Edits have me under the gun and pulling my hair out. But, fear not, I will not leave you wanting. I mean…do I ever…leave you wanting? Here, for your drooling pleasure, are Sasha and Niko from A Wicked Ride. If you haven’t yet said hello to these two, kindly do so through the links at the bottom of the post.
Back to the editing cave for me. For you…Enjoy…
“Who sent you?” Niko’s voice hardened as he grew tired of all the questions and no answers.
His visitor raised a perfectly arched brow. “Oh, honey. Do I look like I take orders?”
“What do you want then?”
All trace of softness vanished from her face. Her eyes became glacial. If Niko didn’t know before, now he did. This wasn’t someone to be messed with. Unfortunately for her, neither was he.
“The flash drive.”
Not the answer he expected. He shook his head. “Sorry, no clue what you’re talking about.” That flash drive was his leverage against the man who tried to kill him, and put him in a coma instead. Niko waited three years for his shot at Vicente, there was no way he’d let the woman in front of him take it away.
The stranger nodded once as if she’d come to some kind of decision, and walked backward to the chair with the burner still trained on him. “Shall I tell you a story, Niko?”
She continued on without waiting for his reply. “I believe I shall.” She sat. “So there I am, crawling through the godforsaken air ducts of Harper Royce’s office, when three men enter the room dressed in black.”
Mother. Fuck. She knew.
“Shall I go on, Niko?” She pursed her lips and waited for his reply.
Mute, he shook his head.
“I thought not. Now, why don’t we start over? And you can forget about the SIG, it’s mine now.” Eyes and gun on him, she reached down with her free hand. Sure enough, when she held her hand up, there was the SIG.
Damn, she was good.
She put his gun back on the floor next to her feet and sprawled back in the chair. “You got a girlfriend?”
Okay, what?
“What does that have to do with anything?”
She leaned forward, flashing gaze on his face and the gun hand steady. “Don’t for one second think I won’t shoot you between those pretty eyes. Answer the fucking question.”
Obviously, she was nuts. Niko humored her while he thought of a way to get his gun back. “No, I don’t have a girlfriend.”
The gold doorknockers in her ears swung when she shook her head. “Now that’s a shame. That body of yours was meant to be ridden hard. And often.”
She was killing him, with nothing but her voice and her words. Niko swallowed, throat dry. He tore his gaze away from her eyes and shot a quick glance down her body. Bad idea. All the blood in his body pooled in his cock. He shifted slightly to ease the ache.
“I‘ve been watching you sleep.”
Niko blinked to hide his shocked expression. She surprised him at every turn. Three years he hid from Vicente without his former employer knowing he was alive, or so close, yet here he sat. He never figured a doll-like woman would be the one to find him.
“You really should get a sturdier lock for your door. You’re damned lucky it’s you I found and not—ah, what were their names again? Maysin and J.” She stood, strutted over to him. “It’s been a pleasure to meet you, Niko Davaris.” She leaned over and put her lips to his right ear.
Sparks raced up and down his spine but Niko ignored them. He grabbed her by the throat. Her gun clattered to the floor as he yanked her down until they were face to face. “Now, why would you leave yourself open like this?”
Her eyes were wide, the pupils dilated. “Maybe it’s all a part of my plan. Maybe I wanted your hands on me.”
“You’re a cocky little thing, aren’t you? What’s your name?”
“Now why would I make it so easy for you?” Her lips curved up.
“This isn’t a game.” His fingers squeezed the smooth flesh of her neck. “You’ve no idea the shit you’re fucking with.”
Her body stayed relaxed, her breathing didn’t falter once. “So you’ve got me.” Mint-scented breath caressed his face. “I wonder what you’re going to do next?” She moved slowly until one of her legs draped over his on the bed.
Niko’s pulsing cock sat up straighter at the brush of her leg. He cursed his traitorous body; he should’ve taken his friends’ advice and gotten laid. If he had, he wouldn’t be contemplating what it’d be like to make this woman orgasm.
He glared down at his naked crotch and back at her, but her attention centered on his mouth. “Don’t fuck with things you know nothing about, Pink Lady.”
“Why don’t you bring me up to speed, hmm?” She met his eyes. “I’m all ears, Niko.”
She wasn’t afraid. The fingers around her neck flexed. He’d vowed to never hurt another person when he awoke from the coma, but he needed the drive to lure John Vicente to him. The smoldering woman in his grasp couldn’t have it. Vicente had a debt to repay and Niko wouldn’t allow anyone to fuck up his plans. Three years he’d waited, and within the next few days shit would hit the proverbial fan. The flash drive was the centerpiece.
“Hey,” she murmured. Something sharp and cool pricked his side. “Don’t take our current position as a statement that I don’t like your hands on me, ‘cause I do.”
His gaze traveled down his torso, stopped at the straight razor she held to his side. Christ. Who was she?
“Since I last saw you I’ve been trying to picture you naked,” she in that husky voice. “Nothing comes close to the real thing.”
He gritted his teeth. Desire warred with his long-suffering need for revenge. Nothing could come before him getting back at the man who’d taken his child and left Niko to die.
“Cat got your tongue?” she asked. “Pity. I suggest you let me go before I carve my initials into your beautiful skin.”
Niko swallowed a humorless chuckle. He’d survived worst things; cuts from a straight razor didn’t faze him. The woman staring at him with desire in her eyes did. Her heated nearness scalded him. His hold on her neck loosened. He couldn’t let her have the drive, but she could walk out of there before he did the things his three-years-celibate body demanded he do.
“Leave,” he growled. “Now.” His hand fell away from her neck. He curled it against the urge to touch her again.
“Aww, so soon?” The razor disappeared. She scrambled off him with a pout. “When we meet again—and we will meet again, Niko—your ass is mine.” Eyes on him, she grabbed her gun and backed toward the door.
He couldn’t breathe, she’d taken all his air. His limbs felt heavy and uncooperative.
She groped behind her for the door, pulled it open. “By the way, thanks for the flash drive.” The razor fell to the floor as she threw up two fingers. “Deuces.” Then she disappeared.
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