by Anya Nowlan
There was only one thing left to do. Kate turned on her heel and bolted, leaping over Jonathan’s dead body as she did and yanking the slit of her dress so it ripped and gave her more room. Laughter rumbled out behind her.
“I think you’re my new favorite toy,” he called out as heavy footsteps took off after her.
Kate weaved in between the cars, ducking down in the middle of the most crowded spot to try and hide which way she was going. Quickly crawling forward on her hands and knees, she hoped to make it back to the bar before he caught her. Maybe there he could shake her, or at least play the damsel in distress and make him back down this time.
He didn’t look like the kind of guy to give up on what he wanted very easily.
“I can hear you scurrying about,” the man sang out to her, a chuckle in his voice.
Kate stared at the lights of the bar in front of her while listening to the footsteps getting closer and closer. She knew if she ran, she wasn’t going to make it. Not even she could beat the speed of a shifter.
Shit.
Getting down on her belly, she rolled under one of the cars, hoping the smell of gasoline and motor oil obscured her scent enough so he wouldn’t be able to sniff her out.
She held her breath as black boots came to view, stopping near the car she was hiding under. They paced around in the same spot for a couple of seconds before moving on. Kate listened to his steps move farther away, ignoring the way the asphalt scraped at her skin as she flattened herself against it.
Being relatively tiny was almost never an asset in her business, but this time it was serving her well.
When she felt sure he was far enough away to not see her, she rolled out from under the car, springing up into a crouch and quickly scanning her surroundings. What she wasn’t prepared from was the man crouching on the roof of the car right next to her, tilting his head to look at her curiously.
He’d gotten up there so quietly that she hadn’t heard a thing.
“You’re pretty good but your heartbeat gives you away, you know.”
Kate cursed internally. This was one predator she couldn’t get away from. Her own body was betraying her and there was nothing she could do about it. Stopping her own heart wasn’t exactly an option, and she couldn’t keep it from beating a little faster when she saw him, either.
The deepening smirk on his lips was testament to that.
Cocky bastard.
All she had left was making one final stand. Maybe she’d at least be able to do some damage before going down.
He effortlessly hopped onto the hood of the car and gracefully stepped down, coming to stand in front of her. Kate didn’t bother running again. She was tired of this cat and mouse game.
Even if it was the most thrilling thing that had happened to her in a while.
Was it wrong to consider the prolonged process of possibly getting killed fun? Maybe, but she was enjoying it far more than she would have wanted to admit out loud.
She lunged at the man, managing to land a decent punch at his jaw. Before she could even try another attack, his fist shot out and connected with her temple. The world started to tilt and turn foggy as a dull ache reverberated through her skull.
Strong arms caught her as she swayed and dropped, and suddenly, she was off the ground altogether. Now, all she could smell was that intoxicating, deep scent of his.
From the way her hair fall onto her face and his muscles bunched and pressed against her midsection, she could only assume the man had thrown her over her shoulder.
Like a sack of potatoes, she thought bitterly, before blacking out.
Seven
River
What the hell am I doing? River asked himself as he placed a tied-up Kate into his passenger seat and pulled out of the parking lot. This wasn’t in the plan.
She was slowly coming to, her head lolling from one side to the other as she groaned softly. As hard as he tried, he couldn’t stop glancing at her beautiful face, lit by the passing streetlights. Her green dress was still bunched up at her middle, giving him a good look at her long, smooth legs, reminding him how smooth her skin was when he’d tied her ankles and brushed against her.
But those attributes weren’t the reason he kept her alive. They definitely didn’t hurt her cause, but it was something more than physical attraction that stayed this executioner’s hand. River had heard stories of how good Kate was, but seeing her in action was something else. She even managed to give him a run for his money, not that he’d ever admit it.
She’d put up a better fight than men thrice her size had against him. That was something to respect.
But then there was the unexplainable. The draw he felt when he saw her. The irrational need to have her close. The way every cell in his body was yanked in her direction. He couldn’t have killed her if he tried.
Hell, his body still ached from having punched her once, like he’d turned his fist against himself instead of her.
River found himself wanting to know more about her. There had to be a hell of a story behind Chicago’s number one assassin. His tiger let out a pleased little growl. It seemed his animal was enjoying the thought of this woman’s company, too. Maybe once the mystery and newness of her wore off, he could get his head back on straight.
Rustling from beside him brought him back to the moment. Kate was awake, immediately fighting against the rope binding her hands. Her grey eyes looked like a lightning storm was brewing in them when she looked at him, full of hate, yet still so beautiful.
Maybe even more so, thanks to the breadth of emotion.
“I don’t know who you are, but I can tell you that you’ve made a huge mistake by not killing me. You better watch it, because the second you turn your back on me, I’m going to separate your head from your body,” she hissed.
River chuckled.
