The Beautiful Thief (Stolen Hearts #2)(15)

“You already know what I want. One simple name. Why are you protecting him? Who is he to you?”

This question again.... He could lie. It wasn’t as if she’d believe the truth anyway. It wasn’t as though he had anything to lose. “I don’t give a damn about him. He’s a dipshit who deserves all that wrath you want to rain down on him. But he’s a dangerous dipshit, and considering how stupid you’ve been around me, you won’t last ten seconds around a guy like that. He’s already proved he’s not afraid to pull the trigger.”

“I can pay you.”

“I already told you I don’t want your money.”

“I don’t think you understand. When I say I can pay you, I’m not talking chump change. And you might act like you don’t need money, but the shit you were doing in Chicago didn’t look like it was for fun. You give me a name, just one little name, and I’ll make sure you’re set up for life.”

His little angel was rich. Somehow that didn’t surprise him. “I’m not going to say it again. I don’t want your money.”

She slammed her bottle on the table. Beer sloshed out of the narrow opening. “Stop messing with me. Kill me or tell me what you want. Those are the only two ways you’re getting rid of me.”

Adam put down his beer too and held out a hand. “Come here,” he ordered.

“I’m good where I am, thanks.”

He cocked his head and smiled at her little act of defiance. But it wasn’t going to stop him. He closed the distance between them and wrapped his fingers around her slim wrist. He could feel her pulse racing, and right now, his wasn’t that calm either. “I said come here.” She tried to stay where she was, but he was stronger and it was only a few feet until he reached the back bedroom.

When Melody realized where they were, she dug her feet in the floor and tried to yank her hand back. He released her just long enough to slam a hand on the door, caging her between his body and the flimsy wood. She hadn’t had a chance to try to run, so she was still facing him. Her eyes were closed tightly, as though she was just waiting for the next blow. Good. She should be afraid of him. This angel needed more fear.

“You shouldn’t ask stupid questions, Angel. You already know what I want.”

She opened her eyes and tilted her head back. Her fear was obvious, but she was at least trying to hide it. “No, I don’t.”

He tightened his lips as he tried to rein in his control. There were so many things he’d wanted to do if he’d ever had this woman alone. Now this was his second time having her at his mercy.

How many times had he laid on that very bed and thought about his angel? How many times had he jerked off just imagining all the ways he’d fuck her... touch her? God, he was caught somewhere between a dream and a nightmare having her this close.

“Tell you what.” He leaned in even closer. “You crawl into that bed with me and I’ll tell you whatever you want to know.”

“I don’t really have a choice, do I?”

“Oh, that’s where you’re wrong.” He lifted his free hand and rested it right at the base of her neck, the pad of his thumb resting in the middle of her collarbones. “See, you chose to come to Chicago. You chose to save my good-for-nothing life. You chose to track me down and you chose to come all the way out here where your life would be in my hands.”

“I had the gun.” Her voice broke as she tried to find the words.

“The gun which you chose to let me take from you.”

She narrowed her eyes before she lifted her own hand and mirrored his hand placement. Mirrored his threat. “There’s one more thing I can offer.”

“I’m all ears.”

“I’ll take you off my list.”

He raised a brow. “What list?”

“Three people on my kill list. You. Baldie. Sterling. If you help me, you’ll be off that list.”

“You think you could take me down?”

“Like I said, I’m not alone. I came here without backup as a show of trust.”

“You came here without backup because none of your family would let you do something so stupid.” He emphasized the last word and leaned in closer, ignoring the pressure she put on his neck. “Now, if we’re talking trust, be honest with me. You’d never take me off that little list of yours, would you?”

“If making a deal with the devil is what I have to do to get my revenge, then grab me a pen.”

She said it with so much conviction that he almost believed her. “All this for your mom? Would she really want you to become a killer for her?”

Melody scoffed. “Isobel would be proud. She raised fighters, even if you don’t believe it.”

Oh, he believed it. Adam pushed away from the door and from her. The worst part was that the more she talked, the more tempted he was to give her the name she was looking for.

“That man is a killer.” He backed up and sat on the bed.

“So are you.”

“Yeah, but I’m a killer who likes you for some stupid reason. And there’s not a single doubt in my body that if you take him on, you’re going to be the one with the bullet in your head.”

“For the love of— If you like me so much, then you can kill him with me. Just give me the name!”