She just stares at me, those flawless sapphires widening in shock, and I swear to god they’re punching a hole right through to what’s left of my heart. Her face is scrubbed clean of make-up and her hair is scraped back into a rough ponytail. My angel looks pure this way. Untainted. Somehow she’s even sexier in jeans and a denim jacket than she was in that black skirt. Fear is creeping into her eyes now but there’s a touch of defiance too. It makes my balls tighten just looking at them.

Fuck.

Does this woman have any idea what she does to me? What the hell is she doing here anyway? Is this man her lover? I feel the hand by my side clenching into a fist as the beast reawakens inside.

Shades of red are now clouding my vision as I step further into the room and close the door behind me, yanking down the blind to shield the rest of the world from my twisted brand of justice. I pull so hard on the cord that the damn thing snaps in my hand. I toss it away as I lift the safety and aim the muzzle a little to her left. I’m going to enjoy every last minute of this…

“Stop, I’m begging you! He’s my father!”

Her father?

My finger hesitates on the trigger as she throws herself forward to block my target with her arms outstretched. All traces of defiance are gone. She’s pleading for leniency from me now.

If only you knew, mi alma. I’ve pulled the trigger on countless others for less.

I have no choice here. This message needs to be delivered. Until recently the DEA have been nothing but flies to us: irritating as hell, easy to swat, and with a focus more backwards than anything else. Now they’re getting a little too accurate. The flies are turning into wasps and they’re learning to sting hard. To lose one shipment in a month is careless but to lose three? The DEA’s strike rate just hit the fucking jackpot.

It’s up to me to give them a reminder of who’s really running the show around here. In the past a few dead agents tended to hammer it home so the play was set. Our cousin, Nicolas, was in charge of setting up the local side of things. My plan was to fly in, get the job done, seek her out and then reward myself with her body, but life has a way of complicating the hell out of everything.

“Get out of my way, my angel,” I snarl. “I’ll deal with you when I’m done.”

I can’t help admiring her courage, though. She must love her father to do this, to sacrifice her life for his. I felt nothing for mine. I felt even less when I pulled the trigger on him.

Her face blanches. “How did you find me?”

“Who says I’m here for you?”

Are you curious, my angel? Have you been craving my touch as much as I’ve been craving yours?

There’s a fresh flare of pain in her eyes and for the first time I find myself questioning the validity of this hit. I can easily find another ten DEA assholes to eliminate before dawn.

“He’s a good man. Please don’t hurt him. I’m the one you want.”

I raise my eyebrows in amusement. “Is that so?”

She flushes but meets my gaze head-on, daring me to contradict her. My eyes flicker to her full breasts pressed tight against her white t-shirt and my cock twitches. I need to screw her out of my system, and sooner rather than later. She’s developing a dangerous habit of pricking my conscience.

“Please! I’ll do anything…”

Anything?

It’s always the same script. First, they plead then they beg. She’s stalling the inevitable by trying to appeal to my humanity. I feel a flash of pity for her then because I left that behind in some middle-eastern shit-hole over a decade ago.

She takes a hesitant step in my direction, her blue eyes slamming into mine. “Take me instead. I’ll do whatever you want. I won’t fight you. Just leave my father alone.”

I stare back at her impassively, not giving a thing away. Truth is I’m more than tempted. Different scenarios flash before my eyes, ones of her arching her back in pleasure as I grind my tongue into her pussy, me fucking that stunning mouth of hers, her lush body folded over the side of my bed as I screw her into oblivion.

Oh my angel, that might be the best suggestion of your life.

A second later a huge explosion rips through the hospital and we’re both thrown to the floor under a hail of shattered glass and flying debris. Rolling sideways, I have just enough time to maneuver my body to cover hers before a second explosion rocks the building.

I’m smart enough to realize that this pyrotechnic show is for my benefit. I’m under attack. Garcia’s men have been hot on my trail since I landed and I’ve been forced to lay low for the past twenty-four hours. Then Nicolas got word that a top DEA agent had been shot up and was laying in a hospital a few miles away. Easy prey. Nothing sends a message more effectively than violating a man when he’s exposed like that.

“Dad,” she croaks, trying to push me off of her. “I need to check–”

“Stay down,” I growl, not budging an inch. I need to get the hell out of here before the cops show up but I can’t bring myself to move just yet. I’m basking in an extreme close-up of those luscious pink lips and I want to sink my teeth into them and see how loud she screams. The look she’s giving me back is stoking a thousand fires. This woman hates me just as much as she wants me but I’ll tip those odds in my favor given half the chance. Eve’s paradise lies in my bed. Only then will she discover I’m as skilled at giving pleasure as I am at dishing out pain.

There’s the sound of gunfire now but I can’t drag my mind away from how soft and lush her body feels. We fit together perfectly, like I knew we would. Her dark hair is covered in dust and a thin trickle of blood is leaving an angry trail of red across her forehead. I want to run my finger across it, to lick it, taste it, obliterate the hurt. My decision is wavering again.

“What’s going on?” she whispers.

I know what she’s implying, that this mess has something to do with me.

“My life,” I growl, transferring my weight to my left elbow and yanking the cell out of my back pocket.

There’s no point denying it.

She’s part of it now whether she likes it or not.

Nicolas puts an extraction plan into place immediately. I listen to the approaching exchange of gunfire as I decide whether or not to finish the job in here first. I’m stalling again and it’s irritating the hell out of me.

I rise to my feet to snap a fresh clip into my weapon and haul her up by her arm. “We’re leaving.”

She gazes up at me with those sweet sapphires, so innocent and child-like. Still, I don’t bother to contradict or confirm what’s probably racing through her mind. My decision is made. Putting a bullet in her father’s brain is now the least of my worries.

“Just give me a minute to–”

“There’s no time for that.”

To my fury she jerks out of my hold regardless and leans across the bed to check on her father, cringing at the fresh wave of gunfire outside. It’s getting closer. Nicolas’ men are holding Garcia’s mob at bay but we need to move quickly.

“Time to go,” I say harshly.

“Two seconds.”

I grit my teeth as she brushes the worst of the dust from her father’s hair and presses her lips to his forehead. From now on those lips belong to yours truly. I pretend not to notice the tears glistening in her eyes when she turns back to me.

“Ok… I think I’m ready.”

You think?

They’ll be no such indecision when my head’s between her thighs and she’s begging me to let her come. This woman is a walking contradiction. She’s all sass and defiance one minute then trembling with fear the next. A wardrobe full of shit clothes can’t conceal the curves of a goddess. She wants to hate me but…

“This way,” I snarl, leading her towards the doorway and raising my weapon.

All of a sudden there’s a deafening crash in the adjacent corridor and the partition wall starts to disintegrate. I pitch sideways, my arms closing in around her again as the hospital floor comes rushing up fast.

I hear her scream and then silence.