The Wolf (Black Dagger Brotherhood: Prison Camp #2)(50)



“Do you want me to carry you—”

“No, I’m going to walk. Thanks.”

Well, shuffle was more like it.

She had to rely on him more than she wanted to—and she thought about the old couple coming out of the emergency room from the other night. Little had she known then she’d soon be playing the role of the wife, with the other half of the duo the supplier’s rep.

Luke was really steady for her. Let her pick the pace. Didn’t rush her, and seemed ready to stay with her even if it took a decade.

The support and kindness felt . . . weird. And also . . . lonely.

Because it was nice of him, and she didn’t have anyone in her life to fill that “nice” role, head injuries or no head injuries.

Plus she was pissed off she was so weak—except then she figured it might be to her benefit. As she recovered more and more, she could keep up the act, and the more compromised he thought she was, the less he was going to keep an eye on her. And that was going to give her a chance to— “Whoa, okay, I got you.”

Without any warning, the floor rushed up to greet her and there was nothing she could do to stop the abrupt introduction. Luckily, Luke scooped her body from its free fall and hefted her into his arms.

And that was when she became acutely aware of him.

He was incredibly strong, his muscles cording up under his thin sweatshirt. Then again, she had the sense that he could have been wearing chain mail and she would have been all, Hey . . . pecs. Plus that cologne of his. What the hell was it?

No five o’clock shadow on him. And a great jawline— “No.”

He looked down at her. “What?”

Flushing, Rio shook her head. “Nothing. Let me get the door for us.”

She reached forward for the handle, but he pulled her out of range. “I need to check first.”

“For what?” When he didn’t answer, she pretended to be unaware of what she’d asked. “You can put me down?”

Luke set her on the concrete floor like she was a shot glass on the head of a pin, and as she was grateful for the wall’s support, she wondered where she could get some food. Calories would help wake her up. And give her the energy to investigate.

Meanwhile, the door he opened was really solid, made of steel, it looked like, but the paint was flaking on the other side, and the corridor that was exposed was dim— Okay, wow. It smelled like 1972 out there, a combination of cigarette smoke, carpet cleaner, and not-been-vacuumed-for-a-while.

“All right.” He came back over and hefted her into his arms again. “We’ll be quick.”

In the hall, she tried to get a bead on what kind of a building they were in—and decided it was a building. As she looked around, the scale of everything was too large for a residential home, and even too big for a lot of institutions, the corridor easily fifteen feet across and God only knew how long.

The light bulbs seemed to go on forever in both directions.

Yet there was no one anywhere she could see and she heard no voices, no sounds. But there had to be people of some sort here. Why else would you need seven hospital beds? As her brain worked the multipliers, she knew that this was a massive drug operation, on par with the ones in South America.

This was definitely the big supplier they’d been looking for, Mozart’s equivalent on the other side of the business.

The thrill of the chase revived her even further.

If she could get out of this alive, she was going to be able to bring down the whole enterprise. This was the reason she had been doing her job for the last three years. This was everything she had— “I can wait outside,” Luke said, “but I think it’ll be better if I come in with you.”

“Huh?”

Oh, right. He’d opened the way into a bathroom that was lit with—yup, another light bulb on a wire. But at least the faded tile floor and the basin and toilet were clean, the place smelling of the same astringent as the clinic-type area. There was also a shower in the corner, with no curtain.

“Heck of a first date this is,” she blurted.

When she realized what she’d said, she started backstroking, but he cut her off while he carried her over to the porcelain throne. “Considering how things started between us, I think we’re actually making headway on the road to appropriate. Assuming you don’t fall off the loo and knock yourself out.”

Rio had to laugh. “Just put me on the seat and let’s hope for the best.”

“And then I’ll make your whole day.”

“How’s that,” she gritted as her stiff, sore body protested being lowered down to the toilet.

“I have a toothbrush and toothpaste in my pocket.”

With a sharp look at his too-handsome face, she couldn’t believe that some Oral-B and a little Crest made her feel like she had won Powerball. But he was right.

“Oh, my God,” she murmured. “I could fall in love with you right now.”

Guess that was a good thing, she decided, considering she was about to drop her pants in front of the guy.





Just as Vishous couldn’t stand the anticipation and dread a second longer, his shellan came forward, floating over to him. As she closed in, he realized her ghostly body was naked, her high, firm breasts tempting his mouth and his hands, the cleft of her sex something that made him lick his lips. He was also beyond ready for the straps, for the buckles. The initial fever pitch of fear and anticipation had leveled off, and now he needed more gasoline on his fire.

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