Page 39 of Twin Deception

I shouldn’t be excited. It was so damn wrong to be turned on and hyped up on the adrenaline that pummeled through me and edged me on. To see how far I could edgehimon.

His sinister stare suggested wicked delight if he had to chase me. The firm set of his lips dared me to piss him off and make him work to find me.

“Isabel…”

Oh, fuck.That growly voice. I sped up, almost tripping on my flight.

“Isabel!”

I ran as he lunged forward to catch me. Stubbing his toe on the couch slowed him just enough for me to wrench open the door and burst into the hallway. I slammed the door shut and ran for the elevator, and as its panels started to slide closed, I bit my lip and damned myself for enjoying this way,waytoo much.

Find me, Miguel.

Hunt me down.

Make me yours.

15

MIGUEL

Oh, you want to run?

I darted forward, smashing my foot against the foot of the couch.

“Fuck!”

Isabel spun, yanking the door open, running out, and slamming it shut after her.

“Fuck!” Wincing at the stupidly potent point radiating through my foot, I made a fist and slammed it down on the top of the couch.

A fucking couch. That was what stopped me from reaching her in time to prevent her from running away.

Again.

Isabel had fled me yet again, all because I stubbed my goddamn toe on a piece of furniture. I was a professional, a killer for the Cartel, an independent hitman, andthiswas what got me? This was how I was slowed down from my target?

I wasn’t sure that calling Isabel mytargetwas appropriate anymore. I wanted her too damn badly. Killing her seemed like an afterthought that I’d never bother with. Fuck that contract. Drago could shove it where it didn’t shine.

Killing Isabel wasn’t happening, not on my watch. That was why I’d killed that fucker in the alley. Beneath all the layers of confusion and frustration that I struggled with, I could not stomach the thought of losing her for good.

And I would go out of my way to prevent it. To protect her.

Even if that meant fucking running after her sassy, sexy ass again tonight.

Pausing long enough to double back and shove my feet in my shoes before grabbing my gun and wallet, I spotted her tiny clutch bag on the side table where she’d dropped it in her dazed state of shock.

Sweetheart, you’re going to regret this.

I ran out the door to chase her down.

She wasn’t even thinking. She couldn’t have been if she left her purse behind. She just operated on emotions, wanting to run and escape the hard stuff like helping me figure out why Drago, or anyone, would see her as a pawn to lure Flores out of hiding. She said several times that she’d cut ties with him. All the crap I’d looked up about her father showed nothing that would suggest he cared about his daughter.

Then why change the hit to focus on her? Why kidnap her, then say to kill her?

Nothing was making sense so far, and until I could see what was going on or have a better guess, she had to cut out this runningnonsense. She couldn’t rush away at the first sign of trouble, impatience, or frustration.

I sped down the hall toward the elevator. Numbers lit up on the panel, indicating it had gone from the fifth floor to the fourth, where it sat.

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