The Breed Next Door by Lora Leigh Read Free Book Online Page A

cover the emotional response suddenly surging through him.
    "I'm telling you, Jonas, it's getting dangerous here."
    "That goes without saying," Jonas agreed. "I'll head out there myself with Braden and cover you. Let me know how she takes it."
    Tarek grunted at that one.
    "The information. Not that." He laughed, entirely too amused to suit Tarek. Then his voice sobered. "She's a good woman from what I learned, Tarek. You could have done worse."
    "She could have done much better," he said. "You say it's permanent?"
    "Like a drug," Jonas said, his voice quieter now. "There are only a few mated couples so far. They're still doing tests, trying to find answers. But so far, it's permanent."
    He was fucked. He would have to tell her the truth. If she had a brain in her head, she would run as fast and as far from him as possible. And he would be stuck, obsessed—hell, in love with a woman he knew he had no right to, and no chance of touching.

Chapter Six
    The next morning dawned cold, the rain still falling in a listless, icy drizzle along the windowpanes. Every curtain in the house—thick, heavy, rubber-backed curtains—was closed tightly, and the atmosphere between Lyra and Tarek was decidedly tense.
    Breakfast consisted of rich, strong coffee and the mound of sausage biscuits Tarek had nuked in the microwave. She had managed to choke down two. God, how did he stand that stuff?
    Then she sat, finishing her coffee, watching as he consumed the rest.
    He was too quiet. Brooding. His expression savagely relentless as the silence became thick enough to cut with a knife. She could almost see it distorting the air around them.
    "I have to go home," she announced as she rose to her feet and took her cup over to the sink. "The security company should be around soon…"
    "I canceled the call." His response had her turning back to him slowly. "My people will be here in a few hours to replace the system entirely."
    She stared back at him silently for long moments. This wasn't the lazy, often-cautious man she had come to know. He was still, prepared, his body tense. Still sexy as hell, but the caution had been replaced by a dangerous sense of expectation.
    "Really?" she finally answered, crossing her arms over her breasts. "And I gave permission for this, when?"
    When he raised his eyes to hers, she shivered, a tremor racing up her spine at the intense lust, the pure, driving hunger she saw in those eyes.
    She could feel her vagina weeping. The juices were fairly dripping from the hidden flesh. And he could smell it. She watched him inhale slowly, as though savoring the scent of her.
    "Pervert," she snapped, frowning as sensuality fully marked his expression. "Fine, you make me hot. You can smell it. Now it's time for me to go home. Thanks for saving the night and all that."
    She turned for the door.
    "Touch that doorknob, and you'll regret it."
    Her hand was within an inch of gripping it when she drew back slowly at the sound of his voice. She turned, swallowing tightly at the savage expression on his face as he lifted his cup and finished his coffee slowly.
    "Tarek, you're going to piss me off," she warned him, suddenly wary. "The silent He-Man crap doesn't get it with me."
    He leaned back in his chair, watching her with predatory interest. She had seen glimpses of this side of him, but it had never been focused entirely on her. It had her body tightening, adrenaline and excitement rushing through her.
    She was sick. That was all there was to it.
    He scratched at his chest slowly.
    "Amazing things, genetics," he finally stated with a forced calm that made her think of the eye of a hurricane. This was not going to be good.
    "Really?" She lifted a brow, standing close to the door as she arched her brow mockingly.
    "Really." He nodded. "All kinds of little things start cropping up, surprising the hell out of you, reminding you that Fate does get the final laugh on all our asses."
    Oh, this just wasn't going to be good at all.
    She moved