Passing His Guard

The only thing whistle-blowing would accomplish at this point would be getting herself killed, which wasn’t entirely off the table. If she didn’t get Aiden delivered to his mother and collect her payment before Moralli’s deadline, death was a very real possibility—or worse. His enforcer made it clear they’d get their money out of her one way or another. She didn’t even want to consider what the other way could be.

So on that happy note, Rya

Shit . . . She raised her arm, checking the underside, and found the fifth—a thumbprint. Did she really just think Aiden a lesser of anything? Sighing, she kept on walking. There was no denying it, she was royally fucked—and not in a good way.

When Rya

God help her, she was going to hell for this.

CHAPTER

6

You lost again, Gingersnap?”

If anyone could make an endearment sound derogatory, it was this man—of all the fucking luck. Rya

What the hell had he done? At the thought that he might have hurt himself, a band of guilt tightened around her chest. She needed to see him, to apologize for their misunderstanding and try one final time to reason with the man before he forced her to do something they’d both regret.

The fighter Aiden had called Del Toro turned from the heavy bag he’d been beating the shit out of and ambled over to her. He moved with a fighter’s powerful grace that reminded her a lot of Aiden. The fight-or-flight instinct kicking adrenaline into her bloodstream was telling her to run. She forced herself to stay, holding her ground. But when the fighter finally stopped, he was much too close for comfort—so close she could smell that salty tang of clean male sweat and feel the heat radiating off his body like an inferno.

Propping his forearm on the doorway, he leaned closer and inhaled deeply. Was he . . . smelling her? Rya

Clearing her throat, she notched her chin in defiance to her railing nerve and forced the air from her lungs to speak. “I’m looking for Aiden. Is he here?”

“Nope. Disco left town last night.”

He what? “Do you know where he went?”

“If I did, I sure as hell wouldn’t tell you, sweetheart. I hate to break it to you, but you’re not the first cage banger to come chasing after that one.”

Cage banger? This guy thinks . . . that I . . . that we . . . God, how embarrassing . . .

“Disco doesn’t do long-term. Save yourself a lot of trouble and go find another cock to rock, huh?”

Okay, now she was pissed. Rya

The man actually smiled, a hint of humor lighting his eyes that, on closer inspection, held little flecks of silver and sapphire. She’d been right, he was handsome. Not in the in-your-face, panty-dropping way Aiden was, but in a very rough, primal, testosterone-charged way. This man exuded masculine prowess like she couldn’t believe.

“Sorry, babe, I don’t do clingy any more than Disco does, though I have always had a thing for redheads.”

“You’re a pig.” The rebuttal was out of her mouth before she had a chance to call it back or consider the wisdom of baiting a man twice her size.

He laughed. The asshole actually laughed!

“You keep sweet-talking me, and I might just reconsider. With a mouth like that, I bet you could suck some c—”

She reacted. Instantaneous and reflexive, Rya

Before she could think too hard on it, the fighter’s eyes dropped to her bicep. All humor left his face as he stretched out her arm and rotated her wrist. “Did Disco do this to you?” The fighter’s deep voice took on a gravelly edge that sent the fine hairs on the back of her neck prickling.

“Why would you think he did?” Was she wrong about Aiden? Did he make a habit of taking his temper out on woman?

“Because I saw you leave with him last night, and because he spent two hours in the ER this morning before hopping on a fucking plane. What in the hell went down between you two?”

She couldn’t tell if he was angry at her or for her.

“Listen, Rya

For real? This guy knew her name, too? Good thing she hadn’t told that magpie Regan anything more personal about herself. Rya

“I was sent here to give him a message from his family. I just want to talk to him.”

“You didn’t speak last night?” Then he laughed at the absurdity of his own question. “Of course you didn’t—it’s Disco we’re talking about.”

Her cheeks heated with embarrassment at the fighter’s assumption, and just how close he’d come to guessing the truth. Oh, they’d spoken all right—eventually. “So will you tell me where he is?”

He studied her another minute, seeming contemplative.

“Somerset, Wisconsin, that’s all I know. He left with Coach early this morning. When you see him, tell him I said that’s for the busted rib.”

Seriously? She was Aiden’s punishment? Resisting the urge to stomp her foot and tell this guy what an asshole he was, she painted a false smile on her face and sweetly said, “Thank you. I’m sorry to take up your time.”