Page 9 of Ruthless Touch

“And who am I?” she asks in a silky tone.

It’s sexy. It’sseductive.

It makes some of the hairs on the back of my neck rise. Sill holding her gaze, I say, “A woman who’s either here to seduce someone… or kill them. And I can’t decide which one is more dangerous.”

She laughs, the sound like a graceful melody. “Only one? You underestimate me.”

“Trust me, I never underestimate what I want.”

“And that’s me?”

“Are you surprised?” I ask. “Look around you. Every man in this club has noticed you.”

“They should prepare to be disappointed. I’m not interested.”

“That’s good news for me. Narrows the competition,” I answer cockily. I hold up two fingers to signal the bartender. “Batendeo. Du jan.”

He recognizes me at once and stops mid-pour of the drink he’s serving another customer.

“Same drink as usual, sir?” he asks in Hangul, bowing his head.

“Lady decides,” I answer in English now. “She’ll have a…”

The beautiful feline looks torn between amusement and irritation. She pauses for only half a second as if deciding if she wants to play along, then replies, “Black plum tonic. Virgin.”

“Two,” I add.

The bartender gives another bow and then scurries off to make our drink order happen.

“Not many come to Eclipse to stay sober,” I say observantly.

“Not many buy someone a drink without even asking their name.”

“Figured I’d earn it first. Besides, I doubt a beautiful woman like you doesn’t get drinks bought for her all the time—regardless if you give a name.”

“Is that all you care about?” she asks, her lashes fluttering in another long blink. “My beauty?”

“Actually, you caught my attention for the opposite reason. Beauty is nice to look at. But it doesn’t keep my attention more than a few seconds. You, however, are different. You have more going on.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“Because something tells me you came here tonight with a purpose. You sat alone intentionally. You’vechosento only drink a tonic and spend the night people-watching.”

“What if I’m just new to the city and a little shy?” she asks.

That fucking silky tone of hers.

I’m grinning on the outside while being wrecked on the inside—at the sound, my chest tightens. Carnal hunger pulls at me, warning that I must be fed soon.

This beauty is too damn tempting, and it’s turning me on more than I like.

To the point I might lose my wits if I’m not careful.

The bartender returns with our plum tonics. She reaches for hers while I hold mine up for cheers.

“To shy newcomers and the trouble they pretend not to be.”

Her lips quirk again as if she’s tempted to give in to another laugh. Instead, she taps her glass against my own and takes a practiced sip from her tonic. My drink is longer, an attempt to quench the thirst she’s awakened in me.