Sweet Revenge (Dueling with the Devil) (11 page)

He caught Bell by her elbow
s,
as she swung on hi
m,
gathering her in his arms
.“
What the fuck are you doing here
?
”

“
I should ask you the same thing
.”
She wiggled to escape his grasp with no avail.

His free arm circled her waist to keep her still
.“
I’m doing what every man in here is attempting. Pick up some Strange. At least until you cock-blocked me by smashing my lovely new friend’s head into the bar
.
”

The heat emanating from her burned through the thin fabric of his shirt. Her whispered breath swept wistfully across his cheek. Bell invoked in him with a loo
k,
what the other females failed to do completely. Make him want to live. She wanted to stab him. He knew that expression well
.“
Let me go or you’ll be the next one head first into the bar
.
”

He tightened his hold. He pressed his cheek next to hers. Her vanilla scent enticed him to taste her instead he nuzzled the skin just under her chin. When he released he
r,
she stumbled backwards
.“
Have at it. Let’s go if that’s what you want
.
”

She narrowed her eyes. He could see the blood pulsing in the artery on her neck. She clenched her fingers into fists until her knuckles whitened with tension. Her jaw locked as she ground her back teeth together. She closed her eye
s,
listenin
g,
quie
t,
like the lull before the squall. Her fist connected to Xavier’s chin with a loud thud. Before he could mov
e,
her other open palm landed hard across his cheekbone.

When he dared to look down at he
r,
fire raged in her eye
s,
anger teemed behind her angelic face. His attraction to her shot through his veins like heroin in an addict. He rushed he
r,
flipping her over his shoulder. He slapped her ass so hard his hand tingled. She let out a yel
p,
sinking her teeth into his shoulder. He relished the pain and spanked her again. Silence overtook the bar. All eyes on them.

Xavier stalked
toward
the door
.“
Sorry folks. She had a little too much to drink. Time to take the little lady home
.
”

Small fists pounded into his back like boulders
.“
Put me d
o
w
n
!
”

Stepping into the muggy night ai
r,
Xavier smacked Bell hard across the ass again; then tossed her to the ground. She staggered back a couple of step
s,
before catching her balance. Her baby blues shot daggers at him. Strands of silky blonde hair whipped across her flushed face. His gaze traveled to the bottom lip she held captured between her teet
h,
a bad habit of Bell’
s,
one that fueled his sexual frenzy. His cock twitched in response.
Go
d,
she was sexy.

She pivoted on her heel and headed
toward
the alley
.
“
Y
o
u
’
r
e
a
n
a
s
s
h
o
l
e
,
”
s
h
e
b
a
r
k
e
d
a
t
him
.

He followed behind her
.“
You’re the one who took off and stole my bike
.
”

“
No one stole shit. I borrowed it. I needed to get away. From you
!
”

“
I didn’t follow you. This is my spot when I’m in New Orleans
.
”

Bell faced hi
m,
fury glowing in her glare
.“
What? Your spot to pick up trashy bitches? I wasn’t enough for you tonight? You had to come find someone else to cap off your night
?
”

He clamped his lips together to suppress his mirth. Her drunken argument entertained him. She was jealous. Being a risk take
r,
Xavier decided to stoke the fire
.“
You’re the one who left looking for a meal. I can’t help it if one fell into my la
p,
especially one who shows the appropriate appreciation for me. And if this is the trashy bitch pickup spo
t,
what does that
s
a
y
a
b
o
ut
y
o
u
?
”

“
Shut up
!”
She shook her head as if to clear the fogginess
.“
I’m not trashy or a bitch. I don’t care what anyone says about me
.”
A slight glimmer of sadness changed her expression
.“
Laurent loves m
e
,
”
she whispered. Her unguarded confession enhanced her beaut
y,
making the possibility of her more real.

In one fluid movemen
t,
he pinned her to the brick wall of the club. The masonry cracked beneath their weight. She sucked in a mouthful of the heav
y,
night ai
r,
angling her face to his. His teeth caught her lip. When she gasped in surpris
e,
he slipped his tongue into the soft pink flesh of her mouth. She tasted of spearmint and brandy. Her hair smelled of Gardenias. The mixture overloaded his senses.

Xavier’s hands smoothed down the slight curve of her buttocks to her firm thighs. He lifted her leg
s,
folding them around his waist
.“
You make me craz
y
,
”
he murmured.

