Time Thief (The Anomaly Trilogy) by Anna Hackett Read Free Book Online Page A

dip questing fingers between her muscled thighs. His cock twitched and with another groan, he rose.
    He could admit now that he’d been attracted to her since the first time he saw her. It had been in Miami. She’d given him the slip at the airport. She’d outsmarted him and he’d admired her calculating, quick mind. She’d also locked two of Leven’s men in a janitor’s closet.
    Sean had learned everything about her over the last few months. Watching her from afar, studying the places she’d stayed, analyzing her moves. But he’d avoided ever finding out her name.
    A part of him had been so angry that he wanted to fuck a time thief.
    Now she wasn’t the enemy.
    And he didn’t want to fuck her. He wanted more.
    She was someone who understood his pain. Someone he wanted to take care of. He knew she was more than capable of caring for herself, but that made him want to look after her even more.
    She was injured from saving his life and here he was trying to get her naked. He cursed himself. She’d spent her whole life having everything taken from her…he wouldn’t be another bastard trying to take more.
    Damn you, Leven. Anger licked Sean’s insides. The bastard was evil. He’d destroyed Bay’s family, murdered Sean’s team. God, Leven must have laughed at having Sean work for him. Well, Sean would make sure Leven never laughed again. Just like his team wouldn’t, either.
    Sean dropped onto the bed, his head in his hands. His stomach was kinked into a thousand sharp knots. He wanted to hurt Leven, wanted to beat the guy bloody.
    This damn anger was going to consume him. He clenched his hands into fists against his temples. It would burn him up from the inside out.
    He didn’t give a shit. If he died going after Leven, he didn’t care.
    The bed dipped. A brush of skin against him. “Sean?”
    Her voice was like a breath of cool mist. Her wet hair framed her face and she was only wrapped in a towel.
    His gaze traced her bare shoulders. Slim, but toned. Her legs were curled beneath her.
    The emotion in him morphed into white-hot desire. He wanted to rip that towel away, throw her on the bed and forget everything.
    No. He’d take care of her, even if he suffered in the process. He ripped his gaze away and stared at the wall. “Feeling better?”
    “Shoulder’s much better.” She pressed a hand to his thigh. “You okay?”
    “No.” And her being so close wasn’t helping. His already tense muscles turned rock hard.
    “I know I’m not one to talk about letting things go, but you need to control what you’re feeling.”
    Right. That was like asking him to stop a river in flood. He ran a hand through his hair. Jesus, she smelled so good. Clean and fresh with a hint of something…lemon maybe.
    “It’ll eat away at you otherwise. And you’ll make a mistake that’ll get you killed.” Her moss-green eyes were steady. Understanding. With her hair slicked back, she looked younger, softer.
    “Talking from experience?”
    A quick nod. “After my family…I ran. But I burned with the need to kill Leven.” She sucked in a breath. “I heard he was in Chicago. He owns a strip club there. I snuck in and surprised him while he was getting a lap dance.”
    Obviously Leven hadn’t grieved long. “You attacked him?”
    “Scared the stripper off and got my chance to choke the bastard. With my shoelace.” Bay shook her head. “I was so young, and running on adrenaline and anger.”
    “Bad combo.” He’d seen soldiers in battle do the same. They made stupid mistakes that risked not only their lives, but the lives of those around them.
    “I almost killed him, but his guards stormed in. Started beating me. And Leven stood there, blood running down his neck, telling me how he was going to keep me chained up. Force me to steal time for him. Let his men have me whenever they wanted.”
    Sean’s jaw clenched. She’d been no more than a kid! Leven would pay, over and over.
    “Hey.” She pressed her hand to