East End (Hear No Evil Trilogy #1) - Nana Malone Page 0,5

I watched the fight over the camera and my easy slip where I took her SD card. Then I watched her knock me on my ass with that Taser. Excellent.

To my chagrin, I was half hard. Jesus fucking Christ, what the fuck was wrong with me?

I was no masochist. Whips and chains, unlike what Rihanna and Britney said, did not usually excite me. But somehow, I'd gotten my ass handed to me by this woman, and the memory of it made me hard. But that would be another conversation for another therapist on another day. She took off, running east out of the park. So, where was she?

Another few quick taps on the keyboard took me into the feeds for the likely exit points. I picked one, searched all the cams, but there was no sign of her. Finally, it was when I looked south that I saw her. She'd doubled-back around. God, she was smart. She’d come prepared.

With a determined frown, I leaned forward until I finally caught her. She was in the alley behind some bars, panting, holding her ribs. Fuck me. Had I hurt her? The wash of shame was quick. The nausea seemed to follow too. I didn't care how badly she seemed to want to hurt me or the London Lords. It didn't sit well that I'd injured her.

She reached up to her face. That piece of skin that I'd noticed on her cheek, where I worried that I'd hurt her, she dug fingers into it and pulled. I sucked in a sharp breath as I watched her peel away the skin and cheek that had seemed too full for her facial frame and the nose that seemed a little bit off. The action at first made my gut clench.

Ridley Scott, one of your aliens is free.

But then I had a clear picture of who I was dealing with.

The face revealed was like a punch to the balls. My dick, instead of deflating, the motherfucker went full steel. The woman from the park was none other than Nyla Kincade. The woman hell bent on being a thorn in the side of the London Lords.

We had too many secrets to keep. Ten years ago our brothers in the Elite had caused the death of our friend.

The four of us were hell-bent on revenge. And no one was going to keep us from that.

We’d already taken down Bram Van Linsted. We had two dominos left to topple. Garreth Jameson and James Middleton. And we had no intention of stopping until they were gone, dead, and buried.

But it seemed that intrepid little Interpol agent was coming for us. I should be concerned. Instead, every cell in my body wanted to scream, 'Game on.'

A text drew my attention when it beeped.

Unknown: I know what you want. And I can help you get it. But first the London Lords will help me.

East: Who the hell is this?

Unknown: Francois Theroux. I’m the man who will help you get revenge.

East

After a sleepless night, I was still unsettled by that little mishap with Agent Kincade.

Mishap? Is that what we’re calling it? She kicked your arse.

What the fuck was that shit even? Why had I followed her? To what, confront her? But instead, I’d been the one who ended up on my ass.

I scrubbed my hand down my face. Nyla Kincade was a threat, not just to me, but to my family and our carefully constructed plan. I needed to get my shit together.

I’d spent half the morning in a zombie haze. I’d nearly missed two standing meetings. Spilled coffee on myself. Zoned out in a planning meeting on the design for a new boutique hotel in Australia.

By lunch time, my assistant, Belinda, paused in my doorway, looking concerned. “Uh, Mr. Hale, I just wanted to remind you that it’s Friday and I’ll be leaving early for Tommy’s recital at school.”

Recital? What was she on about? Why was she reminding me of the day? I knew what bloody day it was.

Do you? You had the date wrong in your earlier meeting.

Right. “Yeah. Of course. Thank you for the reminder. And how many times do I have to tell you to call me East?”

“Habit, sir,” she said with a small smile as she quickly reminded me of my other meetings and told me she’d set alerts for them. She tugged at her sleeves nervously, but it was no use. I could see the hints of bruises.

She whirled around but not before reminding me, “You have