournament, the cartel, and all the shit with Grady and Sebrina, she deserves some down time.”

  “You forgot the part about Wild Card buying Nicholas a dog,” Anne grumbled.

  “Jager will be good for Nick.” I fastened my seatbelt. “Is Wild Card on assignment for Aces?”

  “He didn’t say,” Tech answered from the front passenger seat. “But I don’t think so. He told Kelsey that a buddy of his called and needed help.”

  Katie stopped at the stop sign at the end of the private road, before looking over her shoulder at Anne. “Why are you so against Nicholas having a dog?”

  “Nicholas isn’t ready for a dog. He doesn’t know the first thing about taking care of one.”

  “Which is why Wild Card asked Nightcrawler to teach him,” Tech said. “And I agree with Charlie. Jager will be good for Nicholas. Besides, every boy should have a dog. Especially a boy who lost three years of his childhood and is now dealing with this Grady crap.”

  Whiskey chuckled as he wr
apped an arm around Anne’s shoulders. “She knows all that. She’s just frustrated that Sara’s now begging for a cat.”

  “I hate cats,” Anne said as she shivered. “They act all passive, but you know they’re plotting against you.” She looked at me and held up two fingers, gesturing toward her eyes. “You have to watch their eyes. They’re always planning. Preparing to pounce.”

  I laughed at the same time Katie gunned the gas pedal to turn onto the highway. I grabbed the door handle to brace myself as I looked at Anne. “You’re scared of cats? Why?”

  “They’re predators,” Anne said. “They hunt and kill while we sleep. One day, they’ll turn against all of us. Just wait.”

  Katie stopped again in the center turn lane with her blinker on to turn left into Headquarters. She looked at Anne in the rearview mirror. “What the hell have you been smoking?”

  “They’re evil,” Anne muttered as she crossed her arms over her chest.

  “Just tell Sara no,” Tech said, leaning around the seat to look at Anne.

  “How am I supposed to tell her no after Nicholas got a dog?”

  “Buy her a rabbit?” I asked as Katie made a sharp left turn, sliding both Anne and me toward Whiskey in the back seat. As I pulled myself erect and shuffled back to my side of the seat, I added, “Or fish?”

  Whiskey leaned forward to look at me. “We’ve tried fish. They all died. And I’m not sure a rabbit would be a good idea with Jager around. Sara would be scarred for life if she watched Jager kill her pet rabbit.”

  Katie parked the SUV, and we all climbed out.

  “What about a parrot?” Tech asked as he reached for Katie’s hand. “I always wanted a parrot when I was a kid. Sara could teach it to talk.”

  “That’s a good idea, actually,” Katie said, looking up at Tech as we walked across the parking lot. “And when it starts to annoy all of us, we can throw a towel over the cage to shut it up.”

  Anne looked over at Whiskey. Whiskey shrugged as he threw an arm around her waist. “Might work. And changing the paper in the bottom of a cage beats the hell out of scooping poop from a litter box.”