Wise Moves by Mary Burton Read Free Book Online Page A

building. In the front seat she could see a young man with tattoos on his neck and arms glaring at Crystal.
    “Please, lady, please,” Crystal begged.
    Kristen unhooked the chain, grabbed the girl by the arm and pulled her in just as Tony bounded up the stairs to the studio.
    Kristen shoved the door closed only to have Tony block it with his booted foot. He wrapped his ringed fingers around the door and began to shove against it. Kristen could feel Crystal clinging to her and she struggled to keep the door closed. But Tony was stronger than her. He pushed the door open.
    Kristen, with Crystal behind her, stumbled back. She regained her footing, planted her feet on the ground and blocked his path to Crystal.
    Kristen’s memory flashed to a time when Antonio had lost his temper with her. He’d knocked her to the ground. She’d been too afraid to fight back. She had let her brother rule her life for too long. She’d had it with bullies. Tony would not hurt his girl.
    Kristen faced Tony. “Get out of my house.”
    Tony sneered as if she amused him. “Give me Crystal and I’ll leave.”
    The girl whimpered behind her. Kristen’s own fear made her sick to her stomach but she refused to back down. “You can’t have her.”
    Tony bared his teeth. The right incisor was capped in gold. “I can beat the crap out of you, too. Makes no difference to me.”
    She lifted her chin. “I won’t make it easy for you.”
    He drew back his fist and landed a blow to Kristen’s stomach. She dropped to her knees as Crystal backed away. Instinct had her curling her fingers into a fist. She might not be able to inflict much damage on Tony but she wouldn’t be a pushover. She would fight him.
    To her surprise, she heard Tony yelp.
    She opened her eyes to see Dane Cambia standing behind Tony. He’d wrapped his muscled arm with expert efficiency around the punk’s neck and had forced him to the ground. Tony’s face was contorted with pain and anger.
    “Let go of me, you bastard,” Tony said.
    Cambia tightened his hold, shoving his forearm into Tony’s windpipe. “Give me one reason why I shouldn’t just break your neck right now.”
    The raw anger in Cambia’s voice belied the easy manner he’d exuded yesterday.
    Kristen pulled in a painful breath, testing to make sure her ribs weren’t broken.
    “Are you all right?” Cambia demanded.
    “Better.” She straightened her torso and drew in another breath. The pain was easing.
    Cambia’s gaze flickered to her. Seeing her seemed to make him angrier. He wrenched Tony’s army behind his back again.
    Crystal wiped her nose with the back of her hand. “How does it feel now, Tony?” Despite her brave words she stood squarely behind Kristen.
    “I’m gonna kill you!” Tony said to Crystal.
    Cambia choked off the hood’s breath again. “Provided you live that long.”
    The violence turned Kristen’s stomach. “Don’t,” she wheezed. She struggled to her feet.
    “Let the police take care of him,” Crystal said.
    Tony lurched toward her. Dane jerked him back. “I don’t need the police to take care of him.”
    Fear registered in the punk’s face when he stared at Dane.
    Kristen had to agree with Dane. Police involvement was the last thing she wanted. Antonio had his fingers in too many police departments and if Tony were arrested, she’d have to file a complaint. Her alias would end up in computer files. She couldn’t do that.
    “Just get him out of here,” Kristen said.
    Tony grinned.
    Dane grabbed a handful of the thugs’s hair and jerked his head back. “If I see you around here again, I will make you very sorry.”
    Fear again darkened Tony’s eyes. “Fine.”
    Cambia let him go, giving him a shove toward the curb. He watched, his hands on his hips like a brawler, as Tony hurried toward his car. He looked back at Crystal. “This ain’t over between us.”
    Crystal jutted out her chin, all bravado. “We’re done, Tony.”
    He climbed in his car and revved