Page 239 of Hate Mates

Stormy Seas by Gwyn McNamee

AN INLAND SEAS SERIES SECOND GENERATION SHORT STORY

Chapter One

WILL

What thefuckis she doing here?

Even all the way across the busy bar. Even with patrons along the rail and filling the tables scattered between me and where she stands. Even frombehind.I recognize her.

I would know that bodyanywhere. Have it memorized. Every single fucking inch of it.

And that clingy top and skin-tight jeans show italloff…

Thick thighs…

Flared hips…

That fuckingassmy fingers still burn to touch…

Emilia bends over the old jukebox slightly, tapping her nails on the glass to the beat of the song playing over the speakers—utterly and completely oblivious to the fact that her life is in danger.

Fucking hell.

Just what Idon’tneed tonight—a distraction like her.

I down the rest of my bourbon and set the empty glass into the sink behind the bar, casually scanning the dimly lit spacequickly. Taking stock of the situation without taking eyes offherfor too long.

Things could go bad very fast, and she’s right at the center of it.

Just like she always seems to be.

Trouble.

She earned that name when we were kids, and she still wears it as a fucking badge of honor—instead of trying to stayoutof it like I’vebeggedher to for decades.

The way she’s swaying her hips as she examines the song choices Iknowshe has memorized proves my point.

There’s onlyonereason Emilia Gates is here tonight—to causemetrouble.

Bloody fucking hell.

I slowly make my way from behind the bar, weaving through throngs of Saturday night drinkers who slap me on the shoulder or give me a nod of acknowledgment.

Though I try to appear casual in my approach, each step I take toward Emilia only further tenses every muscle in my body. My skin tightens over them, my veins throbbing, feeling too small to contain everything boiling inside me suddenly.

She has to go.

She can’t behere.

I fist my hands at my sides when I finally reach her to keep from immediately reaching out to wrap my arms around her like I have so many other times.

But that wasbefore.

Before she hated me.

Before I hated her.

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