Read Online Nightwalker by Connie Hall - Free Book Online Page A

in a body bag.”
    Takala narrowed her gaze at him, her thick ginger lashes only giving her beautiful eyes a sexy bedroom look. “Well, I guess G-men can tell the truth, sometimes. ”
    â€œIt is rare.” Striker watched her eyes flame up; theblue one lightening and turning almost green, and the green one darkening to a seawater blue. He liked vexing her, he realized ruefully, but not as much as he enjoyed seeing the myriad colors of her eyes. It was like looking into a kaleidoscope.
    â€œSo, is she a killer?” Takala asked.
    â€œYes, and she can lead us to a larger fish.”
    â€œWho’s the fish?”
    â€œYou are on a need-to-know basis.”
    â€œI need to know.”
    â€œWe do not discuss state secrets with civilians.”
    â€œEven if she could be my mother?” Takala stepped up into Striker’s face. She had to be all of five feet eleven, not as tall as his six-two frame, but she could look him in the eye. And she wasn’t backing down.
    â€œI’m sorry to hear it,” Striker said without an ounce of sympathy.
    â€œYou can’t use her like that. Arrest her and get her somewhere safe.”
    â€œShe’s been undercover for years. She’s my only lead. I shall deal with her as I see fit.”
    Silence tightened every muscle in her body. She crossed her arms over her chest and splayed her legs. Her gaze narrowed, steadfast, resolute, daring him to defy her. Scalding steam shot from those eyes.
    He watched her face go through countless expressions: mulish obstinacy, dogged determination, suspicion. Not one hint of submissiveness. Most human women sensed the threat in being near him when he was angry and kept their distance. Not this one. She openly courted danger by standing as close as she could to him and defying him by looking straight into his eyes. Worse, she didn’tseem to care about the risk. He’d never met a woman like her. He wanted her to be afraid. Wanted to grab her and overpower her and hold her until he felt her soften and tremble with fear in his arms.
    â€œI won’t let you.” She finally spoke, openly defying him.
    â€œLet me give you some sage advice, Miss Rainwater. Forget this need to reconnect with her. Forget you ever found her.”
    â€œI can’t.”
    â€œThen let me help you.” He made a move to touch her shoulder.
    She leaped back as if a spider had almost bitten her. “Keep those vampire fingers off me. I mean it.”
    â€œThen do not tell me how to run my investigation.”
    Takala glared at him. “Fine, run your show, but you’re not pulling rank on me. You may think you can order everyone around, but I don’t work for B.O.S.P. I’ve got a stake in Lilly Smith, and I’m going to make sure she’s okay.”
    â€œShe is a wanted killer, and she will destroy you. For your own benefit, let it go.”
    Stubbornness and doubt flitted through her face. Then her eyes glazed over in confusion. “I want to believe what you say, but she told me you set her up to take the fall for those agents dying.” Her fists tightened at her side. “I don’t know who to believe.”
    â€œShe lied to you.” Striker kept his eyes on her hands. He’d seen what she could do with them. He knew her confusion came from the suggestion he’d given her last night to not trust Culler. “She was the one who planned their deaths.”
    â€œHow do I know that?”
    â€œBecause I’m not in the habit of terminating agents with extreme prejudice.” Striker stared at her lips and wanted to kiss the pout off them.
    â€œWait one minute.” Stress lines formed on her brow as she sniffed his collar and fixed him with a distrustful stare. “Butterscotch rum. This isn’t the first time we’ve been up close and personal, is it? You were on our flight.” She turned and looked down at Katalinga’s feline face. The upturned