city.”
“Your city?”
“Mine.”
She studied him with a blatant suspicion. “If you’re such a big shot in Miami, why would you want to travel to Chicago to become a hired thug?”
He shrugged. “It suits me to be out of Florida for a few weeks.”
The emerald eyes hardened. “Female trouble?”
“Does it matter?” he demanded. “The imp put out the word that he was willing to pay top dollar for a seasoned bodyguard. I’m the best there is. End of story.”
“No, it’s not the end.” She tossed his glowing references in the trash. No doubt where they belonged. He’d forged them on his way to Chicago. “I’m a long way from hiring you.”
He moved to perch on the corner of the desk, folding his arms over his chest.
“What’s the problem?”
“You aren’t what I need.”
A small smile curved his lips. She sounded ... petulant. “Do you even know what you need, Sophia?”
Her jaw tightened. “I know what I don’t need. A conceited ass who pisses me off.”
He battled back his wolf. Now wasn’t the time to prove he was a dominant male who was worthy of her respect.
He needed Sophia to believe that she was in charge.
“The imp wouldn’t have chosen me if I wasn’t the best at what I do, would he?”
Her lips thinned. “There’s more to being a bodyguard than just muscle and fighting skills. I need someone who can blend into the background.”
“I can blend.”
“Is that a joke?” She threw her hands in the air. “You look like you should be invading a small country.”
He glanced down at his black T-shirt and pants. He’d deliberately left his Glock and two Uzis in the car. Of course, he had his handy-dandy S & W tucked in a holster at the small of his back.
“What exactly does that mean?”
“It means that you’re not right for the job.” With a lift of her chin, she rounded the desk and headed for the door. “Sorry.”
With a speed that was shocking even for a pure-blooded Were, Luc reached out to snag her arm, twirling her around so she was standing between his spread legs.
They were nose to nose, electricity crackling in the air between them.
A heady combination of aggression and pure sex.
“You know what I think?” His voice was husky.
She could have broken his grip. He might be physically stronger, but she wasn’t helpless. Everyone knew there was nothing more dangerous than a pissed-off female Were.
Instead she met him glare for glare.
“I don’t care.”
“I think you’re scared.”
She stiffened, her eyes glowing with emerald fire.
“Let. Go.”
“You’re scared because you want me.”
She wanted to deny the truth of his words. He could read it on her exquisite face. But she wasn’t stupid. Even if he couldn’t feel her telltale shivers at his touch, or see the way her eyes dilated when they slid down his body, he could scent her arousal.
“I’ve wanted—and had—countless men over the years,” she informed him. “Big deal.”
He growled, his wolf not pleased at the thought of her with another lover.
“You’ve never had a man like me—” he started to assure her, abruptly freezing as he caught the flicker of light out of the corner of his eye. A scope reflecting in the sunlight. “Mierda.”
Acting on pure reflex, Luc shoved Sophia to the ground and landed on top of her, covering her with his larger body.
She cursed, but before she could try to throw him off, the sound of a gunshot echoed through the room, followed by an explosion of splintering glass.
Luc remained motionless, waiting for another shot. When nothing happened, he at last pulled back to run a searching gaze over Sophia’s pale face.
“Are you hurt?” he growled.
She gave a shake of her head. “No.”
“Good.” With one fluid motion he was on his feet and sprinting to leap through the broken window. “Stay here.”
CHAPTER 2
Stay here.
The damned Were was delusional if he thought he could order her around like a pet dog, Sophia told herself, swiftly rising to her feet and following him through the shattered window.
Okay, he’d saved her life. And while it annoyed the hell out of her that she’d needed his protection, she was willing to offer her gratitude.
But that didn’t mean he was going to go around snapping out commands and expecting her to obey.
Some bastard had just tried to kill her and she was going to find who the hell it was.
Then she was going to rip out their heart and feed it to the vultures.
Or at least that was the plan.
Managing to get through the window without slicing