Total pages in book: 181
Estimated words: 171979 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 860(@200wpm)___ 688(@250wpm)___ 573(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 171979 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 860(@200wpm)___ 688(@250wpm)___ 573(@300wpm)
“You bastard!” she shrieked. All the hatred she felt at his deceptions made her determined to hurt him as badly as he had hurt her. Curling her fingers, she went for his face. By the time she was done with him, his handsome face would be shredded, unmasking the villain. She would do the women of the world a favor and save them from the heartache she was suffering.
She threw herself at him, and her nails made it a hair’s breadth from his handsome face before Creed trapped her hands with his.
“Whoa …” His laughter hit her like gasoline. “Sorry, I can’t let you mark my face. I’ve arranged for us to get married in two days. I have to look perfect for the pictures.”
“Let me go,” she said through gritted teeth.
Slowly, Creed released her wrists.
Settling back in her seat, she stared out the windshield. It was beginning to rain.
“Why did you go to the employee meeting this afternoon? I thought Garrett would have fired you this morning.”
“He did. He came to the file room when I returned from lunch. He told me a file was missing from the restricted area, and since I was head file clerk, it was my responsibility. He was right.” She gave a bitter laugh. “If I hadn’t taken off the day to be with you, the file would have still been there. I begged him not to fire me. He said it wasn’t his decision. He was stepping down, and it was the new firm’s head’s decision to fire me. I went to the meeting to find out who Garrett had chosen.”
She continued staring out the window, afraid if she looked, she would make another attempt to maim him. “Why did you fire me? You got everything you wanted.”
“No, Sage, I didn’t. I want you.”
FORTY
Creed wasn’t surprised when Sage jumped out of the SUV, not bothering to shut the door before sprinting toward her apartment building. Getting out, he went around to shut it himself.
Sage had no survival instincts. He had told her she had a contract out on her, and she ran into a building without caring if there was someone inside, ready to take her out. Luckily, he had enough common sense for both of them.
Surveying the vehicles parked along the street, he spotted the one he was looking for.
He strode toward the dark sedan parked three vehicles ahead of his SUV. A woman got out as he approached to lean against the trunk of her car.
“I see you’re your old charming self where the ladies are concerned.”
Creed chuckled at her back-handed comment. “She’ll get over it.” He sounded more confident than he was.
“I wouldn’t count on it. I’d watch myself if I were you. I’ve killed men in a better mood than she looked when she got out of your car.”
“Maybe,” he agreed. “But you know how to kill. Sage hasn’t got the skills to kill a bug.” He took another glance around the street.
“I didn’t expect you until later tonight,” he commented. “I expected Jackal to be watching out for her.”
“I sent Jackal to his hotel. I didn’t want him missing out at staying at the casino.”
“You still haven’t told me how you got here so early.”
“Darling”—she reached out to straighten his tie—“when you ask, I always come running.”
“Cut it out, Daria.” Pushing her hand away from his tie, he leaned next to her against the car. “There’s no one here we have to put on a show for.”
“You have to take the fun out of everything. The only time you’re in a decent mood is when you’re playing one of your silly games.”
He wasn’t going to get in an argument about his favorite hobby. She had never understood his enjoyment of video games. Daria’s idea of online games was playing solitaire on her cell phone.
“How’d you manage to get here so quickly?”
“I caught a ride with a friend. Who owns a jet.”
“Friend or lover?”
“Friend, so far.”
Creed looked skyward. The light drizzle had stopped.
“Jackal hasn’t found any additional information since I talked to you. What I need from you is for you to watch Sage until I find out who Victoria Ashwood hired.”
“I’ll save yourself the trouble.” Daria flicked a small insect from her arm. “He went by the name of Mirage. His real name was Rodney Weaver.”
“Was?”
“I caught him installing fire detectors on her floor.”
“Fuck, I told you I wanted him alive!”
Daria gave a careless shrug. “He thought he could take me. I couldn’t let him think he could. I have my pride.”
“Did you ask him his blood type?”
“He didn’t know.”
“You could have waited for me.”
“Don’t. Sulking doesn’t become you.”
“I’m not sulking; I’m angry at you.”
“Does it make it better that the Ashwood bitch has already contacted me to take over for Mirage?”
Smiling, he hooked an arm around her shoulders. “How’d you manage that?”