by Anya Nowlan
A twinge from her long-forgotten romantic side still told Kate to give the man the benefit of the doubt. A drink after work hardly made anyone a cheater. Even if he was a lout and a hapless murderer.
No, running around with nurses behind your wife’s back makes you a cheater, she reminded herself. And being sloppy in your work makes you a killer.
Kate waited in the car, giving Jonathan plenty of time to enter the bar and get settled in. With one last look in the rearview mirror to make sure every curl of hair was in its rightful place, she took a deep breath and got out of the car, purse in hand.
A couple of heads turned as she strutted from her car to the bar and she could feel appreciative eyes roaming all over her body.
Still got it, she thought with a sly smile.
Her looks were just another asset, a tool in her toolbox. That was how she’d always seen it. At least since…
No. Not tonight, she told herself sternly, brushing the memories away.
She was able to spot Jonathan right away as she stepped inside, even though his back was to her as he sat at the bar. The place itself was definitely nice, shiny and polished, full of men in expensive suits and women in designer dresses. A low hum of voices filled the room, with the occasional laugh thrown in.
Kate picked a stool that put her in Jonathan’s line of sight and sat down, arching her back so her curves would be on full display. Even though the tightness of the dress now made it slightly hard to breathe.
The things I do for a job.
As she waived down the bartender and ordered a margarita, she could already see from her periphery she had gotten Jonathan’s attention. She had barely gotten her drink, when he was already hovering at her side.
“Is this seat taken?” he asked with a pleasant smile.
He was an average-looking man, but he had that easy-going charm and air of confidence that women often fell for. Add to that the fact that he was a successful doctor, and Kate was sure he was a hit with the ladies.
Kate looked up, giving him a sultry smile.
“It is now,” she replied, her voice all honey.
Jon plunked down next her and Kate batted her lashes at him as coyly as she could. It didn’t evade her notice that he wasn’t wearing his wedding ring.
“I’m Jonathan,” he said, reaching out his hand.
“Samantha.”
“I can’t believe you’re drinking here by yourself,” he said, leaning in.
“And why is that?” Kate asked, pretending she didn’t know exactly where this was going.
“Women as beautiful as you are never lonely for long.”
Kate groaned internally, but managed to look perfectly flattered.
“You’re not so bad yourself,” she replied before wrapping her lips around the tiny straw in her drink.
You have no idea what a bad decision you’ve just made, she internally warned the man, already working up a plan to get him away from all these people into a nice and secluded spot.
So she could finish her job and get out of this ridiculous dress.
Five
River
Gotcha.
Once River confirmed rumors of a new female assassin in New York, it hadn’t been that hard to match the woman’s deep web account to a physical location. With River’s connections it hadn’t been hard, that is.
Leaning back in the seat of his car, he tapped his fingertips on the steering wheel idly, waiting.
Kate stepped out of her Porsche, turning heads as she did. Twisting in his seat, River tried to get a better look at his target, but she was already moving, her back to him.
What are you up to? he wondered, mesmerized by the way Kate’s hips swayed as she strutted into some fancy bar or another.
Not wanting to take the chance of losing her, River decided to follow her in and scope out the woman who made quick work of Parker’s crew.
She doesn’t look so tough.
After opening the door and walking inside, River almost stopped in his tracks to gape at Kate, sitting at the bar, but the flow of people around him luckily pushed him into motion.
Shoulder-length curls framed a soft, sensual face with clear grey eyes and blood-red lips. The pale-green dress she was wearing fit her like a glove, drawing out the outlines of her body in a way that made him desperately want to see what she looked like without it.
The pictures definitely didn’t do her justice.
She didn’t leave his tiger unaffected, either. His animal started pushing at his edges as soon as he laid eyes on her.
River had seen plenty of hot women in his lifetime, but he’d never been as dumbstruck at the sight of anyone as he was now. Reluctantly pushing himself into motion again, he found a small table in the back and sat down, baffled at his own reaction.
A man sat down next to Kate and River honed in on their conversation, forcing his mind back on the mission. He zeroed in on every word, pricking his ears to catch every last syllable, muffled sigh and motion. But his attention kept more on Kate than it did on the man next to her.
The guy at Kate’s side looked like a typical well-off middle-aged prick, expensive haircut and an even more expensive watch.
He wondered what the man introducing himself as Jonathan could have done to get Kate sicced on him. The guy looked perfectly boring, and there was no way a woman like Kate would let a chump like him close to her if she didn’t have an angle.
Kate’s voice was smooth and seductive as she flirted with the man, laughing at his every joke and touching his arm. Yet her pulse stayed eerily even through the whole thing. Not even the slightest spike.
Poor Jonathan was trying his hardest to be charming while obviously fighting hard to keep his eyes off of Kate’s ample cleavage. If only the man knew how unmoved Kate really was by his advances.
River grinned to himself.
Ice cold.
“Wow, a doctor! That’s impressive. I’m just a boring PR manager,” Kate cooed, crossing her legs and angling her body toward Jonathan.
Sure you are, River thought, rolling his eyes as he ordered a beer from the passing waitress.
