Her knees went weak.
“Stop that,” she hissed, hating the hunger on his face, the open, wicked gleam in his eyes. This wasn’t a game anymore. For the first time in her life something inside was responding, a part of herself she kept hidden, even from herself. “I want you to leave, Tanner. ”
“It’s not going to happen, pretty girl. ”
“Then I’ll call Security. ” Yeah, right, she was going to let the tabloids have this one.
“No, you won’t. ” He was openly, clearly laughing at her. “Daddy might not be pleased that you’re cavorting with Breeds, sweetheart. ”
No shit. If her head weren’t already on the chopping block here, it would be then.
She had opened her lips to at least try to bluff her way out of this one, when a sharp knock sounded on the door. Her eyes widened as alarm skittered through her. Dammit.
Tanner winked. Grabbing his jacket from the couch, he pointed to the bathroom. There, he slipped inside, leaving the door carefully cracked as he pulled the silencer-equipped handgun from the inside pocket of the jacket.
He didn’t have a good feeling about this. He could feel something odd, smell it—cold, yet tinged with regret.
“Chaz. ” There was a note of fear in her voice, almost undetectable except for the scent of it suddenly whipping in the air.
Scheme didn’t linger by the entry door. Tanner caught her scent moving closer, entering the bedroom. She was suddenly off balance, uncertain.
“What the hell do you want?” She questioned her visitor.
A
nger and hurt mixed with the fear now.
The bedroom door closed softly.
“Chaz, this isn’t a good idea right now. ”
Why did he have a feeling she wasn’t talking about sex?
“You took one chance too many, Scheme. ” Chazzon St. Marks, an ex-lover and her father’s assassin for hire. Tanner knew his voice, his scent. He stiffened at the note of death in the other man’s voice. Hell no. This had nothing to do with sex. “Wasn’t the beating last month enough? Did you have to keep pushing our luck?”
“What are you talking about?” Cool, composed. Her voice was a direct contrast to the fear bleeding from her now.
“You’re busted,” Chaz said gently. Too gently. “Did you really think you would get away with this?”
Terror. She wasn’t just frightened now. She was terrified. Tanner could smell it, almost taste it.
“Excuse me?” Her tone was scathing. Oh yeah, she definitely lived up to her name.
“He didn’t even order you to be brought in for questioning,” Chaz sighed. “He doesn’t think you can be broken, Scheme. I had hoped he was wrong. I hoped that last beating you received from him would convince you to change this course you seem to be on. ”
Ice built in Tanner’s veins.
“Nothing to say?” Chaz asked her then.
Tanner could feel the other man preparing to kill. He couldn’t smell a weapon, and that meant only thing. He intended to break her neck. That was St. Marks’ specialty.
“I don’t even know what you’re talking about,” she bit out, obviously retreating from him. “And I wish you would leave. ”
“You’ve hated him for eight years,” Chaz sighed then. “He was watching out for you, Scheme. ”
“Shut up!” Agony resonated in her voice. “Just shut up. ”
“You had no business getting pregnant. I didn’t want the brat, and your position didn’t afford you the luxury of unwed motherhood. Would you have really wanted him to have such a hold over both of us?”