Cherry Adair - T-flac 03 by Hide, Seek Read Free Book Online

up. I'm not for sale, and I'm not leaving. This has nothing to do with money. And nothing whatsoever to do with you."
    "What's he holding over you?"
    "Not a thing," she snapped. "Ramon Montero has something I want. When I have it, I'll be happy to trot off into the sunset. Until then, leave me the hell alone."
    "Tell me what it is," he drawled, suddenly, suspiciously affable. " I'll give it to you."
    She didn't trust him any farther than she could spit. "You're not in a position to do so."
    "Then you'll have to do without it." Now his tone was uncompromising.
    Damn him for making her feel even more vulnerable and scared. Very carefully she slid her hand under her shirt and down the back of her leggings where the narrow Tampax box had been digging uncomfortably into her damp skin. She pulled it out. "Don't make me use this."
    There was a moment of silence and then he gave a bark of laughter. "What are you going to do? Shove a tampon up my ass?"
    Her cheeks flamed with fury. She didn't bother to ask how the hell he could see what she was holding, when she couldn't even see it herself. She mangled the flap of the sweat-dampened box with fingers made clumsy by impatience. White cylinders dropped like pickup sticks around her feet. Her fingers touched the metal barrel of the gun. She pulled it out, dropping the box and the rest of its contents on the ground. She pointed the business end of the little .38 Colt directly where she hoped Kyle's chest was.
    Right at his black, octagonal heart.
    "Get out of my way and stay the hell out of my sight. I don't care what business you have with Ramon, just stay away from me."
    "Hmm. Little thing like that can make a big hole."
    "Don't tempt me." Six shots would clean up his attitude quite nicely. "I'm not in the least bit afraid to shoot you. In fact, I'm sure I'll enjoy it."
    "Ever shot anyone before?"
    "No. But there's always the thrill of the first time," she lobbed back sweetly, her hand sweaty on the grip.
    Acid churned in her stomach.
    His sigh caressed her forehead. "Then I guess since you've shown me yours…" Delanie heard the rustle of his clothing. "I'll show you mine." She felt the cold caress of hard steel against her temple. "And mine's Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
    bigger than yours. Sorry, honey, you'll have to put away your toy and play the game my way."
    Her heart beat so fast it made her light-headed and blurred her vision. Mouth dry, palms wet, the sweat on her body turned to ice. She might not be able to see him, but she could feel the antagonism radiating from his body. She could only draw shallow staccato breaths at the sensation of that deadly, round black hole against her pulse.
    God, could he kill her? The answer throbbed on the next heartbeat. Yes. This Kyle Wright was quite capable of pulling the trigger. She'd seen it in his eyes this afternoon. The answer was in his voice now.
    He didn't want her here.
    Lauren will be lost forever if I'm dead. How would Mom and the others cope?
    Instinct whispered he wouldn't do it now. Not in the dark where soldiers would return fire before asking questions. She hoped.
    Coolly, she reached up and shoved the barrel away from her temple with her open palm, then crouched down to scoop up the tampons. "You really bring out the worst in me, Wright." She jammed the Tampax, packed around the little silver gun, into the squished-up box.
    She wished he'd disappear. She wished he'd—The question she should be asking herself was, could she shoot him if he interfered with her search for Lauren?
    "There." Delanie stood defiantly, not answering her own question. She pushed the box down the back of her leggings. "Happy now?"
    "You have no idea," Kyle said dryly. She heard him put his own weapon away.
    "Well, entertaining as this has been, I'm too tired to play cowboys and Indians. I'm going to bed," she managed carelessly, even as her body still pulsed with residual adrenaline. Her stomach