Pack Hunter (13 page)
He set her drink down and leant against the bar. “Anything else?”
She took a drink and glanced around. “No…no, thank you. I’m meeting someone here.”
“Hope you don’t have to wait too long,” Logan told her as he wiped the bar and gave her another stunning smile.
She laughed—she just couldn’t help it. The soft sound of her laughter floated through the room and eyes turned towards her. Jo quickly averted her eyes from those around her. She didn’t want to draw
too much
attention to herself. Just enough to get this over with. “I’m sure he’ll be here soon,” she said.
Shaking his head, he started down the bar. “Let’s hope so, darling.”
Not sure what that meant, she opened her mouth to ask and was interrupted by someone sitting close on the next stool. She glanced to her right and sized up the man. He was older than she was, with brown hair that was slicked back. He could be the one she was waiting on. The only problem was she didn’t know how to tell. Roger had told her she would just know, but once again, she worried that she would make a deadly mistake.
“It is a shame to see a woman drinking alone,” he said, smiling and leaning close.
She smiled, just in case this
was
the man. “Hmm, you don’t say?”
He nodded “Yes, a shame. You are a very beautiful woman and I would like to share a drink with you. Come and sit with me in my booth.”
Jo was trying to place his accent, and it took her a moment to answer. Although the way he was holding her arm, his words felt more like a command then a request. Jo shook him off. “Thank you, sir, for asking, but I am quite comfortable here.”
His back straightened and his eyes widened in surprise. Logan also stopped and stared at her with a look of disbelief on his face. Not understanding, she smiled at the man. “You may, however, sit and keep me company if you wish.”
The man shook his head and took her hand in his. “I think you would be much more comfortable in my booth,” he told her, looking deeply into her eyes.
Jo felt the first stirring of uneasiness wash over her. This man was acting strange. The way Roger said he might. She’d done nothing but sit, and he had come right over to her. She couldn’t risk going to the booth with him, but she needed to get him to leave with her.
Smiling, she turned towards him and crossed her legs, lifting her skirt even higher. His eyes followed the movement, and Jo knew he approved by the hunger flashing in his eyes. “I appreciate the offer very much but would prefer to wait here. I wouldn’t mind at all if you would keep me company.” She lowered her voice and went for sexy.
He blinked again then a hand settled on his shoulder. Jo looked up, and all the breath left her body. She looked up into the most beautiful face she’d ever seen.
He was absolutely gorgeous. Black hair curled under his ears and made her want to reach up and see if it was as silky as it looked, and piercing dark eyes fixed intently on hers.
“Thank you, George, for keeping my friend company.” He hadn’t spoken to her, but his voice caressed her body and her heart sped up.
The man who had sat beside her jumped up as if he had been bitten. “Yes. Well, no problem, Nic. See you around, miss.” And with that, he walked away quickly.
Jo still hadn’t taken her eyes off the stranger nor had he from her.
He didn’t sit but instead stood in front of her, blocking the entire club from view. He was tall—well over six feet—dressed in black slacks and a black dress shirt. When he reached over and picked up her hand, a shiver ran down her entire spine. One very similar to what she’d felt when she was outside. It was as if, by just holding her hand, he knew all her secrets.
That’s when it suddenly hit her. This must be him. The man Roger wanted. He overwhelmed the room with his power. He made her feel like it were only the two of them alone. His eyes were sharp and full of knowledge.
Jo sucked in a breath and tried to pull her hand away.
He continued to hold it as if not noticing her yanking. “I am Nicolas Lucian, the owner of this club. You may call me Nic.” He bent his head and brought her hand up and kissed it ever so gently. It was an old-fashioned gesture and matched perfectly with the sound of his old world accent.
Jo felt the kiss all the way to her toes. She had no doubt this was a powerful man and she was afraid. Her body trembled, and with her left hand still in his grip, she ran her right hand down her leg. She had weapons in her boots. She could use one and run. They might not kill him like Roger wanted, but it might give her enough time to get away.
Before her hand even made it to her knee, he stepped into her and laid his free hand over hers. “Now, let’s not do anything hasty,” he told her, still speaking low. His hand was warm and her skin felt like it was on fire where he touched.
“Why don’t we take this somewhere more private?” he asked, pulling her up from the stool. She nodded even as her mind screamed no.
He led her gently but firmly towards the back of the club, sidestepping around tables and booths she hadn’t seen earlier. The club was a lot larger than she had originally thought.
Every muscle in her body strained and tears of fear filled her eyes. She didn’t want to die. Roger had assured her that she was the only one who could accomplish this job. She was different from the rest, he always told her, although she didn’t know why.
When Nic wrapped his free arm around her waist and led her up stairs that seemed to come from nowhere, she trembled and fought to get her feet to stop.
Deep down, she knew it was too late to turn back. She was completely powerless to stop him from doing whatever he wanted. Her body was already betraying her with its response.
He laughed softly, walking beside her, and she had a hideous thought that he could read her mind. No, that was impossible. Roger had told her no one could read her, but walking next to this man, she had serious doubts that Roger knew all he said. She was going to die tonight. She just hoped it would be forever.
The stairs led to a small hallway. A lone door stood at the end. It was closed but opened at the wave of the man’s hand. She started shaking. She so did not want to go through that doorway, knowing she would never come out.
With him beside her, she stepped into the large room and looked around frantically. It was an office. There was an old oak desk across the room from her and a sitting area to her left with a wet bar, couch, and flat screen TV.
He closed the door almost silently, and in a blink of an eye, she was slammed up against it with his hand on her neck. He wasn’t choking her, just holding her firmly in place.
“Who sent you?” His eyes flashed as he asked the question.
Jo didn’t move, didn’t answer. She wasn’t sure she could when his hand tightened around her throat. He leant down until his face was close to hers. His eyes flashed, the rims turning red when he asked her again. “Who sent you?”
Her mind and body finally connected when his eyes glowed crimson, and she finally started struggling. It was useless, of course. He just tightened the hand around her neck.
He smiled and it wasn’t a pleasant smile. “I really hate to repeat myself, dear.”
She shook her head over and over, her neck straining in his hold. She wouldn’t tell him. She wouldn’t give him Roger or their plan. She would protect them even if it killed her.
Leaning down, he ran his cheek over hers and laughed softly in her ear. “There are much worse things than death.”
About the Author
Crissy Smith lives in Texas with her husband, daughter, and three Labrador retrievers. The three dogs love to curl up under her computer desk and nap while she writes. It doesn’t leave a lot of room for her but what’s a woman to do?
When not writing or reading, she enjoys hunting, camping and shooting. But she has a girly side too and is addicted to pedicures and coffee.
She has been writing since she was a teenager and still loves everything to do with the paranormal. Her stories and characters all have a place in her heart. She loves the Alpha male, the dominant werewolf, and the Master vampire, which find their way in most of her books.
Learn more about the characters she has created at her website where they have their very own page. It will be updated from time to time to let you know what's going on with them. Also you can find out who will be in the next book.
Email:
[email protected]
Crissy loves to hear from readers. You can find her contact information, website and author biography at
http://www.totallybound.com
.
Also by Crissy Smith
Were Chronicles: Pack Territory
Were Chronicles: Pack Community
Were Chronicles: Pack Daughter
Corporate Wolves: Losing Control
Secrets: The Shifter and the Dreamer
Caught in the Middle: Magical Ménage
Summer Seductions: Summers’ Girl
Cloaks and Daggers: Vampire Hunter
Totally Bound Publishing
