Page 37 of Hit Man

He doesn’t bother with a shirt. “Go the hell home,” he orders, without looking at me when I can’t seem to take my eyes off of him.

Without a backward glance, he stalks out of my bungalow.

Leaving me to wonder at the swift change in him, from sweetly asking permission to bossy, demanding alpha.

Why risk so much to protect me when he clearly dislikes me?

I inhale and exhale until the pounding of my pulse subsides. Whether he likes me or not is irrelevant; I have a bigger problem to consider. But how exactly am I going to get away from Casa Hella when the power is out?

10

Diego

“You were with her all night?”

I lean toward Mendoza, my forearms folded across the solid oak table we’d been summoned around less than an hour after this morning’s entertainment ended. If I wasn’t so pissed off about Aubrey’s involvement in all this, I’d be amused. Mendoza has a notorious temper. As bratty as a kid having the worst of tantrums. This morning he’s giving full reign to his emotions. Letting it cloud his judgment. And allowing me to do what I’m so damn good at, fuck with his head.“Eso es lo que dije,compadre,”I say.

Mendoza slams his fist down onto the table. “English!”

“Dónde estamos, Nebraska?”I add, sounding disgruntled when my intent is to push his buttons. You’d think all his business would be conducted in Spanish, whether his associates gathered around him are from the States or not, given that he was born in Mexico City. What gives with everyone insisting I speak English, anyway?

“Answer my goddamn question,” he shouts, waving his finger at me from the other end of the table.

“I already did. But you keep repeating the question like my answers are going to change. If you don’t believe me,muchacho, ask one of them.” I nod at the threependejoswho interrupted me midthrust in the bungalow. Who unknowingly did me a favor because if my riding bareback in Aubrey’s fist-tight pussy had continued, I most likely wouldn’t be seated here right now. No, I’d still be fucking her six ways to Sunday.

A first for me, both in the act itself, and in my becoming a victim of my dick.

Foolish idiot. I won’t be making that mistake again.

“Well?” Mendoza turns his attention to them.

“He was fucking her all morning. Sweating like a rutting bull, too.”

“It doesn’t prove anything,” Little-Man chimes in. I scowl at him, watching as he opens his trap to continue then immediately snaps it shut after catching my glare. Easily intimidated. Easy to manage in present company. The kind of asshole who’ll likely to do something behind my back when no one’s listening.Reading you loud and clear. You’ll be dealt with soon enough, amigo.

“What is this all about? I don’t understand why you’re so upset? What did he see?” I’m careful not to useshe.

Soon enough, they’ll come around to my way of thinking.

Mendoza’s been tight-lipped as far as what’s inside the crates delivered this morning. Seems very few of his men were brought up to date on the shipment’s arrival. The sooner I get this over with and the heat off Aubrey’s back, the sooner I can investigate further.

Mendoza abruptly pushes his chair back. It topples over from the force, but he ignores it, instead stalking over to the television monitor built into the wall. He hits the receiver button.

The room hushes as Aubrey and her friend come onto the screen.

Zoey’s as naked as the day she was born. She thrusts a familiar skimpy red dress at Aubrey.

“Why do I let you talk me into things like this?” Aubrey sighs, taking the dress and, thank fuck, heading into the camera-free bathroom to dress.

“Renaldo better keep her happy. Because I wouldn’t mind getting a piece of that,” the redhead from this morning says. Perfect. Let Aubrey’s hot-bodied friend draw the attention away from her.

But fate decides to screw with me.

Aubrey reappears wearing the skintight dress that looks like an inner tube, fitting snuggly over her ample breasts and hugging every curve.

Someone whistles.

I clench my fist beneath the table as she slides her shoes on. I don’t trust her. I can’t get involved with her. But fuck it if someone makes a comment about that sexy body of hers.