A Bad Man: Joey by Jenika Snow Read Free Book Online Page A

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    “A spotter would be there, but unseen, sweetheart.” He placed his arms on the back of the couch and watched her as she stared at the fire.
    “I’ll leave town, find somewhere else that doesn’t have me in this fucked up mafia war.” She snapped her gaze to his right after she said it, as though she were afraid of the words she had just spoken.
    He shook his head. “Not going to happen.”
    She sat up straighter. “Why?” Her voice got harder, and he saw a spark of the fighter he knew she was.
    “Aside from the obvious that I am the only one that can protect you?” he leaned forward. “You may or may not know some pretty vital information, things you shouldn’t know that could get you hurt.”
    “You don’t even know if I was seen, or if someone is coming after me.” She was twisting her hands together in nervousness. “But yes, aside from all of that, why would you want me here, in your personal space, and wearing your clothes?” Mara picked at the shirt and stared at him as if in challenge.
    “I want you, Marra, and keeping you here, knowing that I am the only one that can make sure you’re safe if, in fact, you are going to be targeted, just makes my need to have you even greater.” He was surprised when she didn’t blink, let alone flinch. “If you think I’m a bastard because I can and will keep you here, making sure you’re safe until all of this is taken care of, then so fucking be it.”
    She shook her head, opened her mouth like she was about to say something, and then promptly closed it. Instead of saying anything she stood and walked over to the bottle of liquor on the kitchen island. Joey didn’t move as he watched her take a shot right out of the bottle, set it down, and brace her hands on the counter. She hung her head, and the desperation was clear in the way she held herself.
    “I could leave, though, Joey.” She faced him. “I could go to another state, just pack up the few things I have and disappear.” She was crying now, not hard, wracking sobs, but ones where she was still trying to hold onto her composure. “I don’t want to be here. I don’t want to be in this fucked up situation, and I don’t want to stay here with you so you can protect me.” She wiped away her tears almost angrily, and Joey stood, hating that seeing her upset pinched at his heart.
    He moved toward her and was glad when she didn’t retreat. But when she reached behind her and held onto the counter, her body going tense, and her eyes widening, he knew that she played a good poker face.
    “Are you upset because you’re in this situation, or that I am the one you’re in it with?” Obviously he knew for anyone that wasn’t used to this life it would have been a hard adjustment and realization to come to, but he didn’t think it was just that reason. There was something else that she was not just coming out and telling him.
    And he would get the truth out of her, one way or the other.

Chapter Five
     
    Marra tried to calm her breathing, but Joey was so close, and the look on his face was so damn intimidating. He wanted her to bare her soul, to tell him things that she couldn’t.
    He took another step forward, placing his hands on the counter on either side of her. The scent of his liquor laced breath moved along her lips, and she felt this chill move along her arms. She shouldn’t want him right now, not after everything he had just told her. Someone could be after her because of what she witnessed and the fact she got away. Maybe they thought she’d run to the cops, tell them what she heard and have this huge investigation going on. But right now, as she stared into his grey eyes, took in the way his short dark hair fell across his forehead, and the way he had a day’s worth of dark stubble along his cheeks and jaw, he looked so good, so dangerously sexy and controlling that she couldn’t help but feel this submissive side rise up inside of her. She wanted this man to dominate her, to