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If Jude could contain the guy, they’d beto pay his price A price she expected to be very high
Jude shook his head "Not talking about the city"
Antonio stopped his inching closer routine
Her heart slammed into her ribs but she kept her voice quiet and silky when she asked, "Then just who are you talking about?"
A slow smile One that whispered across his face, lifted his upper lip and had her thighs clenching
"You, sweetheart You "
Erin gulped Daer in his eyes The er and the beast’s
And she felt the hot rise of her own need
Not going to happen She took a moment to let her heart rate ease back to nor physical reaction to a shifter
Okay, a really sexy shifter
And it wouldn’t be her last She couldn’t stop the rush of sensual awareness, but Erin controlled the wild instincts inside
She always had "The city will pay you," she said again and let the ice chill her words "And pay you well" Because hunting a killer like the one who’d slaughtered Bobby wouldn’t be easy
He snorted "They’d better" Jude didn’t look away from her "But, sweetheart, you’ll pay, too"
The words were a definite threat
Shifters always thought they were the baddest assholes on earth
Because some of theht at ten A bright, perky blonde appeared at the top of the hour announcing, "Bobby Burrows, the suspect in the so-called Slasher Cri cell today Police aren’t releasing any inforh sources say foul play is suspected…"
What?
He stared at the screen and felt the rage boil in his blood
Foul play was suspected? Fuck, yes, he’d carved up that bastard
And he’d done it for her
The ie on the screen flickered and a close-up shot of thehis fat mouth about the security at the station
Blah Blah Blah
The cale altered, just a bit, and his prey appeared
So perfect
Erin stood a bit behind theall calm and lovely in her button-down shirt and pants Controlled and elegant
Such a beautiful lie
He kneho she hat she was, down deep, past the skin
She was just like him She liked the blood, the screams, the pleas for mercy
He knew all about the real Erin Flawed, broken, and wild for death
Just like him
He hoped that she’d liked her little present Hoped she enjoyed all of the presents he would give to her Soon
He rose and went to the TV He touched the spot just over her i, love, you’re mine"
She should have known escape wasn’t possible
She should have known
Chapter 3
She went to him When the press conference was over, when the freak-out in the ht to Jude
She knehere he lived She’d gotten that inforht Watch when she called to verify his alibi
Jude’s lair was at the edge of the city, skirting the swamps More of a cabin than a house, and one that didn’t look overly inviting
Raising her hand, Erin banged on the door So, sure, it was close to erous and the call of the crickets and who-the-hell knehat else had her ears ringing
The mayor had sent her to Jude The DA had sent her
And she’d come because she needed to see him
The door opened with a creak Jude stared down at her, stubble on his cheeks, his blond hair tousled and his eyes hooded
No shirt His chest was bare and too close Thelow on his body, wrapping around his hips and clinging to his strong, hard thighs
Hunter
"Took you long enough," he said, voice so deep it was nearly a growl
Light surrounded hih heels scraping over the old wood "Didn’t realize you aiting for me"
Lie She’d known that he wanted to talk to her, alone, just as she’d wanted to talk to him
Erin had to find out what he knew about her--and how he knew it So I won’t slip up and et to coht?"
His mouth hitched into a half-s for her to enter
The fingers of her right hand tightened around her purse strap and she walked forward, hesitating for only the briefest of seconds when she caught sight of the deep gouges along the doorframe
Claw marks
Sohtened and she brushed past hith of his body
The interior of his place was Spartan bare A couch A giant TV A paperwork-covered desk shoved into the corner A big, scarred wooden table, two chairs around it, a slimpse of the kitchen--or was that a closet?
"Not here aze "Too busy--"
"Hunting" She knew exactly how he spent his days In the hours since they’d parted, she’d done her horaduate, with a degree in criht Watch when he’d barely been twenty-two His reputation for hunting was vicious, and so were the criminals he captured The vilest of cri to bet Other, too
She reached into her bag and pulled out a check Not the usual way things were handled in the DA’s office, but…"I’ve been authorized to acquire your services" He didn’t glance at the check, just kept those blue eyes trained on hers Her fingers were steady as she held the check in the air between thee of expression Frouy shouldn’t have been hesitating to snatch up the ht Watch"
At that, her lips firave them one" A hefty one, at that "This one’s for you A bonus froht, fast" Before word about the true nature of the crime leaked too far