He wouldn’t expect anything else from a woman like Kate. If he were a smart man, he would take the warning very seriously. But he was feeling too reckless for that, too drawn to her to play it safe. Throwing her in the Hudson would have been the wise thing to do, but he wasn’t going to do that. Hell no.
His skin felt too small for his body as the heat continued to pulse through him, leaving no room for being careful and restrained.
“I have no doubt about that. Guess I’ll just have to keep my eyes on you at all times,” he replied, letting his gaze roam her frame from top to bottom, before giving her a wink.
Kate huffed, fumbling to tug her skirt back down and sitting up straight. She used her fingers to tame her wild curls before conjuring up an expression of disinterest and staring out the window, though he could practically see the gears in her head turning.
River felt a twinge of disappointment. He wanted to keep her talking, even if it was just to hurl threats.
He could try and keep the conversation going, but what was he going to say? He didn’t even know what his next move was. Killing her was suddenly out of the question. Even after all the effort he had put into finding her.
She had killed a bunch of his men and undermined his authority by helping Stone walk away scot-free after killing a lieutenant. If there was ever a reason to murder someone, that would be it. The case was cut and dried.
You’re playing a dangerous game here, man, he told himself, ridges forming on his nose as he swallowed a snarl.
No matter how much sense it made, he knew he couldn’t do it. How was he going to explain letting her live once he got back home? He had insisted on handling this on his own, to show he and the Claws weren’t to be messed with.
Returning with anything but her head on a stick would give the impression he had gone soft, which was something a leader of a shifter organization couldn’t afford. Especially not this organization, considering everything that had happened as of late.
Dyson would have a field day with this, he mused, peeking at Kate one more time.
So why couldn’t he do it?
River’s grip on the steering wheel tightened
as he drove in silence, trying to come up with a plan while stealing glances at Kate. She kept staring at the city passing them by, looking perfectly detached from the whole situation.
But River knew better. Her mind had to be going at full speed as she thought up ways to get away from him. That’s what he would be doing and he couldn’t afford to misjudge this woman.
As they started to leave the city behind, Kate finally decided to dignify him with her words.
“Where are you taking me?” she asked coolly, as if they were discussing which restaurant to have dinner at.
“Back to Chicago,” he replied, making his mind up as he spoke.
Her attention snapped to him immediately now. He grinned.
“Putting two and two together, Katie?”
Where else could he go? Whether he liked it or not, he still had an organization to run, and giving Dyson free reign for too long was not a good idea. Spirits only knew what his brother was up to in his absence.
He’d just have to figure out a reason for why Kate was still breathing before they got there.
“That’s a long drive,” Kate commented.
I’m counting on it.
“We can stop on the way if I get too tired,” he shrugged.
“Will I still be alive when we arrive at our destination?”
Kate’s heart rate remained completely steady as she discussed her possible demise, making River arch a brow. Was it years of training and a cold, calculating disposition that made her so unflappable, or did she really not care if she lived or died?
“Depends. If you’re going to give me no other choice than to kill you, I’ll have to oblige with the lady’s wishes.”
Kate mulled that over as River kept his eyes on the road, the traffic sparser now that they’d made it to the highway. Everything was quiet around them, the Camaro sucking up the noise, as the headlights of passing vehicles regularly bathed the car interior in light.
“So your boss wants to get his hands on me himself. That’s bound to be loads of fun,” Kate muttered, gently rubbing her bruised temple with her bound hands.
She’s going to figure it out sooner or later…River thought before replying.
“Actually, I am the boss,” he commented smoothly, while keeping her in his peripheral vision.
Kate couldn’t hide the way her eyes widened for a second as she turned to look at him.
“You’re River?”
River nodded, involuntarily straightening under her gaze.
“Wow. Killing you is going to be even more satisfactory than I thought,” Kate remarked, a devious smile stretching her lips.
Immediately, she’d gotten back all her spark and fire. He liked that.
River instinctively rubbed his neck, recalling how easily she had jabbed her heel through Jonathan’s throat. And that was just a job, no personal stakes.
I’m going to have to sleep with one eye open. Can’t wait.
Eight
Kate
Kate’s wrists burned as she very slowly and inconspicuously rubbed her hands together, trying to loosen the rope around them. It didn’t seem to be doing much. River couldn’t have gotten to where he was by tying sloppy knots.
She held back a sigh, not wanting him to know how frustrated she really was.
So I’ve been kidnapped by the head of the Crimson Claws… This is going to be a tight spot to get out of. Guess I should feel special.
They had been driving for hours now, mostly in silence after his big reveal, and she more than uncomfortable. With her hands and feet tied, she couldn’t really get into a relaxed position and her ass was falling asleep. The fact that this was the height of her problems at the moment didn’t escape her.
She tried shifting around, but mostly her efforts just managed to get her dress to ride up, which in turn drew River’s attention.
Kate was familiar with the look in his eyes. There was no doubt he found her attractive. She had used that against many men in her time. More than one target had been oblivious to the knife in her hand because they were too busy staring at her tits.
