“I thought you’d say that.”
“Name the time and the place.”
“Fly into the Belize City airport. Text me your arrival time. I’ll have my man meet you there. I’m finally going to beat you.”
“You know it’s hard being the best all the time. Maybe I’ll let you win.”
Ramsey laughed heartily. “I love you, man, but you’ve never let me win. I think you’ll want to trash me on this one.”
“I always want to trash you.” Lately Bridger felt like he was slowing down, tiring of their never-ending competition, all the cheap thrills, the media, the parties. Yet risking his life for a stupid adventure and YouTube video might be the only way he could stop thinking about Avalyn.
ChapterSix
Bridger took Callum’s Airbus down to Belize, a short half-hour flight, and then sent the pilot back. His brother was great to him. Bridger usually just chartered planes or boats. He had plenty of resources, investments, and sponsors but he wasn’t interested in owning the world, just conquering it.
In the airport, he spotted a burly, bald guy in a suit holding a piece of card stock with Bridger’s name on it. Bridger approached him and inclined his chin. “You my ride?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Bridger Hawk.” Bridger extended his hand.
“Mike.” The man returned his handshake with a crushing grip.
Mike tilted his bald head toward a different airport exit. Bridger followed him. A chopper was waiting. He carried his bag himself; the guy hadn’t offered, and Bridger didn’t care about pomp and service.
They climbed into the chopper. Bridger greeted the pilot, who simply nodded to him. Another burly guy was waiting for him inside. “Ramsey expecting me to put up a fight?” Bridger joked.
Mike cracked a grin as he shut the door and the chopper took off. “He said you could take us both down, so we shouldn’t start anything.”
Bridger smiled too. “Aw, that warms my heart.” His internal radar was pinging strangely. He and Ramsey had been friends for a long time. They teased and tormented each other like brothers. Why the security presence?
“You know what the competition is?” Bridger asked.
“No, sir.”
Bridger nodded. He wasn’t getting anything more from this guy. He pulled out his phone. Might as well delete emails and deal with sponsorships and questions from his agent while they flew.
He was halfway through an email to Under Armour when Mike yanked the phone from his hand, tossed it on the floor, and ground it under his boot heel.
Bridger cursed and jumped to his feet. “What was that all about?”
The guy simply stared at him and inclined his head. “We’re here, sir.”
Bridger looked out the window, his stomach churning with anger. Had Ramsey told this idiot to shatter his phone? Why would his friend do that? Bridger wanted to take the guy out, but he’d save it for the thick-necked, thick-skulled idiot’s boss.
Ramsey’s massive white yacht waited below. Bridger had been on the yacht for parties several times. The pilot expertly descended and settled the bird onto the landing pad on the top.
Mike shoved the door open and gestured. “After you, sir.”
Bridger shook his head. “My fist and your face are meeting soon, dude.”
The guy smiled and pulled out a semi-automatic rifle. “He told me you could take us down, but you don’t want a bullet in your skull, now do you?”
Bridger’s stomach rolled. He and Ramsey had competed for years and definitely both wanted to be the alpha, but they were friends and they respected each other. It’d never gotten weird or violent. What was going on?
* * *
Avalyn had awoken with a huge headache, lying on a soft bed. She started breathing hard and fast, her stomach churning with fear. Why had she been kidnapped? Neither she nor her family made enough money for it to be about ransom. Maybe because she was associated with the Hawks? No, that would be stupid. They’d kidnap Kiera, Lexi, or Cambree, not just a friend of the family. She’d ticked somebody off, then. That was the worst-case scenario, because it meant they’d want to hurt her or try to make her stop working on one of her causes.