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She’d been the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen.
The second time that Eb saw Naomi…she’d been standing at a small chapel.Not Vegas this time.Baton Rouge.And she’d been wearing a white dress.Long and made of satin.Her hair had been carefully styled around her head.She’d clutched blood-red roses.Her face had been solemn as she repeated her vows…and married his former CIA partner, Hudson Wyatt.
She’d still been the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen.
The third time Eb saw Naomi?Well, she’d been in Baton Rouge once more.Not in a chapel, but at a graveside.Wearing all black.A dress that skated over her curves.Black heels.Her hands had been fisted in front of her.No tears had slid down her cheeks.She’d stared straight at the gleaming casket.A casket surrounded by so many flowers.Roses.Carnations.Orchids.Lilies.Her husband had been in that casket.She’d watched, expressionless, during the entire graveside service.Ice cold.
Whispers had surrounded her.Judging eyes.
His hard gaze had been on her the whole time, but she’d never once looked his way.Had she even known he was there?She’d seemed oblivious to everyone.Utterly lost in her own world.But, even then, surrounded by the mourners, with her eyes completely dry, he’d looked at her and thought?—
Still the most fucking beautiful woman…Even though he’d understood then that beauty could hide the very worst evil in the world.
Murderer.
Despite all the suspicions, the DA had recently dropped the charges against her.They’d bought her story about a home invasion gone wrong.About her husband being caught by surprise while she’d been out during the night.But Eb had seen all the holes in her story.He knew Naomi for exactly what she was.
A killer.
And now, for the fourth time, he had his eyes on her.He’d been trailing Naomi as she left her place in Baton Rouge and darted across town in an old, blue, pickup truck.One that bounced and weaved down the dark road because the shocks on it must be worn to hell and back.He’d been curious about her destination initially, but as she’d continued her trek into the night, the curiosity had turned to unease.
She’d stopped in front of a sprawling, rundown bar.One that had a graveled parking lot lined with motorcycles of every type.High-end rides.Some tricked out with modifications that must have cost thousands.Others looked like barely sputtering, scarred-up bikes.The bald bulb near the entrance to the bar cast faint illumination over those motorcycles, and he saw the club colors on them.Not like he’d needed the colors to know he was staring at an outlaw motorcycle club.
But why was Naomi paying a visit to this location?You had to be looking for trouble to visit a place like this bar.
Naomi exited her truck, and she walked straight toward the bikes near the entrance.Her hands went to her hips.She stared hard at the bikes.Particularly the big Harley right beside the bar’s entrance.A fancy, gleaming ride that Eb knew cost far, far too much money to be left outside of a dump like this one.
He slid from his own car, shutting the door with the softest of sounds.Music drifted in the air.Loud and hard.Voices rose and fell.A drunk guy stumbled from the entrance of the bar and barely gave Naomi a second glance.
She kept right on staring at the motorcycles.Then her head swung toward the bar’s entrance.
And then back to the line of motorcycles.
A smile spread across her lips.One easily seen thanks to that bare bulb.That smile of hers was absolutely diabolical.
Eb tensed and hurried from the shadows.
But he didn’t hurry fast enough.Naomi lifted one booted heel—black boots.She wore faded jeans, a black shirt, and kick-ass boots—and she drove one of those kick-ass boots straight into the side of the big, expensive Harley.
Nothing happened.
Her smile dimmed.
Then she kicked it again.
Again.
And—
He grabbed her arm.Hauled her away from the motorcycles and toward him before she could cause some serious chaos.“What in the hell are you doing?”
She blinked.Tilted back her head so all of that long, thick hair tumbled over her back, and she locked the deepest, darkest eyes in the world on him.
Fuck me, she’s still the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.
Even knowing what she was, even knowing what she’d done, the sight of her was like a punch straight to the?—
There was a screech behind her.A groan.Ragged.Metallic.Then…