Read Online Vengeance (SSU Trilogy Book 1) by Vanessa Kier - Free Book Online
Authors: Vanessa Kier
Tags: Fiction, romantic thriller
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she was away from the bar, she’d calmed down enough to admit she was in no shape to go off on her own. And no matter what her pride insisted, she was better off with Niko. He was a hunter. Fierce, like the birds of prey she loved. Protective. Intriguing.
Unlike Mark, whose selfish viciousness made him untrustworthy.
She sucked in a breath as the bike zoomed through a narrow space between two trucks with just enough clearance that she felt the heat from the engines brush against her knees. And if she wasn’t mistaken, that was the rumble of Niko’s laughter vibrating beneath her hands.
Hunter and certifiable adrenaline junkie, she clarified.
She pressed her cheek harder against his back, feeling muscles tense with suppressed violence. But she took comfort in knowing his anger wasn’t at her, but for her. Unlike Mark, whose verbal attack had shocked her. Yes, he was a chauvinist and never hid his dislike of her, but still…to imply that she’d wanted to be attacked?
She shuddered.
Niko hadn’t looked at her with disgust. Or lust. Just concern and a casual, violent protectiveness. He thought she hadn’t been looking when he roughed up her attacker, but she’d snuck a peek in the mirror. And she’d been…pleased. Even more satisfied with the quick way he’d retaliated against Mark.
Odd that she wasn’t bothered by Niko’s violence, but was still screaming inside over what she’d done to her attacker.
Don’t go there. You stopped before you killed him. That’s what matters. Focus on what you have to do next.
Find Kai.
#
Niko turned the bike down a narrow street in a quiet neighborhood. He pulled over next to a thick stone wall and parked the bike.
“Jenna, are you okay?” He removed his sunglasses and turned his head.
Oh. Right. This was the part where she was supposed to get off the bike. But her arms were locked into place and it took considerable willpower to get them to drop away from his waist. She put shaky feet on the ground and tried to stand, but her knees buckled.
Niko put a steadying hand on her arm even as she reached out to catch herself against the bike. For a second she remembered the way her body had stirred with feminine interest back when she’d first met him. In some ways that made his appearance now even more difficult. She hated that he’d seen her weak and crying. She took a deep breath, made sure she had her balance, then shook off his hand. He stared at her a moment, as if waiting for her to pitch over in a dead faint.
Okay, so she did feel a bit dizzy. Still, she needed to show him right off that she had no intention of becoming dependent on his strength. Because Niko was the type of guy who would stand between her and the rest of the world, shielding her and offering her support.
Whether she wanted him to or not.
“I’m fine,” she snapped, stepping away from the bike. With a little shrug, Niko walked by her side, directing her to a wood-and-iron gate that opened into a tiny courtyard. The gate swung shut behind them, cutting off the city noise as they stepped into a world where serenity ruled. Jenna took a deep breath of flower-scented air and felt the remnants of her fear trickle away.
A stone walkway interspersed with wrought iron benches meandered between flower beds. In the opposite corner a fountain bubbled merrily.
She trailed behind Niko up the path onto a wide, covered patio and through a beautifully carved wooden door. The narrow marble hallway was empty. Faint voices from a television program filtered down the corridor from the lobby.
Niko turned right up a narrow set of stairs. Two flights up and three doors down he stopped.
Jenna followed him into the sitting room of a suite, warily stopping just inside the door. Instinct refused to let her move too far into the room, keeping her closest to the only avenue of escape.
She glanced around the room and reeled back in shock, hand coming up to shield her vision. The overwhelmingly red décor hit her
Unlike Mark, whose selfish viciousness made him untrustworthy.
She sucked in a breath as the bike zoomed through a narrow space between two trucks with just enough clearance that she felt the heat from the engines brush against her knees. And if she wasn’t mistaken, that was the rumble of Niko’s laughter vibrating beneath her hands.
Hunter and certifiable adrenaline junkie, she clarified.
She pressed her cheek harder against his back, feeling muscles tense with suppressed violence. But she took comfort in knowing his anger wasn’t at her, but for her. Unlike Mark, whose verbal attack had shocked her. Yes, he was a chauvinist and never hid his dislike of her, but still…to imply that she’d wanted to be attacked?
She shuddered.
Niko hadn’t looked at her with disgust. Or lust. Just concern and a casual, violent protectiveness. He thought she hadn’t been looking when he roughed up her attacker, but she’d snuck a peek in the mirror. And she’d been…pleased. Even more satisfied with the quick way he’d retaliated against Mark.
Odd that she wasn’t bothered by Niko’s violence, but was still screaming inside over what she’d done to her attacker.
Don’t go there. You stopped before you killed him. That’s what matters. Focus on what you have to do next.
Find Kai.
#
Niko turned the bike down a narrow street in a quiet neighborhood. He pulled over next to a thick stone wall and parked the bike.
“Jenna, are you okay?” He removed his sunglasses and turned his head.
Oh. Right. This was the part where she was supposed to get off the bike. But her arms were locked into place and it took considerable willpower to get them to drop away from his waist. She put shaky feet on the ground and tried to stand, but her knees buckled.
Niko put a steadying hand on her arm even as she reached out to catch herself against the bike. For a second she remembered the way her body had stirred with feminine interest back when she’d first met him. In some ways that made his appearance now even more difficult. She hated that he’d seen her weak and crying. She took a deep breath, made sure she had her balance, then shook off his hand. He stared at her a moment, as if waiting for her to pitch over in a dead faint.
Okay, so she did feel a bit dizzy. Still, she needed to show him right off that she had no intention of becoming dependent on his strength. Because Niko was the type of guy who would stand between her and the rest of the world, shielding her and offering her support.
Whether she wanted him to or not.
“I’m fine,” she snapped, stepping away from the bike. With a little shrug, Niko walked by her side, directing her to a wood-and-iron gate that opened into a tiny courtyard. The gate swung shut behind them, cutting off the city noise as they stepped into a world where serenity ruled. Jenna took a deep breath of flower-scented air and felt the remnants of her fear trickle away.
A stone walkway interspersed with wrought iron benches meandered between flower beds. In the opposite corner a fountain bubbled merrily.
She trailed behind Niko up the path onto a wide, covered patio and through a beautifully carved wooden door. The narrow marble hallway was empty. Faint voices from a television program filtered down the corridor from the lobby.
Niko turned right up a narrow set of stairs. Two flights up and three doors down he stopped.
Jenna followed him into the sitting room of a suite, warily stopping just inside the door. Instinct refused to let her move too far into the room, keeping her closest to the only avenue of escape.
She glanced around the room and reeled back in shock, hand coming up to shield her vision. The overwhelmingly red décor hit her
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