Read Online Claiming the East Wind by Anna Hackett - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Anna Hackett
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reinforced metal swung open and beyond she had the impression of a featureless corridor.
But from a night spent plying an off-duty bank guard with Wild Turkey and Coke, she knew that inside lay an impregnable vault housing safe deposit boxes for the rich and seriously rich. Protected by four armed guards.
None of that mattered. In another forty seconds the time lock door would open and she’d be home free.
She eyed the suits again. Were they watching her? Or were her nerves just strung too tight?
It didn’t matter if they were Leven’s men. She wasn’t leaving this bank without his strand of big, fat rubies in her hand. She planned to dig a knife deep by taking something he treasured. And destroying it.
Twenty seconds to go.
Twenty. Nineteen. Eighteen.
Her gaze swept over the spacious foyer with its gleaming marble and hushed atmosphere. Then it snagged on a man.
A tall, lean man who watched her with an intensity that made her blood freeze. Oh God, he’d found her.
Seventeen. Sixteen. Fifteen.
He stood in the middle of the cavernous space, not even pretending to blend in. His hands were by his side, but she sensed coiled readiness. Like a gunslinger waiting to draw.
Fourteen. Thirteen. Twelve.
His gray gaze locked on her. A handsome face battered by life. He’d been after her for months and he never gave up.
He was a hunter. And she was the hunted.
Eleven. Ten. Nine.
She cast a frantic glance at the doorway to the vault.
Hurry up! She wanted to shout the words but she held her breath until her lungs burned. She looked back at Leven’s hunter.
Eight. Seven. Six.
He launched himself at her.
God, he was fast. He pumped his arms, his movements strong and efficient. In those storm-cloud eyes, she saw the burn of something hot and scary.
Five. Four.
She stumbled out of line, but she knew she’d never outrun him. She only had one option for escape, but she needed the damn time lock open before she did it.
A powerfully muscled arm crossed the space between them. Fingers gripped her wrist.
Three. Two
“Nowhere to go, time thief,” the hunter growled.
One.
Bay stole time.
The world around her froze. People petrified, all sound silenced. Through the large plate glass windows, the cars on the street were immobile. She looked at the oversized railway clock on the wall—motionless.
She was stealing time.
And she had work to do.
She studied her hunter. Three months he’d been after her and this was the closest he’d come. He was far more intelligent than Leven’s usual thugs. She pulled his hand off her wrist and looked again at that rugged face.
Tawny hair fell over his forehead and his skin was deeply tanned. He looked like he belonged outdoors, climbing a mountain or captaining a ship. Without thinking, she touched a finger to his strong jaw and the intriguing dip in his chin.
When she registered the warmth of his skin, she snatched her hand back. Idiot.
His gray eyes still burned. She recognized what lurked there—saw the reflection of it in her own eyes every day—revenge.
“What did I ever do to you?” she wondered.
She turned her back on him and headed to the doorway where the two bank employees stood frozen. It gave the perfect line of sight to the vault and its half open door.
Excellent.
She cast one quick look back at her immobile hunter. Something told her he didn’t like to lose.
***
Sean Archer blinked. His arm dropped to his side.
He stood in the middle of the bank lobby, people moving and talking around him.
She was gone.
“Damn it.” He resisted the urge to hit something.
He’d had her, held her delicate wrist in his hand. He hadn’t imagined such a powerful being would have wrist-bones finer than a child’s.
He’d come close to her before, but it was the first time he’d touched her. He flexed his fingers, still felt her smooth skin.
Snap out of it. She was dangerous. She’d stolen time and he’d been vulnerable. Every person in the bank had been a
But from a night spent plying an off-duty bank guard with Wild Turkey and Coke, she knew that inside lay an impregnable vault housing safe deposit boxes for the rich and seriously rich. Protected by four armed guards.
None of that mattered. In another forty seconds the time lock door would open and she’d be home free.
She eyed the suits again. Were they watching her? Or were her nerves just strung too tight?
It didn’t matter if they were Leven’s men. She wasn’t leaving this bank without his strand of big, fat rubies in her hand. She planned to dig a knife deep by taking something he treasured. And destroying it.
Twenty seconds to go.
Twenty. Nineteen. Eighteen.
Her gaze swept over the spacious foyer with its gleaming marble and hushed atmosphere. Then it snagged on a man.
A tall, lean man who watched her with an intensity that made her blood freeze. Oh God, he’d found her.
Seventeen. Sixteen. Fifteen.
He stood in the middle of the cavernous space, not even pretending to blend in. His hands were by his side, but she sensed coiled readiness. Like a gunslinger waiting to draw.
Fourteen. Thirteen. Twelve.
His gray gaze locked on her. A handsome face battered by life. He’d been after her for months and he never gave up.
He was a hunter. And she was the hunted.
Eleven. Ten. Nine.
She cast a frantic glance at the doorway to the vault.
Hurry up! She wanted to shout the words but she held her breath until her lungs burned. She looked back at Leven’s hunter.
Eight. Seven. Six.
He launched himself at her.
God, he was fast. He pumped his arms, his movements strong and efficient. In those storm-cloud eyes, she saw the burn of something hot and scary.
Five. Four.
She stumbled out of line, but she knew she’d never outrun him. She only had one option for escape, but she needed the damn time lock open before she did it.
A powerfully muscled arm crossed the space between them. Fingers gripped her wrist.
Three. Two
“Nowhere to go, time thief,” the hunter growled.
One.
Bay stole time.
The world around her froze. People petrified, all sound silenced. Through the large plate glass windows, the cars on the street were immobile. She looked at the oversized railway clock on the wall—motionless.
She was stealing time.
And she had work to do.
She studied her hunter. Three months he’d been after her and this was the closest he’d come. He was far more intelligent than Leven’s usual thugs. She pulled his hand off her wrist and looked again at that rugged face.
Tawny hair fell over his forehead and his skin was deeply tanned. He looked like he belonged outdoors, climbing a mountain or captaining a ship. Without thinking, she touched a finger to his strong jaw and the intriguing dip in his chin.
When she registered the warmth of his skin, she snatched her hand back. Idiot.
His gray eyes still burned. She recognized what lurked there—saw the reflection of it in her own eyes every day—revenge.
“What did I ever do to you?” she wondered.
She turned her back on him and headed to the doorway where the two bank employees stood frozen. It gave the perfect line of sight to the vault and its half open door.
Excellent.
She cast one quick look back at her immobile hunter. Something told her he didn’t like to lose.
***
Sean Archer blinked. His arm dropped to his side.
He stood in the middle of the bank lobby, people moving and talking around him.
She was gone.
“Damn it.” He resisted the urge to hit something.
He’d had her, held her delicate wrist in his hand. He hadn’t imagined such a powerful being would have wrist-bones finer than a child’s.
He’d come close to her before, but it was the first time he’d touched her. He flexed his fingers, still felt her smooth skin.
Snap out of it. She was dangerous. She’d stolen time and he’d been vulnerable. Every person in the bank had been a
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