“I doubt you’re boring,” the man replied, gesturing to the bartender for refills.
“You’re right, I’m not. Actually, I’m known for being pretty wild,” Kate admitted, her voice low and warm.
Jonathan visibly gulped when she stopped to stare at him, nibbling on the straw of her new drink. River wanted to laugh at the man’s reaction but the truth was, he felt equally under Kate’s spell. Her words alone made his blood rush and his mouth run dry, even though he knew they were fake and not aimed at him.
Kate and Jonathan threw back their drinks and she giggled mischievously, looking at him through her lashes. River was in awe. The act was just so good. For a moment, he even considered that maybe she wasn’t working, that this was for real. Maybe she’d gone on the straight and narrow, gotten a boring job and a boring life, and now she wanted a boring man.
But she had definitely followed the man here from the hospital. No, this had to be a job. If it wasn’t, he was going to be one disappointed shifter.
River found himself exceptionally tense, all his muscles coiled and ready for action as Kate leaned in to whisper something into Jonathan’s ear. His tiger roared at the sight and with a start, River realized he was feeling possessive. Way too possessive.
I’m a predator and she’s my prey. I’m just anxious to claim the kill, he reasoned.
For some reason, the thought didn’t sound entirely convincing.
He strained to hear what Kate was saying over clinking glasses and buzzing voices, only catching the back end of the sentence.
“… somewhere else?” it sounded like Kate said.
Hell no.
From Jonathan’s eager nod, he figured she had offered to take the conversation somewhere more private. River shook his head, grinning and incredulous. Was his gender really that easily manipulated?
Jonathan slammed some bills onto t
he counter and let Kate lead him outside.
Poor bastard didn’t even stand a chance, River chuckled to himself, standing to follow them out.
He cautiously ignored the fact that he may have been doing the exact same thing, had he been in Jonathan’s shoes. The spike of jealousy he felt definitely suggested as much. Throwing a couple bills on the table for his untouched beer, he sighed and stalked to the door.
River waited at the exit for a couple of seconds, until the click of Kate’s heels was far enough for him to step outside without being immediately noticed by her. The air was cool as he closed the door behind him, but he still felt overly warm. There were some streetlights on, but the deeper into the parking lot one got, the darker it was.
River crouched down and crept along between the cars, using Kate’s laughs and cooing replies as a guideline. When he peeked up from behind one of the vehicles, Jonathan had her pinned against a lamppost, his arm pressed into the small of her back. Kate was biting her lip, her hands resting on his shoulders.
The image made River’s hands ball into fists. Seeing the man paw at her awoke the primal part of him that only wanted blood. He almost growled out loud when Jonathan planted a sloppy kiss on her.
Mine, his mind roared.
“Come on, my car is right over there,” Kate said breathlessly, disentangling herself.
She pulled him towards the back of the lot with one hand, while slowly unzipping the back of her dress with the other. Jonathan’s eyes were hungry as he rushed after her.
River crept after them, not even sure if it was because he wanted to capture Kate or if he just wanted to see what happened next. She pointed to an Audi parked next to a dumpster before glancing back at Jonathan.
“That’s my car over there.”
That was definitely not her car, but it was located in just the spot River would have chosen if he’d wanted to off someone in this parking lot. Far enough away from any streetlamps, separated from other vehicles and any patrons entering or exiting the bar.
He silently rushed ahead of them, getting a good view of the back of the dumpster. As he had suspected, that’s where she dragged Jonathan to, totally away from the eyes of the people exiting the bar.
“I thought we were getting in the car…” Jonathan commented, looking at the locked doors of the Audi.
Kate’s demeanor changed in an instant. Her smile vanished as cold determination washed over her features. She zipped her dress back up and straightened her shoulders, considering the man before her with distaste.
River could hardly believe his eyes. She was a whole different person in the blink of an eye. Ruthless, severe, and entirely mesmerizing.
“Jenny would be really disappointed in you, don’t you think?”
Jonathan’s head jerked back and his brow furrowed, the name Kate mentioned instantly sobering him up.
“What is this?” he demanded, looking around as if he was waiting for a camera crew to appear.
“Don’t worry, this isn’t about her divorcing you and taking you for half of all you’ve got. She’d rather have it all,” Kate replied, her tone pure ice. “And I think I agree.”
She let her purse fall to the ground and kicked off her high heels, cracking her knuckles. Jonathan laughed incredulously, no clue of how much trouble he was in. She must have not looked like a threat to him, but River knew better.
If she’d managed to hold her own against shifters, handling Jonathan would be a piece of cake for her. He rested on the balls of his feet, excited to see the show.
Guess this one’s personal, he thought, considering that she had chosen for a bare knuckle approach instead of capping him between the eyes.
“You’re crazy. I’m out of here,” the man said, turning to leave.
Kate grabbed on to the back of his shirt collar and yanked, putting her whole body behind it. Jonathan stumbled backwards, taken off guard.
“Don’t touch me,” he demanded, turning to face Kate and pointing a long finger at her.
