Page 8 (1/2)

How could he have been so wrong? His instincts were usually better than that

Paul couldn’t look her in the eye He couldn’t bear to see the greed he kneould be lurking there "Deal," he said, but he couldn’t bring hirab a quick shower," she said "If the et out, we can leave"

Andra nearly ith relief when Paul agreed to her ter the transfer of funds into her account when she went to shower She couldn’t believe how easy it had been

Finally, Andra could be sure that Nika was always going to have a place to live Between the half e life insurance policy, if anything happened to Andra, Nika would always be cared for She’d be safe

Andraoff the sweat of pain and fear froht, and threw on the first mostly clean pair of jeans she could find Her laundry was becoot back, but not no she had to hit the road with a oto have to be really careful that she didn’t let hi roolamorous Her hair was still wet and she hadn’t bothered to take time for makeup She was just too damn tired to care what she looked like

"It’s done," said Paul, his tone bleak The war hiht and knew that the man was a formidable opponent, but she’d never worried that she’d be on the receiving end of his sword

Until now

The ed the way he looked at her, and no matter how much she told herself it didn’t matter, she kneas a lie She wanted him to like her Respect her She had no idea why it mattered It never had before She’d pissed off more than just a few people in her deter child, but with Paul it was different That slight disdain lifting his lip when he looked at her hurt

Andra couldn’t ht, so she refused to think about it They had a deal Nika would be safe Ti?"

"Missouri"

Andra nearly groaned She was too tired to drive that far She knew she was She’d never ain, if she didn’t survive, Nika would get all that money from her life insurance

She decided to put this situation under the in heading

Soh on her face, because Paul said, "I’ I wouldn’t want you to crash your truck before you finished giving me my money’s worth"

Andra nodded "Fine"

"Pack for a couple days, but be quick"

Andra picked up one of two overnight bags she kept packed and ready to go at all tiot a call froht she saw a glimmer of respect cross his hard features, but she couldn’t be sure

There was a loud pounding on her front door, as if so to kick it in

Paul slid a sword out froht a finger to his lips for silence

"It’s probablypayo peek through the hole, but Paul held her back with a thick, razed the skin of her arh to roan of pleasure A tingling warmth spread out fro theainst him like a cat, and she wished he hadn’t put his shirt back on while she was in the shower It would have felt so good to splay her fingers across his back and get to know all of the rigidbeneath his flesh

Her skin heated until she was sure she was bright red An aching, needy eether in an effort to ease the ache It didn’t work She needed Paul to lay her down and fill her up--to slide inside her over and over until the world fell away and nothing but the two of them existed No worries No fears No monsters Only Paul and the touch of his skin on hers

He stepped away fro with the potent force of her need She gripped the wall for support, but it did little good She ended up sitting on her ass, shaking like she’d just spent the last week throwing up

Through the door came, "It’s Madoc Open the fuck up"

Diiant inside her ho and heavy and wrapped in a sheet Booted feet stuck out of one end

Holy shit He’d brought a corpse into her apartment

"He’s bad," said Madoc

"How bad?" asked Paul Concern roughened the edges of his words

"He started seizing a couple ht hiht touch him, did you?" asked Paul "We don’t need that kind of trouble right now"

Madoc laid his burden down on her couch and started closing the blinds over Andra’s s "Do I look like a fucking idiot? I was careful--had hiht We don’t need any more surprises"

Andra pushed herself up "What is going on? Is that Logan?"

Paul didn’t even spare her a glance He was too busy unwrapping the cocoon of sheets froan back onto her couch He’d soht and was now a skeleton draped in skin That skin was pale--almost blue--and he was completely still