Samantha Cassidy eyed her opponent warily, struggling to maintain her composure. Inhaling deeply, she tried ignoring the blinding pain shooting through her right shoulder. The stupid jackass had shot her! Now the old-fashioned bullet was lodged deeply into her shoulder. She fingered the wound tentatively and was relieved to discover that she wasn't bleeding profusely. Either way, she still required medical attention and she still had a job that needed to be finished.

"Look, Clayton, we can do this the easy way, or we can do this the hard way. Right now, I don't really give a damn. But one way or the other, I'm going to collect my bounty, and I can't collect the money unless I have the prize. Don't be stupid. Quit wasting my time, and get your ass over here because you're going down one way or the other."

"Now see here little girl, I don't think that you're in any position to be giving me ultimatums. I ain't the one with the piece of metal in my shoulder. Now run along before I get really angry. I'm not a pretty sight when I'm pissing nails."

Not a pretty sight? Hell, he wasn't a pretty sight right now.

Clayton gave her a sly grin that sent her stomach rolling with revulsion. Good God, he was at least twice her size. His pants were barely staying up beneath his rather over-sized belly. His shirt was two sizes too small. He wore a sweat stained baseball cap on his head. Oh, yeah, he was a real stud muffin.

His gun remained leveled at her. His beady little ferret eyes filled with an unquestionable need to pull the trigger once again. He let out a long belch and then swiped the back of his sleeve across his face. She grimaced. He had the manners of a pig. What's more, with his large frame, pig's snout nose, he kind of resembled one too. Now all she had to do was to check for his curly tail when he turned around.

"You know I really should be sittin' in a bar and drinking a pint of beer. That's what I always do at this time of the night instead of playing games with you, little princess! You look like a china doll. Do you actually think you have a chance in hell against me?"

"Oh, I don't give a rat's ass about your plans," she drawled sarcastically. She had to ignore his china doll remark. In a moment, he'd learn she had the grit and the guts to take him down. With a sigh, she rolled her eyes heavenward. She quickly reached inside her black leather trench coat and enclosed her hands around the electric grappling rope that she kept to detain her prisoners.