Was she surprised? No. But maybe a little caught off guard.
Is that why I’m still alive?
If she were to be totally honest with herself, River’s presence didn’t leave her entirely unaffected either. He was an impressive man, she had concluded as much during their fight.
But she caught herself looking at his powerful frame in a way that wasn’t purely about gauging his strengths and weaknesses. She wouldn’t mind a rematch, not only to gain her freedom, but maybe to also to feel his body against hers once more…
Whoa, I must be going insane. Or that punch to the temple caused brain damage. One too many concussions, it had to happen eventually.
She couldn’t possibly find the man attractive. No way.
He was a scumbag, a lowlife, a wild animal who had no regard for the people around him. She had heard stories of how his flaring temper had put more than a couple of his own men in the hospital. River should only elicit responses of anger and disdain from her, nothing else.
She rerouted her thoughts to think about what exactly River might want with her, rummaging around for a way out. He said he wasn’t going to kill her until they get to Chicago, so he must have something public planned.
Probably an execution in front of the whole Crimson Claws, showing them that no one could get away from their fearless leader.
“You look like you’ve tasted something sour,” River commented.
“Just thinking about what a piece of shit you are,” she replied, pasting on a pleasant smile as she turned to look at him.
It had started to rain a bit, with small drops bouncing off the windshield and a soft tapping sound coming from the roof of the car. Usually, she would have found that relaxing, but not now. Hard to enjoy the scenery when you were on your way to your funeral.
River was gearing up for a response and she was already fuming even before she heard what it was. Nothing he said could possibly change her opinion of him.
“I guess kidnapping you would mar your view of me, but I’m thinking you already had other reasons to hate me,” River said evenly, his eyes remaining fixed on the slick road before him. “Let it all out if it makes you feel better.”
“Mar my view!? Where do I even begin? What about the fact your goons have taken over whole neighborhoods, scaring the residents and making unrealistic demands of the local businesses? Or the way people who fight back keep disappearing? Or that one of your lieutenants went far and beyond to try and kill someone he didn’t even really need dead?”
River let out a harsh laugh as his eyes narrowed. The rain was starting to really come down now, and the desperate whoosh of the windshield wipers accompanied his words when he spoke. The inside of the car was dark, but the passing headlamps put just enough shadowy focus on his features.
“You’re one to talk. Remind me again what you do for a living?”
“That’s right, I kill people, for a living. I don’t do it to gain power or incite fear,” Kate shot back, her fingernails digging into her palms at the thought of River drawing even the slightest comparison between them. “I kill those who deserve it, not who get in my way.”
“You are so full of it,” River responded, pointing his chin at the backseat. “I don’t know much about these things, but I have a feeling those shoes and that purse are not something the average woman can afford, am I right?”
Kate glanced back and there they were. Her handbag lying on the backseat with her bloody shoes on the floor mats. Why he’d bothered to gather them up she had no idea, but they were pretty handy means for illustrating his point. She ground her teeth as River continued.
“This is about a lot more than making a living for you. There are other, less bloody jobs out there, yet you chose to be a hitwoman. Why is that, I wonder?”
He was right in his guess, of course, but there was no way she was going to tell him what the reason for her choice was. Besides, th
is was supposed to be about his sins, not hers.
“You’re just avoiding the real issue by making this about me. I haven’t heard a single denial or justification on your part.”
“I just thought it was funny how you of all people are so judgmental. But okay, let’s discuss what you said.”
Kate quieted for a moment, her attention on him. She wasn’t expecting him to actually entertain the conversation, yet here he was, doing just that.
“I’m a businessman, just like you are a businesswoman. I can’t do everything myself, so I hire people to handle certain things for me, and while I am in charge and give them orders, I also give them autonomy. I won’t be held accountable for every little thing they do while I’m not there, holding their hand.”
“You set the tone of the organization, you choose the members. Everything they do is just an extension of you,” Kate countered.
She wasn’t going to let him off the hook that easily. He was the leader of the Crimson Claws, if anyone shouldered the responsibility of what Chicago had become under their reign, it was River.
“So Richard was acting as an extension of you when he tried trading your safety for that girl?”
Her mouth clamped shut before she could let out the gasp in the back of her throat.
That definitely caught her off guard. It shouldn’t have surprised her that River was up to date with what went down with the whole Parker thing, but the way he casually threw that information in her face still made her uneasy.
What else did he know about her? She kept her past well hidden, but then again, he had found her in New York, a place she had a connection to… He definitely was no amateur.
“I get your point,” Kate conceded through gritted teeth.
The last thing she wanted to talk about was Richard.
There was some truth to the statement, but more so she felt this argument was useless. River wasn’t going to budge and she certainly had no intention to.
What she found a lot more interesting was how exactly he had managed to track her down. River looked at her suspiciously, those hazel eyes narrowing, not really buying her sudden capitulation. Kate didn’t let that bother her as she charged away with her question.