Chasing Joshua by Cara North Read Free Book Online

recliner could actually kill a man. He couldn't believe it, though his old friend said she had.
    "Social Services received her when she was eleven. There's a sister, but no history of her after nine years old. No death certificate, records, it's like she vanished into thin air. Their old man, Martin Blade, was a cop in Kentucky, prior Navy. He left the force when he was tried for his wife's murder. He got off on some botched evidence. Evelyn's file is straight out of a horror movie. The case worker moved her through three homes and then took her in herself, says she has problems with males. From there she seemed to straighten up, no juvenile records. Your girl's one of the best bounty hunters in the Mid-west by reputation. She is a sniper, trained with crossbow, black belt and some other martial arts shit."
    "That's enough.” Joshua's head was overflowing with the information. That sweetness wasn't her; it was her cover. His need for a female companion had made him blind. Well, that was all blown now. He wanted to know what happened to her, and he was going to find out. “Thanks man."
    "No problem, oh hey, Josh.” Stevens pulled at the collar on his shirt, tucking the file away.
    "Yeah?"
    "Sleep with your door locked and your weapon ready.” With that the phone line disconnected.
    "Who was that?” Evelyn felt his eyes all over her. At first they were light and concerned. Now, they were full of fury, pure heat.
    "What the fuck do you think you're doing?” Joshua didn't yell, but he suspected she misinterpreted his rage at the situation as rage toward her the way she grabbed the fork.
    "Eating.” Evelyn assessed the silverware on her plate. Fork, check, spoon, no knife, oh well, fork will do in a pinch. She didn't know what happened, but Dr. Jekyll just turned into Mr. Hyde
    "Do not lie to me.” Joshua's voice was more of a growl. Each word rumbled in turn.
    "You see me eating. How is that lying?” Evelyn was on full alert. “Who was that on the phone?” For the first time since she saw him she felt threatened. And though he wasn't charging at her, his energy belted her in waves. It was confusing, just like this morning.
    "Evelyn Blade, you have one more chance to tell me. What are you doing here?” Joshua knew she was trouble the minute he laid eyes on her. And that trouble kept getting worse. Instead of turning away from this, putting her out on the street, he did the honorable thing, took care of her. And now he would have to step back into a life he wanted to leave behind. It pissed him off in a major way.
    "I don't understand.” Evelyn really didn't know. She searched his face. His expression was pure business, his jaw set and locked. It was no second grade school teacher standing there; that was pure menace, rage, and unyielding primal instinct. She knew that look well. He lied to her. He's no school teacher. What was he hiding? Her only chance was the truth. “I came here because this is my safe house. I got my ass kicked, and I need to recover."
    Joshua watched her fingers grip the fork. Somehow he didn't feel threatened by it. She seemed more on the defense as if he would attack her for no reason. He should feel threatened, but his gut couldn't agree with his head right now.
    Joshua barely moved his lips, and the words dripped with menace. “You're holding that fork like you're going to stab me with it. Are you?"
    "I don't want to, but you're scaring me, Joshua.” Evelyn was now the calm one. Internally she breathed and set the fork down. The worst thing was she was being honest. She was afraid. For the first time in her adult life she was afraid of a man. “Who was that? What's changed? I told you my job, you laughed. Now you look like you're ready to attack me. I may be injured, and you may win, but by God I will leave a mark, I promise you that."
    Joshua took a deep breath. His gaze dropped to the tray in front of her. Really what was she going to do? He didn't want to scare her, and he definitely