nor

tage bourbon, cigar smoke, and the

ghing over a stack of cash. The moment I walked in, their laughter died, replac

ling up his neck, let out a low, mocking whistle.

he edge of the table. I pressed the splintered end against his throat. "Watch your m

eak-but before he could get a word out, the inner ba

ulton st

wel hung around his neck, drops of water glistening in the dark hair on his chest and traci

room, and the temperature inst

said, his voice low, gravelly, carrying the weight of an e

e wiry one dropped the pool cue, the woo

idn't-we w

s voice by a single decibel. "Before I take

tened rats, nearly tripping over each other as they hauled ass down the

nded, thick a

vasive, physical pressure, starting at my scuffed combat b

into the crushing weight of h

ing the distance between us until he stood barely six inches away. The heat radiating f

eyes locked onto the Kidd family's twin-eagle crest o

ordered, his voice f

s of my cut, digging my heels into the floorboards. "This is

ast motion, his large, calloused hand cl

ry right,"

nt tear. The back of his rough knuckles grazed the bare skin of my coll

ught both of my wrists in one iron grip, pinning them ef

Kidd leather from my shoulders and

raction of an inch from my earlobe, his hot breath raising goosebumps across my neck. "You

rd torso. Humiliation and anger sur

t rolling off his skin. "Remember five years ago? I saved your life

kes me your bitch?" I spat, glaring into his dark pupils. "

ting through the gray before hardening into impenetrable stone. He picked

d took a slow step back, brea

mber liquid into a heavy glass. He downed the bourbon in one smooth swallow, his throat worki

t woman I've ever met," h