High Voltage (Ramsey Security #3)

“Are you the help?” I ask.

“I’m Vaughn. I don’t know if that’s the same thing.”

Stepping closer, I size up the handsome biker. “There are two cars here. I want to be in the one that doesn’t include the Italian guy coming in this direction. If you make that happen, I will give you money. Hell, I’ll give you my first born kid. Do you understand?”

“Are you under the impression that we don’t speak English in Kentucky?”

“No, of course not. My bigotry is towards bikers, not Bluegrass State residents.”

“Oh, in that case, I’ll take the money,” Vaughn says, opening the back door of his SUV. “No offense to your first born kid, but I’m planning to make plenty of my own.”

“Good to know, stud. Please play interference with me and that one.”

Sliding into the backseat of the SUV, I pretend to be busy. A part of me worries Vaughn will stick Dino in my SUV as punishment for the biker insult. He doesn’t, though, and I hand him a hundred dollars once we’re on the road.

“City folk,” he mutters.

Rafael rides in the second SUV with Dino while I play girlfriend with Harlow.

“I’m not going to Cooper’s office,” she says. “You knew that when you picked this SUV, right?”

Frowning, I hear Vaughn snickering up front. “Where are we going?” I ask Harlow.

“I’m going to see my family. Wanna hang out?”

“Rafael and Dino are meeting with Cooper right now, though.”

“Yep.”

“So, if I don’t show up, they could agree to something stupid that I’d need to go along with.”

“Why would Rafael agree to something stupid?” she asks, eyes narrowing at the thought of me shitting on her man’s reasoning skills.

“He’s not the one I’m worried about.”

“I think Dino’s cute.”

“He’s a horndog with boundary issues.”

“Yeah, but he’s not humping my leg, so I don’t mind him.”

Rubbing my eyes, I don’t know what to do. The idea of hanging out with Harlow and her happy family is alluring. Girl time might put me in a better mood.

The reason for my bad mood is playing leader at an important meeting. Nope, I have no time for manicures and coffee. Dino is a loose-cannon who believes every job we get is beneath his skill level. I shudder at what he might agree to without me there to muzzle his big mouth.





2


Dino

She Fucking Hates Me

Minka Appleby is my kind of broad. Tall, lean, and fine as fuck, she even throws a mean punch. Her dark eyes turn me into a deer stuck in the headlights. I just can’t look away. The minx inspires me to pull out my Frank Sinatra-level seduction moves. I swear every time I open my mouth, romantic shit flies out. I’m basically vomiting my passion at Minka and begging for a chance.

Despite all of my efforts and her clear heterosexuality, the chick just fucking hates me.

I won’t give up on getting the dark-eyed doll into my bed. My new job in Houston allows me plenty of time to seduce Minka. Her refusal to fall into my seductive web only makes me more patient. For a woman like her, I’ll wait a long fucking time to get what I want.

In New Jersey, I didn’t want for anything. Women, money, luxury were all at my fingertips, but I was an owned man. I never cared that I was someone’s bitch until the day I did. Once I wanted free, I got out fast.

Rafael is a good guy, and I liked the idea of working with him. Houston hasn’t wowed me like Minka has, but I can survive the occasional cowboy hats and tailgaters.

I hope to get up-close and personal with Minka during the flight, but she sends out panicked signals. Does she think I’ll fuck her right in front of Rafael and his wife? While I’m not against public displays of affection, the romantic in me demands our first hip-pumping action happen behind closed doors.

Minka nearly runs down the stairway to the SUVs. I can’t run after her because Rafael and Harlow block my way. I feel like Pepe Le Pew chasing a damn painted cat. How did I end up playing stalker when women normally trip over each other to get into my bed? Has the world gone fucking mad, or did Houston kill my mojo?

Minka ends up in a different SUV with Harlow while I join Rafael in the second one. Our dark-haired driver is the strong, silent type.

“Judd will drop us off at Cooper’s office,” Rafael explains.

“What about Minka?”

“I’m not sure where in the hell she thinks she’s going.”

“I think you came on too strong,” I tell Rafael, blaming him rather than myself. “You scared her off, man.”

“Probably.”

“What kind of stuff does Minka like?”

“I don’t know,” he replies with a casual shrug.

Scowling at the big multiracial Hulk, I think he’s messing with me. “You’ve worked with her for nearly a year.”

“Troy would know. Ask him.”

“Why would he know?”

“He’s her ex-boyfriend and current best friend. If you want to know her secrets, he’d be the one who could tell you.”