Page 31 of Lethal Lover

Two Mulligans?

“Did Patrick—?”

Heaven shakes her head. “No. It was me.”

My jaw drops. “Badass.”

“You should talk.” She grins. “And anyway, the bastard shot my husband. He almost died. There was no way I was letting that disgusting pig drug lord survive after that. I made him pay. One of my other brothers and I broke into his sex den to find him.”

“I didn’t know you had other brothers.”

Her eyes drop. “That brother is—”

A buzzing sound startles Heaven from her thought. She digs around in her large Chanel handbag for her phone. “I’ll be right back.”

She disappears with the phone glued to her ear.

I’m kind of a little in love with her, I can’t lie. A gorgeous woman battling a drug kingpin on her own to avenge a hit on her husband? That’s hot no matter how you identify.

The hairs on my arms spring up. I rub my hands over them. Weird, because even up here, it’s still stifling hot. Sweat beads pop up under my wedding makeup, and tiny streams down my back make me cringe. I hate the feeling of sweating. Of being so overheated that your skin gets drenched in it.

I turn to gaze out at the horizon. Lights flicker in the distance, the Las Vegas Strip alive with vivid color. The sky is clear blue, swirled with streaks of pink, orange, and purple. I love being so far above the melee. Maybe it’s why I love those rides so much, too. They take me away from the crazy and help me refocus my energy.

An uncomfortable sensation gnaws at my gut, though.

Things Heaven said. Two Mulligans. Revenge. Another brother.

She was about to tell me about him when her phone rang. What don’t I know about this family? And how does Quinn’s attack on El Azul link to Heaven’s attack on the other low-life scumbag?

A strong hand lies on the small of my back, a whiff of the sweetest mix of sugar and strawberries wafting under my nose. I turn and another shiver ripples through me, this one wholly delicious.

“What were you thinking about, wifey? You looked all spacey.” The vibration of Quinn’s voice flutters against my cheek.

For the second time in much too short of a span, my mouth refuses to cooperate with my brain. It takes me a little bit to unscramble my brain from the lust clouding it. “Just, um, how beautiful the view looks from up here.”

“It’s not the only thing that looks beautiful.” His lips curl upward.

That’s when I roll my eyes. “Wow, does that line actually work on anyone?”

His eyes twinkle with mischief. “You’d be shocked.”

“So the whole bad-boy attitude with just-fucked hair and a melt-your-panties smile plus that line gets it for you?”

Oh. Jesus. Did I really say all of that when I haven’t even been drinking?

The self-satisfied smirk on his face tells me that yes, I most certainlydidsay it.

He presses his hand into my spine, drawing me closer so that my chest is flush against his. “You think I have a melt-your-panties smile?”

“I didn’t mean it’d work onme.” I choke out the words, heat flooding me so hard, it creeps to the ends of my hair. “I was using it as an example. I mean, obviously it doesn’t work on me. I just meant it makes it pretty clear that you’re just trouble. And girls should beware.”

“Well, now that I’m off the market…” His words trail off, and again I’m struck dumb.

“Please. We both know what this is. It’s a bullshit ruse. Nothing more.” I swallow past the lump in my throat. “We have a job to do and then we’re over. You know it and I know it.”

“Oh yeah? Then why’s your heart beating so fast?” he murmurs, his fingers tangling in the ends of my hair. “Doesn’t feel like you believe those words.”

My lips part, but I can’t squeak out a sound.

---