Page 43 of Too Lethal to Love

“And what if the next move isn’t a taunt? Or even a threat? What if it’s action?” The shot that killed Danny ripped through her mind and shook her shoulders. “What if…”

He laid his hand on her arm. “I’m a super soldier, remember?”

She quirked an eyebrow. “Are you ever going to tell me what makes you so special?”

“I think I proved that upstairs.” He glanced at the clock on the dashboard. “I’d be happy to pull over and give you a reminder, but then we’d be late for the party. But if there’s a coat closet handy…”

Her shoulders shook again, this time with a snicker. Andagain, she appreciated how his sexy brand of charm could yank her out of the darkness, even if falling for that charm might lead him to a dark place he’d never come back from.

As long as you don’t become number four.

Kane leaned against the edge of the bar in the festive banquet hall. Despite the thousands of white lights strewn about, the fear in Beth’s voice sank deeper into his bones. How a smart woman like her believed in the curse some lady named Judy Martin and her entourage relished telling him about was beyond him.

Black Widow.

If he wasn’t a gentleman, he’d spike the punch with something to make Judy and her cronies puke for the rest of the night so no more trash spewed from their collagen-induced lips.

But Beth believed the absurd lie. He’d seen it in her eyes and heard it in her voice. No wonder she had nightmares. She thought she was responsible for every one of those graves in the cemetery.

And he thought he was the lethal one in the relationship.

Beth waved to a group of women her age as she glided across the dance floor to him. His breath caught. Fuck, she was beautiful. She glowed brighter than every decoration in the spacious banquet hall. Looked tastier than the Italian food on the buffet table, and more desirable than anything he could ask Santa for. But her smile when she caught his gaze?

He’d watched every grin she’d offered her friends. Former teachers. The mayor. The catty women who whispered behind her back. The grin hadn’t reached her eyes. But when she looked at him and smiled— a real smile relaxing thetension between her brows and around her pretty lips—his stomach did a nosedive.

She trusted him.

Desired him.

Despite her fear, she looked at him like he was the only man in the room. That made him the luckiest bastard in North Benson.

Her hand brushed his as she slid next to him. Winding their fingers together, he squeezed to remind her she wasn’t alone. They may not have a future, but she was his tonight. “I met Judy Martin.”

“Isn’t she a piece of work? Rita and Jerry did a great job of herding her and the brigade away from us, but even the town’s biggest soiree of the year won’t stop my neighbors from going to bed by nine.”

He shrugged. “I handled Judgmental Judy.”

“I wouldn’t expect less from a super soldier.” She eyed a group of her classmates seated at a nearby table with their heads huddled together. Every set of eyes fixed on Kane. “Does that always happen?”

“What?”

“Do women always look at you like you’re a piece of decadent chocolate cake?”

He chuckled softly as he brushed his hand along her thigh. Yeah, they usually did, but he hadn’t invited one to sample him in weeks.

Smiling, Beth ran her fingers along the row of ribbons on his chest. “Every woman in here is hoping you’ll dump me so they can consume you. Must be the uniform.”

“First, you liked me fine without the uniform.” He gripped her hip and pulled her to him. “Second, sucks to be those other women ’cause I’m taken for tonight.”

And if he had any say in it, he’d spend allnight convincing her she wasn’t a black widow. Contrary to what she believed, it would take more than an alleged curse to kill him. Somehow, over the last twenty-four hours, his life plan had veered course. Instead of avoiding relationships, he’d aimed to make sure Beth didn’t blame herself if anything took him from this earth.

Beth leaned into him as a tall blonde in a silky black jumpsuit approached. “That’s Judy Martin’s daughter, Evangeline.”

“Is that the same Evangeline you mentioned at the cemetery who wouldn’t leave the party when you two were in high school?”

“Yes. And according to her, youaretaken.”

Kane placed his hand in the center of Beth’s back. It was adorable how she offered protection from a skinny female who thought a random hookup was more important than friendship.

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