She slipped her hands under his arms to rest on his shoulder blades. She wiggled her hips to better position herself on the wal
l,
rocking against his throbbing shaft as she moved
.“
You’re already crazy
.
”

“
Only when I’m close to you
.”
He fluttered kisses along her
t
h
r
o
a
t.

Her tongue flicked over his earlobe
.“
We can’t keep doing this
.
”

“
I know
.
”

“
Then why aren’t you stopping
?”
Her small hands roamed over the muscles in his back. He wished the fabric separating them would dissipat
e,
so he could feel her touch against his skin.

“
Too late. I told you. You make me crazy
.
”

Something shifted in the alley. A clatter of cans rattled in the dumpster near the chain-link fence. The air reeked with the presence of danger. The same menacing feeling he experienced earlier tonight. They both froze. Only the harsh sound of their breathing remained. More movement. Bell unlocked her legs from his waist. He dropped Bell to the ground. Xavier faced the back of the alle
y,
shoving her behind him. Before he could stop he
r,
she was beside him again. He was right. She was going to land him in a padded room.

Xavier heard the intruder steal closer to them
.“
Bel
l,
I need you to get the hell out of here
.
”

“
Nope. Can’t do that
.
”

He had no weapons on him. He never left home without his gun. It was like his American Express. Bell’s games were playing a serious head-trip on him. This would have to be hand-to-hand combat. If only he knew what he was about to fight
.“
Can’t you just fucking listen for once
?
”

“
We’re in this together. Can’t leave you here alone
.”
She crouched lo
w,
ready to pounce on their attacker.

Before he could say another wor
d,
the assailant launched itself onto him. Sharp claws and teeth tore at his skin. Each time the beast penetrated his fles
h,
it was like hot daggers ripping him apart. Xavier gripped the creature’s nec
k,
attempting to release its teeth from his shoulde
r,
thankful it wasn’t his throat. When he looked u
p,
Bell was behind the beast with her own set of claws unleashed. Her hair flowed around her head as if charged by static electricity. With a high-pitched screa
m,
she imbedded her dagger-like nails into the side of his attacker.

The creature disappeare
d,
reforming just behind Bell. Its black fur shimmered under the streetlight. Long fangs protruded outside its mouth. It stood as tall as a grizzl
y,
with the same build. As fast as the win
d,
the beast leaped on Bell.

It unleashed its claw
s,
raising them in the air
.“
Come any closer and I’ll split her open
.
”

Bell continued to thrash under the animal
.“
Let her g
o
,
”
Xavier demanded.

“
Why? She looks like so much fun. And you seemed to find someone who can tolerate you. I’ve watched you both since you returned to New Orleans. This is the longest you’ve been with anyone
.
”

“
Are you fucking nut
s,
too
?”
Bell screeched.

Roughl
y,
Xavier pleade
d,
“
Can you just shut the fuck up and stay still
?
”

The creature flashed something similar to a smile
.“
I’ve been there for a while now. Crazy doesn’t even touch what I’ve
b
e
e
n
c
o
n
d
e
m
n
e
d
t
o
e
v
e
r
s
in
c
e
y
o
ur
b
o
y
f
r
i
e
n
d
k
il
l
e
d
m
y
m
a
t
e
.
”

“
Look. I have no idea who your mate wa
s,
but Bell has nothing to do with this. Let her go and we can settle this
.”
Xavier inched closer.

“
What kind of man has so much death on his hands he can’t remember the victims
?
”

Xavier stopped
.“
It’s a job. I can’t hold on to the faces. No one could do what I do if they don’t detach themselves
.
”

The creature retracted its claws
.“
I guess we’ll have to teach you how to feel. To understand the anguish you’ve brought others
.
”

“
Fine. Just let her g
o
,
”
Xavier bartere
d,
as he crept toward the two.

Bell continued to squir
m,
struggling to break free under the weight of her captor
.“
Hell. Just fucking kill Xavier. What is with you freaks and passive-aggressive killing
?”
She laid her head back onto the cobblestone alley. She inhaled a deep breath. As she expelled a shrieking cry from her lung
s,
she gathered enough strength to release her arms from under the monster’s hol
d,
burying her claws into the creature’s abdomen.