Page 13 of Mortal Heart

No one knew about the bite but herself and the vamp in question—not even Alice or Malcolm. Arkady had wanted it to stay that way, at least until she had a chance for revenge. After that, she wouldn’t care who knew because the story would end with “…and then she staked them.” Or took off their head, whichever way the whole thing played out. She wasn’t picky, as long as the vamp ended up as ash under her boots.

As she entertained herself imagining that scene, Ronan did something entirely unexpected: he smiled that hunter’s smile that had started to grow on her. “They got you, but you got back up after,” he said. “Because fuck ’em. Am I right?”

He understood how hard it was to keep getting back up again and again—that much was clear. And someone had beaten him almost to death and dumped him in Alice’s yard not that long ago. She had no idea what other indignities he’d suffered during those beatings, but maybe he empathized with her a little more than most.

“That’s right; fuck ’em sideways,” she said finally. She waggled her phone. “Back to business. I think I know where we might find this Ace.”

He raised his eyebrow and held up his own phone. “I also know where to find Ace.”

“But my lead is better.”

“How do you know?”

“Because my leads are always the best, especially compared to fly-by-nighters like you. If you’ve got a lead onanAce, it’s probably some jack-hole who has nothing to do with this situation. NowmyAce…” She tapped his chest, which rumbled audibly in a way that absolutely didnotstir any heat in her lady bits. “MyAce istheAce.”

His smile didn’t waver. “IfyourAce is the manager of a restaurant off Sixth and Maple, your Ace is actuallymyAce.”

“Damn it,” she muttered. “Well, I betyoursource doesn’t know where he is right now.”

“At Bella’s, you mean?”

She crossed her arms and glared.

Her surliness played right into his hands. His smile grew. “And judging by the time stamp on your source’s text, my lead came in first.”

God, he’s insufferable. “Shove it up your ass, Ronan.”

“Only if you say pretty please, Miss Woodall.” He produced a set of handcuffs from a zippered pocket inside his jacket. “I’m sure you already know how we’re going to get in to see Ace, aka Oliver Mora.”

With Regan safely on her way to Alice, he’d probably planned some scenario where she’d play a helpless victim and he would try to sell her to Ace to gain entry to the trafficking ring. And there was no way in hell she would have any part of that.

“I surely do.” She took the cuffs and twirled them around her finger. “We’re going in aspartnersto ask him some very important questions and then decide whether to hand him over to the cops or toss him over the fence into Alice’s garden. As for these cuffs…” She peered up at him through her lashes and gave one of the cuffs a playful little lick with the tip of her tongue. It was all a show, of course. She didn’t put on cuffs foranybody, least of all someone like him. But if she could take off her shirt and feign drunken attraction to the dipshits, she could pretend to be coming on to Ronan if it meant seeing him squirm. “If we have a reason to celebrate later, maybe they’ll come in handy,” she purred.

He didn’t squirm, however—not even close. Instead, he bent his head close to hers and brushed her ear with his lips. “Oh darlin’, you don’t want to play that game with someone like me,” he murmured. “That’s not a game you’re going to win.”

He’d used her own words against her, and she’d be damned if that and the almost intoxicating scent of his leather jacket and hot skin didn’t make her want to drag him into the back seat of her SUV and ride him like the stallion she reckoned him to be. No doubt she’d probably regret it later, but she strongly suspected it would be one hell of a ride.

His lips still against her ear, he chuckled. “I like the way you smell when you think about me.”

“Oh, get over yourself,” she retorted. “I wasn’t thinking about you. I was thinking about kicking some answers out of Oliver Mora and feeding those dipshits to Alice’s garden, and it got me all hot.”

“If you say so.” She could hear the smile in his voice. “How about we see about getting you satisfied, then?”

“Gee whiz, I thought you’d never ask.” She stalked off toward her SUV without waiting for him to follow.

“We’re taking my bike,” he said from behind her. “I never leave my lady in the lurch.”

Arkady paused mid-step. As a general rule, she preferred to take her own vehicle, but how could she say no to a ride on a Harley? It had been a long, long time. Too long.

“Fine,” she said, making her voice sharp so he wouldn’t know how much she liked the idea. “I’ve gotta get my jacket.”

“Whenever you’re ready, Miss Woodall,” he said, his tone mocking. “Your noble steed awaits.”

A noble steed. Astallion. And now that image of all nearly seven feet of him beneath her was well and truly stuck in her head.

Her face burning, Arkady stomped through the gravel to her car, with Ronan’s chuckle following her the whole way.

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