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Wonderful.So the CIA would be swarming the city.Another problem to wreck her life.And, speaking of a life being wrecked… “Do you always fuck women you believe have committed murder?”She hadn’t meant to say that.Had she?Maybe.
He smiled at her.An angry, tough, and, damn him, sexy smile.The dimple was in full force right before he revealed, “No, you’re special.”
Her mouth dropped open.
“That came out wrong, didn’t it?”He lost his smile and the dimple and raked a hand through his hair.
“How did you want it to come out?Did you want it to seem like you just admitted you think I’m a cold-blooded killer?”
“I wanted you to know that you’re nothing like any woman I’ve met before.”
“Because I’m a cold-blooded killer.Check.Got it.”
“No, I’ve met plenty of those before.You’re not like them.”His hand fell to his side.“I wanted you.I knew I shouldn’t cross the line, but I didn’t care.I told you to say no.I warned you—” He broke off.“Get in the car, will you?Eyes are on us.”
Like she didn’t know that?Again?“You seriously think I want to be anywhere near you right now?”
His nostrils flared.“In the car.”
“Why don’t you just?—”
He scooped her into his arms.Tossed her over his shoulder.The same damn way he’d done at Ivan’s bar when he’d carried her away after she’d knocked down Ivan’s motorcycle.For just a moment, absolute rage held her still.And then, her fists pounded relentlessly into his back.“Let me down,now!” They were in front of a police station for goodness’ sake!Where was a cop when she needed one?She was being abducted right in front of the entrance doors!
“Stop this!”Naomi snarled at him.
“You are indanger!You leave me, and who the hell knows what could happen?You might be pissed as hell at me,” he tightened his hold, “but believe me when I say that I will stand between you and danger.”
“I don’t want you standing anywhere near me!”A hard heave against him.Only he didn’t let her go.Bastard!
“Well, this is new.”A man’s voice.Mocking.Not overly concerned.“Not every day that you see a woman being carried off so close to a cop station.Takes a lot of balls—and probably not a lot of sense—to pull this move.”
Her hands shoved into the base of Eb’s powerful back, and she levered herself up.She found a tall, broad-shouldered male staring at her and Eb with raised brows.He looked bemused when he should have been looking horrified.Dammit, were there truly no heroes left in this world?“Are you going to help?”she snapped to the stranger.
He blinked.
“Yeah,help,” Eb emphasized.“Stop standing there like a prick, Hunter, and open the door for me.In case you missed it, she’s trying to get the hell away from me.”
“It’s really hard to miss.”He leaned against the side of the Impala and made no move to open the door.“I do a lot of things to help out you and your brother,” he continued, voice turning thoughtful.“I dig up classified intel, I bend some laws here and there, I face down killers—because you know, I do hate to be bored.”
“Sonofabitch, Hunter!”Eb surged forward, scrambling to hold her and open the door at the same time.
“But I think I have to draw the line at kidnapping a woman in broad daylight—right in front of a police station.I mean, we all have our limits, you know?”
Eb had no choice but to put her down.He tried to open the door when he released her.Naomi used that opportunity to whirl and aim a vicious knee right for his groin.
He realized her intent and dodged back.Mostly dodged.She made a hit because she heard the sudden inhalation of his breath.
“Naomi!”
“Figured it was her,” the stranger noted.“I don’t remember the masterplan being to kidnap her, but hey, maybe I’ve missed a few steps.”
Her breath heaved in and out.
Eb straightened and stepped toward her.
“Don’t evendaretry to touch me again,” she warned him.
The stranger—had his name been Hunter?—whistled.“Dude, do not do it.She ispissed.”