suite was the low crackle of the w

bed, Keira's eyes snapped open. H

y moving her eyeballs to scan the unfamiliar, opulent room. The heavy v

mach churn with nausea. She bit down hard on the soft flesh inside her

robe against her skin. Slowly, she slid her ha

lade strapped to her leg was

ck Persian rug. It was coming from the direction of the floor-to-ceiling windows. Keira ins

water. He stood towering over her, his broad shoulders blockin

rapid twitching of her eyelids. The rapid eye

outh curled into a

ation-covered crystal directly against Keira's warm c

involuntary somatic response. Keira's shoulder

her eyes open, glaring up at him

ward, scrambling across the mattress until her sp

edge of the mattress. His massive frame leaned over her, ca

and aiming to grip her jaw

a lethal, cold light f

rs brushed against a tiny, rigid object she had kept hidden deep

gle, three-inch silv

d forward. She drove the silver needle straight toward t

aralyze the nervous system, or, if push

sinations and military-grade defense training kicked in. A fraction of a

r-thin line across his skin. A few drops of warm blood bea

lent rage ignited in

a steel vice, clamping dow

. Keira let out a muffled grunt as her fingers lost all strength. The silv

a clenched her left hand into a fist and dro

entum, he grabbed both of her wrists, crossed her arms over her chest, an

g his overwhelming weight and size

oin. Hillard simply shifted his weight, driving his knee between her th

ing against his solid torso. She glared up at him, her eyes feral,

eath him. The slight sting on his neck was a star

huckle vibrated deep in his chest. His war

th his free hand, he reached down. His thumb roughly traced th

spered, his voice dripping with condescension. "

e meat of his thumb. She bit down with every ounce of strength in

scle in his jaw ticked, but his ex

to the hollows beneath her ears. He squeezed, forcing her mouth open unt

to a lethal whisper, "and I will personally bre