Kat and Mouse by Lexxie Couper Read Free Book Online Page A

The Mouse. And The Mouse is who you’re —
    A dark eyebrow arched. “I did not take you for a coward. Perhaps you are not as skilful at playing games as you would wish people to believe. A meek little mouse, not a fierce lioness.”
    His words sliced into her like a blade. Mouse. Was the word a coincidence or a taunt?
    “Perhaps you are scared,” he continued, eyes unreadable black pools. “Of the woman inside who longs to be free. Why else would you be here in Los Magia.”
    Katrina narrowed her stare. “You tell me.”
    He chuckled. “If you win.”
    Meek little mouse… Here in Los Magia …
    She tilted her chin and dropped another one-hundred credits in chips on her stack. “Agreed.”
    With languid calm, the man threw five gold chips onto the table, never removing his stare from her.
    The dealer flipped Katrina her first card. Ten of Clubs.
    Pulse quickening, she watched him deal the man to her left. Ace of Diamonds.
    The Dealer place the “hole” card down before him, and then it was back to Katrina.
    Feeling like she was covered in ants, she watched her new card slide from the pack. Ten of Spades.
    Twenty .
    A sense of victory warmed her blood and she turned to the man beside her, smile wide and—she had to admit—smug. “Sit.”
    Their dealer slid another card from the pack and placed it face-up before the man beside her.
    Nine of Clubs.
    Katrina’s sucked in a swift, but silent breath. Twenty.
    Black eyes regarded her. Unwavering. Arrogant. It was as if his cards held no importance to him at all. He tapped the table once with one long finger. “Hit.”
    A thrill of incredulous surprise shot through Katrina. Hit? With twenty? What were the odds—
    The dealer flicked out another card.
    Time froze. The room fell to silence. All she could hear was the beat of her heart—wild, erratic. Frantic. Pulse pounding, she watched the dealer turn the card and placed it face up it beside the man’s nine of Clubs. Her mouth went dry. Ace of Clubs.
    Sinfully sexy lips curled in an arrogant smile. “Twenty-One.”
    “Dealer busts,” their dealer said suddenly and Katrina jumped, flinging her stare from the man’s winning hand to the dealer’s.
    Ten of Diamonds, six of Clubs, eight of Clubs: twenty-three.
    Turning back to the man beside her, heart hammering, she found him standing, his expression completely unreadable. “Room Forty-Two, minette sexy . The Western Wing. Twenty minutes. Do not be late.” He turned from the table, winnings still stacked on the felt, and walked away, his tall frame dominating the space even as he disappeared into it.
    Katrina stared after him, wanting to scream. God, she recognised that walk. She did. But how? Why? A ghost of a memory flitted through her mind. An echo of a moment. There, teasing her, then gone. Just as quickly as the man himself.
    Damn it.
    She swallowed, her pulse quickening. Minette sexy . Sex kitten.
    An image of the latex cat’s costume spread out on her bed flashed through her mind and she swallowed again.
    Had the very prey she hunted just caught her?
    And if so, why were her knickers growing wet with anticipation?

Chapter Five
     
    “She’s quite addictive, is she not? Australian Federal Police Officer, Katrina O’Lauchlan.”
    The Mouse didn’t need to remove his stare from the departing Katrina’s back to know Abaddon stood to his right. He’d had more than one conversation with the man on the phone to recognise his mysterious client’s voice. “I was wondering when you’d make an appearance.”
    “I could not wait until tomorrow night,” Abaddon replied, and The Mouse heard an undercurrent of mirth in the man’s deep voice. “You have lost the accent, I notice. This is good. Your real one is much more…” A pause followed. “…Australian.”
    The Mouse flicked the man beside him a quick look. “So is my patience. I have the Australis Night . I assume you have my three million credits?”
    Abaddon laughed, the sound pressing a chill to