“I don’t know who you are, but you better let me go,” I grit out past the waning air in my throat.
The grip softens only a little, just enough for me to notice the light stroke of a thumb along the edge of my neck. The flashlight lowers just enough that I can see the sharp jawline, dark intelligent eyes. Finally, I smell the warm scent of cinnamon on his breath.
Thierry.
He doesn’t release me, his hand still holding my neck, and I’m certain he could snap it with little effort, if he wanted.
“What is your business here?” he growls, as if he’s angry with the discovery. The hostility burning in his eyes right now could light this whole damn place on fire.
“None of your business.”
“Au contraire. It’s very much my business, and if you don’t talk, well, I might just have to call the authorities. Or make you talk, myself.” The charming tone of his voice doesn’t match his words. Like the devil whistling a tune while he carves out a soul. “You’re trespassing on private property, chère.” He finally releases my throat, and the light flickers as he tucks the flashlight under his arm. Strange how the shadows seem to dance over him, as if he and the darkness are longtime friends.
It’s as he’s removing his gloves that my mind begins to contemplate the possibilities of why he’s here. Why he’s wearing gloves, when it’s so damn muggy that it’s a wonder I haven’t drowned on the humidity in the air.
The phantom sensation of his hand still lingers where I rub my throat. “Place looks abandoned to me.”
“What looks isn’t what is. You need to leave. Immediately.”
“Well, that’s a problem, see. I’m not going anywhere.”
Blowing out an exasperated sigh, he tucks his gloves into his pocket. “I’m not going to lie. It’s your attitude that I find most irresistible about you. But in this case, you won’t win. You’ll leave, as I told you.”
“Or what?” I don’t even give him the chance to answer that. “I don’t have anywhere else to go, okay? I just need another day, or two.”
He rests his fist against the wall above me, caging me in, while also reminding me of his size compared to my unimpressive five-foot-five. Breath stutters out of me, my eyes level with the man’s massive chest blocking my view. “Let me explain something to you in as simple terms as I can. Your presence here has roused the attention of very bad people.”
“I see that.”
“Worse than me, I can assure you. And these people don’t give a shit that you have nowhere else to go.”
“Exactly what role do you play with these bad men?” Eyes narrowed, I study him as much as I can in the dim light, for any sign that he might be lying, but I suspect the man has perfected the art so much, he could fool a shot of truth serum.
“I’m not going to tell you again, Miss James. Leave. Or you may find yourself in a very unfortunate situation.” He pushes away from me and twists back toward the busted drywall, where I can’t completely imagine his body fitting through.
“I’ll literally be sleeping in my truck tonight,” I say, padding after him.
“You could’ve slept in exceptional comfort, if I recall. But you opted against it.”
In his bed.
The comment brings me to a grinding halt. “And I suppose that’s off the table now.”
“Yes. I’ll wait outside, while you pack up your things.”
The sudden rejection shouldn’t light a spark inside of me. In fact, it should do the opposite. But like I’ve just stumbled upon a patch of catnip, the guy is somehow more attractive to me now than before, if that’s even possible.
And yet, it does sting a little.
“Wait. Who are these bad people?”
“The kind you don’t fuck with. The kind who wouldn’t think twice about putting a bullet in that pretty little head of yours.” Fist drawn back, he pounds it into the drywall, over and over, punching until the width of the hole is big enough for him to walk through.
“What are they? The cartel?” When he doesn’t answer, I frown. “Wait. Are they?”
He brushes the drywall dust off his sleeve, and once again, I’m staring back at apathy in the man’s eyes. “Don’t take too long, Miss James. I’m a busy man.”
Busy man. A busy man that just a few hours ago was willing to devote a whole twenty-four hours to fucking me. “You’re seriously