Page 4 of Devil's Claim

Women.

More to the point, American women.

Although I had to admit the one in my arms had been a complete surprise. Not only in the fact she’d remained fairly calm after being faced with an intruder, but also because she’d tried to talk me down, expecting me to willfully follow her demands. I gave her credit for bravery, although if she knew anything about me, she’d realize challenging someone who enjoyed killing for a living wasn’t in her best interest.

I’d reacted without thinking, which was also rare for me. The need to kiss her soft lips had risen from the darkest part of my being. As I held her in my arms, I sensed some of her resolve crumbling, but the way she was clinging to me, arching her back as I swept my tongue inside didn’t indicate terror.

Instead? Desire.

Maybe I was blowing things out of the water, but I’d even gathered a whiff of her hunger.

What a bad little girl to entice a monster like me.

There was something about the beautiful, distressed, and very sassy woman that had aroused me almost instantly.

Her eyes were the light green of clear ocean waters, the darker irises creating images of swimming in them. Her body was perfect in every way, voluptuous in all the right places. Even the ugly fluorescent light of the kitchen hadn’t dulled the brilliant light streaks of gold in her copper hair. What had caught my attention immediately was her face, which had captured me in a chokehold that had stilled everything else around us.

She remained scared, yet her heated gaze trapped me in a vision of sin that could become a problem. Well, fuck. This was the last thing I’d expected would happen.

When I finally pulled away, her lips were still pursed and her eyes remained closed. In my mind, she looked like an innocent angel. Only I knew better than to think she couldn’t be the kind of trouble I didn’t need.

Not right now.

Not with enemy soldiers somehow managing to corner me and my men in a highly populated area of Miami. The goal hadn’t been to start a battle where innocent lives could be lost. It would seem Fassi’s soldiers had other plans. We’d been significantly outnumbered.

Jamal Fassi had almost managed to destroy the powerful empire I worked for, attempting to assassinate the drug lord and myself in the process. The Moroccan piece of shit had also attempted tooverthrow two powerful cartels who controlled Barcelona. The ploy had hidden the fact he’d stolen close to a billion dollars’ worth of precious jewels. The asshole had been a poor loser when we’d hijacked his cargo ship.

While Fassi had gone deep into hiding, we’d done the right thing and turned the diamonds over to the international police. We weren’t in the business of importing or exporting diamonds, whether legally or illegally. Too messy. Too… passé.

Now Fassi had an ax to grind. Unless I found him first. Which I would. When I did, I’d use a sharp steel blade for a long time. And I’d enjoy every moment of it.

Sadly, it seemed my night would need to wait. I wasn’t a patient man. Although I had to admit I could think of worse ways to spend my time avoiding disaster than with a beautiful woman who tasted like sweet cherries.

How the fuck had they found us? I couldn’t be certain, but I had to believe they were Jamal Fassi’s men. If the intel received only days before was true, Fassi had slithered his way from the hole where he’d been hiding for months. His first stop after retaking his throne?

Visiting his mistress in Miami.

The tip had called for immediate action. I’d jumped into the private jet with three of my men, hoping for the element of surprise. Instead, I’d underestimated Fassi’s propensity for deception.

Through careful reconnaissance, we’d found the woman, or so I’d thought, but the car we’d tailed had obviously been a trap. That’s how I’d ended up here, forced to find refuge for an undisclosed timeframe.

Fuck. The only saving grace was the number of apartments on the block. After a few hours, the soldiers would back away. But only if my men followed my orders and disappeared.

I backed away and the girl stumbled forward, barely catching herself by clutching the edge of her table. She licked her lips and I found myself watching her, both amused and annoyed.

It was obvious she was alone, which would make the time spent together somewhat easier. Unless she continued with her nervous banter. Then I’d need to fill her mouth with something to keep her quiet.

My cock twitched at the thought, but it wasn’t the first time my body had reacted since slipping in through her back door. Perhaps I’d recommend she be more careful with keeping her doors locked in the future. From what I knew about the city, it was a dangerous place, this part of town certainly not known for its glamor or safety.

She stared up at me with the most iridescent pair of light green eyes I’d ever seen.

“What… now?” she breathed. She was still shaking but pressed her hand across her lips at first. When she burst into laughter, I was taken aback by her brazenness. Did she truly believe my appearance was funny? “Um, don’t look at me that way. It’s just… Well, you have icing on your face. You know, from the kiss.”

When she reached out, I snapped my hand around her wrist by reaction.

“Ouch. You have trust issues,” she whispered, glaring at me with an unyielding look in her eyes.

Exhaling, I released my hold, surprised once again as she rubbed her fingers across my face. Her touch was far too electrifying. A slight and very wry smile curling across her voluptuous lips, she held up her hand, allowing me to see the thick smudge of icing on her fingers.

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