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Prologue

Killya in one hand and a six-pack of beer in the other as she unlocked the door Swinging it inward, she walked inside then slammed it shut with her foot

“Don’t bother helping,” she snapped at theon the couch

He clicked the re off the television, and then stood indolently, his tall body only hinting at the muscles underneath the faded deniroceries and beer on the counter

Turning back toward him, she was ainst the counter

As her fingers went to the corner of herslow”

At that, Killyaut, but he sidestepped and caught her fist Then she jerked her other hand up, nailing him under the chin However, he didn’t release her

They began to struggle against each other He knocked her against the round table next to the kitchen table, causing his dirty breakfast plate to fall to the floor as she found herself lying back across the table Taking her shot, she lifted her booted foot to kick him in the balls as he tried to pin her hands to the table

“Son of a fucking bitch! You always go for the balls”

“Hammer, if you know that, you should watch the up on the table as he bent over, trying to catch his breath from the pain

When he regained hi a beer out of the carton and twisting off the top “Want one?”

“What do you think?”

Hammer tossed one to her then watched as she opened the bottle

“Getting bored already?” she asked

He took a long drink of his own beer before answering, “Yes I don’t knohy you have to live in this small-ass town”

“I like it, and my friends are all here You don’t have to stay You could stay anywhere you want”

“That’s true, but ould watch your back?”

Killyama snorted “Who would watch yours?”

Haot called up for an assignment”

“How bad?” She kept her expression neutral, knowing he would mock any concern she had

“If they callup the broken dishes fro them into the trash “Do you knohere my paperwork is, in case I don’t come back?”

Her hand tightened on the beer as she took another sip It wasn’t strong enough to nu