Read Online Smoking Hot by Karen Kelley - Free Book Online Page A

ground.
    Bulldozer’s eyes strayed to her right, toward the desks.
    Her lungs felt as though they were deflating. She couldn’t draw in a breath deep enough to get oxygen to her brain. Everything around her slowed.
    There was a dull thud as a chair bumped a desk.
    You’ll be dead before you hit the ground, you’ll be dead before you hit the ground, you’ll be dead before you hit the ground sing-songed inside her head, but she was frozen in place.
    If she could relive her life, she would have sex a lot more often. Odd how she would think about sex right before she died.

Chapter 6
    Strong hands shoved her forward as the deafening report of a gun echoed through the bank. The side of her head slammed into the hard floor. Bright lights flashed in front of her eyes. The room blurred and voices faded.
    â€œFuck! I didn’t mean to shoot her,” someone said.
    â€œIdiot! Someone probably heard your gun go off!” someone else yelled. “Grab the bags and let’s get the hell out of here.”
    The voices all sounded the same as they ran together. Did that mean she had a brain injury or something?
    â€œDo it! Now!”
    Her head pounded harder. Please be quiet , she silently prayed as the thudding inside her head grew louder and the sound of running feet grew faint. The bank robbers were getting away. She blinked, trying to force her vision to clear. Where was her gun? She reached out to feel along the floor but a sharp pain shot down her arm.
    Oh God, had she been shot?
    She gingerly felt the side of her head. No blood. She wiggled her fingers. Nothing wet ran down her arm, either. If she’d been shot there would be blood. Her head pounded as she sat up. She’d really whacked it good. She waited for a wave of dizziness to pass, then looked around for her gun. Her intruder was right about everything except being shot and killed. She was still alive.
    She needed her gun. Moving to her knees, she looked behind her. The air left her lungs with a whoosh when she spotted a body and the puddle of blood. She remembered someone pushed her out of the way. “Oh crap,” she whispered. He took the bullet for her.
    She scooted to her knees and knelt over him. There was a lot of blood. Too much. “That was a stupid thing to do!”
    The intruder from her home opened his eyes. “I didn’t think so at the time. It’ll only sting for a minute.”
    He was going into shock. Blood oozed from the center of his chest. He was going to die because of her. Where was her backup? Please, please, she silently prayed, don’t let him die because of me. She turned on her radio then pushed the mike. Nothing. She must’ve jarred something loose when she hit the floor.
    â€œHelp is on the way,” she said. “Why the hell were you robbing a bank?”
    A smile tugged at his lips. “Haven’t you figured it out? I didn’t rob the bank. I’m an angel. Sort of. I’m a nephilim.”
    He was already hallucinating. “I know that’s what you told Grandpa.”
    â€œHe’s a very persistent old man.”
    â€œShh, don’t talk. Help will be here soon.” But would it be soon enough to save him? “I need to call an ambulance.”
    He grimaced. “Won’t do any good.” He took her hand in his and squeezed. “We’ll see each other again. I promise.” His eyes closed.
    â€œDon’t you dare die on me!” She jumped to her feet, then swayed as though she’d downed a six-pack. She weaved to the nearest desk and grabbed for the phone, missed, then connected on the second pass. Her stomach lurched. She swallowed hard, forcing herself not to be sick, and punched in 9-1-1.
    â€œHello?” Justin answered, then cleared his throat. “I mean, 9-1-1, what is your emergency?”
    â€œBank robbers. Man shot. Need ambulance,” she mumbled as the room began to spin. Her head felt too heavy to hold