Read Online Sky's Lark by Cheyenne Meadows - Free Book Online Page A

tennis shoes completed the package.
    "We meet again." His soft voice carried easily across the small space, sending her nerves to firing and the hair on the back of her neck to standing at attention.
    What in the hell did that mean? Did he recognize her and decide to drag her in for the hefty reward? Or was he the guardian angel, intent upon giving her a heads-up in order to avoid a shortened lifespan? "So we do. Now get out." Crossing her arms across her chest, she glared down at him, determined to put every ounce of intimidation into her voice and body language.
    The corners of his mouth twitched. "No can do. Besides, we have a problem."
    "We?"
    "Yes, we." He remained seated, his large body no less imposing despite his lower physical position.
    "You've got two minutes to say your piece before I drag your ass out of my apartment."
    A full grin appeared on his chiseled face, replacing dark shadows of fatigue with amusement. "You can try. But I have a feeling you want to hear this."
    She sighed and waved her arms. "Fine. Out with it already."
    "Seems there's another player after the bounty on your head. Someone that can and will find you."
    She forced herself to stand steady to show that his words didn't affect her. "I figure half the city is after me. So what?"
    He shook his head. "No. I was given three days to find you, but someone else notified my overseer that he knows you personally and will easily pick you up by tomorrow."
    "And you are?"
    "Bryce. My friends call me Sky. Undercover cop presently infiltrated into Santora's main drug-dealing gang."
    She watched him with newfound interest and appreciation. He was the one who had risked life and limb to leave notes in a small wooden box on her dresser. The rest of his words tumbled through her numb brain. Undercover cop. That beat thug any day of the week. "I'm Lark, in case you wondered."
    His gaze roamed over her body before settling once more on her face. "It fits you."
    She snorted.
    "You find the mole?"
    The change of topic unbalanced her for a beat. "No solid evidence, but I'm working on it."
    He cursed under his breath before standing to slide closer, moving with the ease and grace of a natural predator.
    She held her ground. "He's got tough safeguards on his computer. It's going to take time to find a way around them."
    "Time we don't have. Like I said, there's an addition to the party that promises to snatch you up and deliver you like a Christmas turkey to Santora at his base operation." He ran his hand through his dark hair.
    "You have a name?" She watched him carefully, trying to decide if she should trust him completely and throw caution to the wind to fess up her findings and gut feelings or keep her mouth shut in case he falsely represented himself. Maybe he was working for the criminal side of the law instead of hers.
    "No. The right-hand man didn't say who made the claim, only that someone did." He tilted his head and paused before tossing out another pitch. "Don't believe me?"
    She shrugged. "Maybe, but not enough to bet my life on it." Trust, like respect, had to be earned. Too many times she'd seen someone suffer because they placed faith in the wrong person. In her line of work, harsh consequences followed, not the least of which entailed death and not always fast or painless, either.
     
    * * * *
     
    Bryce watched the play of emotions across the little blonde's face, searching for any indication of her thoughts. He would give her credit for bravery, caution, and sheer guts, but if she didn't lose the stubborn streak fast, he would be forced to take matters into his own hands and damn the fallout. Most women by now would be frantic, begging him to package her up and deliver her somewhere far away from potential harm. Just his luck to be stuck with Wonder Woman who dared him and every other man to bring it on.
    The curvy, petite body combined with an overabundance of confidence set his blood to racing and dick to hardening, but neither of them had the