Page 57 of The Lieutenant

I couldn’t tell if he was miffed at what I’d said. He seemed emotionless. When he returned his attention to the screen, I allowed myself to study him quietly. He was dressed to the nines on purpose, his client expecting no less. Or he was ensuring the person would be thoroughly intimidated. He was even wearing cufflinks. A strange spot on one sleeve caught my attention.

Was that blood? I backed away, the same wash of fear I’d felt earlier returning. I’d been in bed with this man hours before and now, I was terrified of him? That made no sense.

“What’s wrong, Kara? Did you suddenly change your mind after last night? You were quite into the evening and I remember your moans as you writhed underneath me. They were sweet music.”

My reaction was swift and without thinking. I slapped him across the face. “You bastard. You were only using me. I was such a fucking fool. A fool! You must think you’re something very special in this world since it appears everyone is either terrified of you or is willing and even eager to bow down to your brutal authority. Did you kill someone, Havros? Did you kill that man for telling the truth?” I pointed toward the television, my chest heaving from the heightened level of rage.

What was wrong with me? I could list several things. At least I recognized the Greek god was nothing but a con man.

He grabbed my wrist, dragging me closer. “I’ve already warned you to be very careful. I’m not going to tolerate your disrespect. You are a reporter.”

“I am an award-winning journalist and guess what? I will expose your lies and your violence to the world and there’s nothing you can do to stop me.” I jerked my arm, managing to free myself, but the clumsy and frightened girl inside took over.

I almost tripped over the edge of the chair.

Havros was forced to catch me as he’d done a couple of nights before. Only he was no knight in shining armor. He was the real deal, a true monster.

He brought me as close as possible, his face looming over mine. The bastard thought he could easily intimidate me like everyone else. He was dead wrong. The arm he was holding me with had the bloodstain on the cuff. I inadvertently looked down and so did he, the man taking a deep breath afterward.

“You wanted to know how many people I’ve killed. Yes?” His voice was gruff, more demanding than before.

“Go for it, buddy. But that fact might find itself in print some day.”

His laugh was positively evil. “I wouldn’t expect anything less. I do what’s necessary in my line of work. I do what’s just for my family. My brother was led to believe he was meeting with a friend. Instead, he had a bullet driven into his brain. In my club. I’ve been forced to pick up what was left of my men, good solid soldiers who had their eyes gouged out, their intestines ripped from their bodies. I waited in the hospital three times wondering if my father was going to die because he was shot while trying to enjoy a meal with his family. Do you really think I need another reason for handling business the way I find necessary?”

He was trying to repulse me. I refused to take the bait. “What about the women who lost their loved ones, forced to raise a family all on their own because you murdered their fathers? What about that? What gives you the right to play God, Havros? You are only a man and, in my mind, barely more than a roach I would crush under my feet.”

I could tell by the fire in his eyes I’d gone too far. At this point, I didn’t care. I was finished with playing the nice girl, acting as if I’d fallen under his spell.

“Kara,” he growled.

“Are you going to kill me now?”

His darted his eyes back and forth, his nostrils flared and his jaw clenched. He snapped his hand around the back of my neck at the base of my skull, squeezing until I whimpered. But only once. The bastard wouldn’t get the satisfaction.

I pounded my fists against his chest. “Do it. Break my neck. Trust me, you will rot in prison.”

Very slowly he lowered his head until our lips were almost touching. His whisper was harsh yet sensual at the same time. “I told you before. I will never hurt you. You are truly mine.”

Where his kiss had been tender before, this one was rough and without remorse. He swept his tongue inside, taking what he wanted of me. I pushed him hard, continuing to punch his chest, but he wasn’t budging.

He kept his firm hold, his fingers digging into my scalp. I was his prisoner. There was nowhere to go and no one was coming to help me. There was little Jacob or my father could do. As Havros dominated my tongue, my mind was in direct contrast to the way my body felt. I still wanted this man. Hunger had almost consumed me, threatening to derail every aspect of common sense.

My brutal punching shifted into clamping my fingers around his shirt, tugging him closer. Oh, God. What was I doing? How could I want any of this?

His growl was deep and husky, rumbling up from his chest. I was certain he was going to fuck me right here, driving his thick cock inside while insisting I scream out his name. Never.

When he suddenly jerked away, I gasped in response. His face remained pinched, his expression still as hard and cold as it was before. But I could tell by the look in his eyes, a brief flash, that he was angry with himself for losing control.

He took a step away, releasing his hold. I watched in near awe as he raked his fingers through his hair and smoothed down his jacket. Finally, he tugged at his shirt sleeves, concentrating on rubbing his thumb over the spot of blood.

“I’m not always proud of the things I’m forced to do, Kara. But they must be done. Weakness will only get me and members of my family killed. I won’t allow that to happen.” When he finally lifted his head, I could see straight through to his soul.

Eyes were the window to a man’s soul? Bullshit. They were the key to unlocking every mystery.

Every lie.

He allowed me to see the real man behind his steel armor. The few seconds were as terrifying as they were awe-inspiring.

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