Lucius (Acquisition Series #4) - Celia Aaron Page 0,5

and full of adrenaline, not thinking straight.

I struggle to my feet, the pain in my chest radiating to my ribs and around my back. “Fucking hell.” I lean against the tree.

What did I do to this woman? I yank my shirt open and reach for the straps holding my vest in place. She wasn’t familiar, not that I could see much. But she’s got some major anger issues where I’m concerned. She wanted to kill me herself, not hire it out to a contract killer or watch from afar. No, this was personal for her. But who the fuck is she?

I’ve wronged plenty of women in my life, mainly by making promises I never intend to keep. Once I get them in bed, I’m done. I’m the typical asshole who lives for the chase, and once I’ve gotten a taste of my kill, I move on to the next. But I can’t imagine that any of those women could be this pissed at me. After all, I make them come—usually many times over—before I take my leave.

I finally free myself from the vest and throw it down. A red bruise takes shape over my heart. It’ll be black and blue in a few hours.

Walking gingerly, I return to my house and pour another bourbon. I’m going to have to finish this bottle to make a dent in the pain. Picking up my phone, I dial Sin.

“What the fuck do you want now?” My brother’s classic coldness doesn’t bother me.

“Someone tried to kill me tonight.”

“Who?” He sounds almost bored.

“A woman.”

“A toothy blowjob isn’t a murder attempt, Lucius.”

“Fuck you.” I collapse into my favorite chair even though the movement amplifies my aches.

“One of your former conquests, I presume?”

“I don’t think so.” I pop back a couple of high-flying painkillers and down them with more bourbon. “This one had some major vengeance vibes going. She tapped me right in the heart. Vest was the only thing that saved me. But I can’t place her.”

“She didn’t monologue first?” He sighs. “I usually monologue a little before I kill someone. Give them a little background, mainly to the tune of ‘don’t ever fuck with a Vinemont.’ Seems she wasted a great opportunity.”

“Didn’t have a chance. It happened so fast. I spooked her into shooting me, more or less.”

“God, you’re a dumbass.” He clears the sleep from his voice a bit more. “Think it has to do with Leonard and his band of merry miscreants?”

“Doubt it. She’s been watching me for a while, long before I got my hands on that idiot downstairs.”

“Is he suffering enough? Or do I need to come take care of it?”

“Take care of your family. I’ll handle the heavy lifting.”

I can feel him bristling through the phone. “You think I can’t handle th—”

“What is it?” Stella, my brother’s wife, mumbles sleepily in the background.

“Nothing, go on back to sleep.”

“Is Lucius okay?”

“He’s fine. Just got a woman trying to kill him.”

She laughs. “Why am I not surprised?”

“Actually, don’t go back to sleep just yet.” A loud smack and a squeal sound through the line.

I roll my eyes. How can two people still be so in love after five years, not to mention all the shit Sin and Stella have been through?

“Is that all you had to tell me?” Sin asks. “We have to be at the attorneys’ tomorrow first thing, and I have some business to take care of at the moment.”

“The failed murder attempt was the reason for my call, yes.”

“You’re alive. Quit bitching… Stella, my love, get on all fours. Now.” The line goes silent.

“Motherfucker.” I toss my phone down and light up a joint.

I go back through the encounter with my would-be assassin, doing my best to place her. I got nothing. Nothing except what feels like a few cracked ribs, but of course the booze, narcotics, and hopefully the weed will ease the pain.

“I’m alive, darlin’. Though you certainly tried it.” I lift my glass to her. She should’ve known you can’t use a bullet to kill the devil. It’ll take a whole hell of a lot more to put me down.

“What did I do to you?” I smile. It’s the only action that doesn’t hurt. “Whatever it was, I made an impression.” Inhaling, I hold the smoke in and picture her eyes in the black mask, the slight waver of her voice, the way she tried to be aggressive when everything inside me was yelling that what she needed was a ferocious animal fuck right there in