Page 44 of Kings Against the World

Ozzie falls silent for a second, eyeing me incredulously before he releases a scoff of a laugh. “Whatever you need to do,” he repeats, then shakes his head. “You are so fucking hardheaded it’s enough to drive somebody crazy.”

“Why do you care? So what if I give a lap dance? The FBI is monitoring the situation. I’m in contact with my superiors. I’mupdating them almost every day we’ll be here. If things go too far?—”

“You think you’re gonna have the chance to contact them before shit hits the fan?” he interrupts, taking a step toward me. “You think there’s gonna be time for that? Or you think Boone’s gonna have you in some backroom with some guys who have paid him a couple thousand a pop for some time with you?”

I match his energy, stepping to him like he did to me. I’m so pissed, it takes effort to keep from shaking. “Gallagher, I am a federal agent with over seven years’ experience out in the field. I have been trained in numerous styles of combat and am an expert marksman who ranks in the top five percentile of the bureau. I have disarmed and taken down men twice my size. Some of whom I have brought to tears. I have never in my life backed down when confronted by a challenge and I’m not about to start now.”

He laughs again, this time mockingly. “You realize I see right through you, right? This whole obsession you have with proving yourself?”

“Maybe you’re just not used to women who aren’t damsels!”

“If that’s what you want to call it. But all I see is some chick who’s so damn hardheaded she’s about to get herself in some serious shit.”

“And I can handle it if it happens.”

“If that’s what you think. Just don’t come crying to me when it all goes to hell and you find yourself in a bad situation.”

“I wouldnevercome to you!” I scream in his face, losing any last vestige of bearing. “You know why, Gallagher? Because I stand on my own! I don’t need anyone else. That includes you!”

We glare into each other’s eyes, both vibrating from anger. So close, we’re only inches apart. We’re giving off hot energy that mixes in the air, becoming combustible, liable to explode at any second. All we need is the spark to set it off.

For the match to be lit, burning everything to the ground.

I’m not sure how it happens, who makes the first move, or if it’s out of our hands. If some force greater than us takes over and drives us to do it.

But the tension crackling between us finally shatters and we collide.

Ozzie reaches for me at the same time I’m fisting my hands in the fabric of his shirt. We crash into each other, his lips mashing against mine in a hungry kiss that’s rough and aggressive.

Almost violent.

Right away, it’s like the entire room is turned upside down.

Everything’s flipped on its head as we seek out each other’s mouths in some sort of twisted power struggle. Neither of us wants to back down even as we come together and express ourselves through the fierceness of our kiss.

Ozzie shoves his tongue in my mouth and I meet him lash for lash. We’re locked into a duel we don’t even understand, the heat between us chaotic and disorienting. He walks me back and I wrench on his shirt, keeping his mouth fused to mine, refusing to relent. My back slams into the wall as he pins me into place.

I bite his bottom lip almost hard enough to draw blood.

My way to punish him.

But no matter how hard I give it, he takes it and then dishes it right back.

His hands canvas my body, groping at me with no gentleness in sight. He starts at my throat then sweeps down to my breasts and hips and ass. He pushes himself between my parted thighs, and I curl a leg around him.

His lips have traveled elsewhere too, placing frantic kisses across my jaw and throat.

My mouth drops open as we’re pressed close and my hips circle against him. We gyrate together, creating a rough friction between our clothes. My pussy grinds against the denim fabric ofhis jeans and he squeezes my ass and lashes his tongue against mine.

There’s no decorum to any of it.

We’re hungry and impatient and rough with each other as we kiss like we fight.

It’s all so intense, I’m hot and panting yet still coming back for more. I capture his lips all over again and our tongues twine for another duel.

I’m not thinking about what will come after. How we can possibly make sense of what the hell’s happening between us.

Ozzie isn’t either—he’s in as deep as I am as he kisses me hard and slips a hand down the front of my hot pants. His fingers are quick, forcing my panties out of the way, going straight for my pussy lips.

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