She didn’t even acknowledge him as she tugged at her skirt, yanking it upwards to reveal strong, pale thighs. Given how tight her dress was, she was doing it to give herself some more range of movement. Jonathan was going down, that was for sure.
There was no warning before Kate’s elbow flashed out and up, smashing into Jonathan’s jaw. She let the momentum of the hit carry her body forward, swiveling on her right foot as her left one came back around and kicked the man in the midsection.
Jonathan hunched over and started to say something, but his words came out as a cry of pain as Kate’s foot came down on his kneecap.
River was entirely enthralled. This woman certainly was one of a kind. How could he possibly rob the world of her? His tiger clawed at him, eager to join the fight, no matter how one-sided it was. Her beautiful hands shouldn’t be marred with the blood of those who didn’t deserve her attention.
Jonathan crumpled to the ground, holding his knee. Kate picked up one of her stilettos and with one last contemptuous glance, jabbed it into the man’s neck. Jonathan’s eyes grew wide as he looked up at her, seeing her for what she really was.
Deadly.
I’m going to enjoy this, River thought with a grin, rising up from the shadows.
Finally, a fight that didn’t bore him.
Six
Kate
Just desserts.
Kate brushed a stray curl out of her face as she watched Jonathan bleed out in front of her. After the man collapsed, she pulled out her shoe from the man’s neck, examining the damage. She hadn’t planned on using her heels as a weapon, but it was just too convenient.
Plus, she was feeling spontaneous. Jenny would probably appreciate the personal touch.
The glossy material of her stiletto was covered in crimson splatter and tissue stuck to the heel itself. She gathered up both shoes with a sigh and was heading to collect her bag when she suddenly sensed something was off. It was like something stirred in the air and immediately, every nerve ending in her body was on high alert. The slight movement around her made her turn, but it was already too late.
The massive stranger seemed to come out of nowhere, smashing into her and trapping her in a circle of powerful arms. Kate dropped her shoes and started thrashing around, trying to loosen the man’s grip, but it was like struggling against steel. He crushed her against him, like he wasn’t trying to hurt her, just contain her.
“Fuck off,” she snarled, and all he did was chuckle.
His voice was dark and sexy in that gritty kind of way. She couldn’t see his face but his scent invaded her nostrils, all testosterone and masculinity. But this was no time to get lost in his presence, even if she could multitask well enough to be impressed and completely enraged at the same time.
In desperation, she let out a frustrated cry and sank her teeth in the guy’s shoulder.
“Ow!” the man exclaimed, releasing her.
Kate scrambled back, shaking with fury.
I’ll teach you to sneak up on me, she thought, eyeing the man.
She had never seen him before, but the way he carried himself seemed familiar. His dark brown hair was shaved short on the sides, giving way to strong eyebrows and deep-set, hazel eyes that glittered with amusement. A smile hovered on his lips, yet his square jaw was tense.
Kate had to admit he was handsome in that tall, dark and dangerous kind of way, even as she knew he was probably there to kill her.
In her line of work, enemies were easy to come by. Unfortunately, some of them came in attractive packages. That didn’t make them any less deadly.
Kate definitely looked tiny next to his massive, muscular frame, but she had taken out guys twice her size before. She was just going to have to fight dirty. Rolling her shoulders, she rocked forward on her feet and charged at him, fists raised.
“You wanna play?” he taunted, quirking a brow at her.
“Bring it on,” she hissed in response.
The man’s hand shot out, but she du
cked, landing a left hook straight to his liver. It didn’t matter how strong or buff you were, a well-placed hit there could be downright incapacitating. His shoulders hunched forward and he let out a groan, but he was still on his feet. Kate darted back, eyes widening.
He must be a shifter. Fuck!
It looked like Kate’s decisions had caught up with her. She had been foolish to think the Claws wouldn’t find her and now it was time to face the music. The man straightened up and lumbered towards her. If he got her hands around her again, she was done. If he wanted to, he could probably squeeze hard enough to break all of her ribs without breaking a sweat.
“Not so eager anymore, huh?” he asked, grinning that bad boy smile of his.
Deciding to skip the small-talk and take the initiative, Kate jumped at him, grabbing hold of his ears and the back of his head and yanking down. The man growled, but instead of trying to remove her hands, he pressed her against him instead.
She cried out as he squeezed, her spine feeling like it was about to crack. She squirmed against his hard body for a couple of seconds before giving in and removing her hands, bracing them against his chest.
Her legs swung around wildly, toes firmly off the ground, but she was too squished against him to manage a kick. The man laughed.
“You don’t bother with fighting fair, do you?” his low voice echoed out, the sound making his chest rumble against her.
“I fight to live, not to earn points,” Kate spat out, stilling in his arms.
To her surprise, the man let her go. She took a step back and they stared at each other for a while, she assessing him and he her, no doubt. Kate was already slightly out of breath. If she had a weapon, she might have a chance against him, but as it stood, she had to admit she was outmatched. No matter how much it made her blood boil.
The closest gun was in the Porsche. The dagger was in her purse, but she doubted it would do her much good against this guy.
He’s big, but is he fast enough?