WHERE DARKNESS LIVES

“I’m not nearly pretty enough to be the pool boy, and we don’t want to shock the natives if I happen to do this in front of them.”


A part of her knew a kiss was coming. She also knew she could halt it by taking a simple step backward. Instead she tilted back her head to meet his descending mouth, her lips parting in invitation to the deep, hungry kiss.

He groaned, his hands gripping her hips as their tongues tangled in a silent dance of mutual need.

An enthralling pleasure blasted through her, making her arch against his hardening cock as her hands ran a restless path over his powerful back.

He was so deliciously warm.

And male.

Starkly, unapologetically male.

The kiss deepened as she rubbed her aching breasts against his bare chest, her blood on fire with the need to feel him plunging deep inside her body.

As if sensing her desperate desire, his hands skimmed up the curve of her waist, cupping her breasts to tease her sensitive nipples with his thumbs.

She growled her approval, arching toward his insistent caresses as her hands slid beneath the satin boxers to cup the hard muscles of his perfect ass.

Laughing softly he nipped at her lower lip before whispering against her mouth.

“This isn’t at all brotherly.”

Busy thanking the gods that she wasn’t related to this intensely sexy Were, Sophia was taken off guard as a brick was tossed through the window over the sink.

They both stiffened in shock, but Luc swiftly recovered and was immediately out of her arms and sprinting toward the French doors leading onto the back patio.

Sophia felt a brief flare of fear at the realization he was unarmed as he charged after the trespasser only to grimace as the backlash of his power sizzled through the air. Even without shifting there were few demons who could match his strength.

And if he went wolf ...

Well, she pitied anyone stupid enough to stand in his path.

Of course, a silver bullet could bring down the mightiest Were, an anxious voice whispered in the back of her mind.

A voice she hastily squashed.

Luc could take care of himself. She refused to even consider the thought of him being hurt.

Clenching her hands, she turned her attention toward the shards of glass littered across her floor.

Dammit to hell.

What was it with people busting her windows lately?

They were not only a pain in the ass to replace, but they left a mess that she was in no mood to clean.

Picking her way over the glittering shards, Sophia reached to pluck the brick from the sink, not at all surprised to find a note scribbled on the back.

“Leave or die.”

Predictable. Tacky. And downright cliché.

Tossing the brick onto the countertop, she moved to retrieve a broom, sweeping up the broken glass and dumping it in the trash.

She’d just finished when Luc returned, his eyes glowing with the fury of his wolf.

“Anything?” she demanded, although she already knew the answer.

“No,” he growled, his frustration thickening the air until it was difficult to breathe. “Whoever threw the brick had already taken off, and there are too many scents to pick out a specific person.” His jaw knotted as he struggled to leash his emotions. “I do know it wasn’t a human.”

“How?”

He moved to pick up the brick, testing its weight as his gaze skimmed the words of warning.

“Unlike a demon, they would have to be standing in your yard to pitch this through the window. There’s no way they could have escaped before I could catch them.”

She nodded in agreement. “Then that narrows down the options.”

“Not far enough.”

Sensing his self-disgust, Sophia frowned. “What is it?”

“There’s something off,” he growled.

“Off?”

“If someone genuinely wants you dead they don’t warn you,” he muttered, throwing the brick into the trash.

He was right. She was trained well enough to know that the best assassin was the one who moved through the shadows and struck before their prey ever sensed the danger.

“The gunshot was genuine enough,” she pointed out, sharing his confusion.

“So was the bullet.”

“Yeah, the bastard ruined my desk.”

“I went back to dig it out.” His expression was grim. “It was silver.”

She shivered. “I suppose crazy doesn’t always make sense.”

He looked like he wanted to bite something.

Hard.

“What are your plans for the day?” he abruptly demanded.

She shrugged. “A few hours by the pool and then off to the club.”

“I’m calling a security firm to install your alarm system.” He prowled toward the door. “Don’t leave without me.”





Ignoring the crowd of drunken females who screeched in wild abandon at the male Were gyrating on the stage, Luc leaned against the carved oak bar and sipped his Cognac.

No one would blame him for being in a foul mood.

Not only was he no closer to discovering who was trying to harm Sophia, but he was so tormented by his raging lust he could barely think.

Mierda.

This was supposed to be a simple job.

Get in, fix the problem, and get out.

That’s what he did.