Read Online Ladykiller by Lawrence Light, Meredith Anthony - Free Book Online Page A

sorry,” Ace said. “I didn’t mean to. I just wanted to see you.
That’s all.”
Nita glared at him and stooped to pick up her things. He squatted, too, and awkwardly handed her a few items.
“I’m going home now,” Nita said, coldly furious. “We’ll forget
this ever happened. Now goodbye.”
She rose, shouldered her bag, and walked off briskly.
“I’m sorry,” Ace called after her, helplessly, rooted to the spot. “I
didn’t mean to.” Defeated, he shifted his weight and heard a sound. He
looked down at his feet. He slowly moved his right boot. Nita’s key
ring lay on the pavement.
    Nita could sense the boots following her. She could feel the
leather-soled roll of his feet on the pavement. Her own shoes snapped
briskly over the sidewalk, past the dark, brick buildings like so many
tombstones. She frowned at a sound behind her, and pulled the coat
tighter around herself. Her purposeful walk picked up speed. Not
running. Not willing to show panic.
    Ace loved her bobbing gait, the utterly female click of her low
heels on the sidewalk. Loved how her legs were moving faster. He
longed to see those legs, longed to rub his hands up them. Starting at
the ankle, over the fleshy promise of the calf, past the dimpled intrigue of the knee, and — fingertips only now — skating up the sleekness of her thigh, drawn into —
    Nita reached the front door of an apartment building. Above the
entrance, a weak yellow lamp gave barely enough light to make out
the outline of the lock. No other human soul was about; the world lay
curled up under its blankets, sleeping through the time of the wolf.
Nita unzipped her handbag and rummaged frantically in it for her
keys. Ace was enraptured. How he had gotten to her.
    Nita darted her hands into her coat pockets, then foraged madly
through the depths of her bag again.
Ace spoke from close behind her. His grin was demonic. He
raised his right hand in the air.
“I have something for you,” he said. He jingled the key ring up
above his head.The lamp’s sickly illumination caught the metal.
Nita whirled to face him. Ace was surprised by the set of her
face. It wasn’t quite fear she showed.Was it —?
A large hand clamped onto Ace’s shoulder from behind and
pulled him backward.The jingle of the keys in Ace’s hand sounded in
the night. Before he could recover his balance, Reuben stepped
around him and smashed his face. As Reuben’s knuckles connected
with his cheek, Ace let out a wail of pain. He crumpled to the ground
and lay still.The keys fell from his grasp.
Nita cowered in the doorway, holding her purse against her with
both arms.
Reuben stooped and picked up the keys. Shaking his aching hand,
he clumped over to her and leaned against the wall, panting. “Are you
okay?” Reuben gasped. “Did he hurt you?”
Pale and shaken, Nita took the keys from him carefully. “I’m
okay. How did you —”
“I was worried about you. I turned the machine on and left.
Lucky thing I caught up with you. I thought you lived about ten blocks
away from here and—“
Reuben was suddenly pushed from behind and knocked off balance against Nita. “What the hell?”
Ace ran away, screaming incoherently, a dark banshee in full
flight. Reuben held Nita’s shoulders to keep her from falling. Reuben
and Nita watched Ace run. Reuben still held her shoulders.
She squirmed out of his hold. “Let him go. It’s all right.”
“Yeah. Right.” Reuben nodded sagely. “The important thing is
that you’re okay. Let’s get you inside.”
Nita didn’t reply. She shrunk back against the wall.There was an
uncomfortable pause.
“Come on,” Reuben coaxed. “You’ll be okay.” In the weak light,
she could tell he was warming to the role of protector. His half-smile
had a concerned, paternalistic cast.
“I’m okay. I’m fine,” Nita said. “Listen, you ought to go back.”
“Go back?” He laughed incredulously. “Those crazies can wait.”
He laughed again, then stopped abruptly. “Hey, you