The sound of locks disengaging and a door opening out in the other room made me stiffen. My heart pounded and palms turned slick. Panic and the urge to hide slammed into me like a Mack truck, and I ended up spinning in a small, frantic circles, running but not going anywhere.
The door latched, and I cocked my head to the side, trying hard to listen past my own erratic breathing and pulse. Keys hit the island, and I imagined Kieran stripping off that long black trench coat.
Light footsteps caught my breath. And then they stopped.
Oh my God, he sees the open panel in the hall.Suddenly, enduring his anger seemed like amuchbigger deal.
We both stood there, separated by walls and saying nothing at all, waiting to see who would make the first move. A bolt of fear cracked down my spine, lighting up my nerves like the strike of a match. I was stupid. Confronting Kieran was stupid. Just look at me. Injured, half his size, on his home turf. I’d been the target of murder just one day ago. Here I was, a sitting duck, trapped in a small space while he stood just feet away, acting completely suspicious.
Screw it. Not worrying about the noise, I lunged into the open hideaway and grabbed one of the biggest guns I could reach. Confrontation was always better with guns.
Not that I’d ever used a gun before.
A hand curled around the partially open panel, and just the sight of his monster digits made my knees weak. The door pushed wide, and he stepped inside, black baseball cap pulled low over his forehead, hiding the only color on his entire body.
He looked lethal. Black heavyweight pants with pockets, zippers, and straps paired with a tight black shirt and a black jacket that had no business clinging to his upper body the way it did.
The part of his face not shaded by that sexy-as-hell hat was concealed by his beard, and the very air around him was tainted with sweat and violence.
How dare this liar look so goddamn tempting.
“Where the hell have you been?” I demanded, holding the gun from the murder locker in front of me.
“Why aren’t you in bed?” he asked, casually crossing his arms over his chest while looking not even the least bit surprised to find me standing there brandishing a massive gun.
I mean, Kieran was stoic, but I was expecting at least a little bit of a reaction.
“Thought you could sneak out without me knowing?” I asked, completely annoyed he didn’t seem even an ounce as affected by me as I was him.
Sighing, Kieran dropped his arms and took a step forward. “Put that down. You’re going to hurt yourself.”
I raised it, aiming directly at him. “Don’t come any closer. I’ll shoot.”
I probably wouldn’t, but he didn’t need to know that.
“The safety is on.” He informed me.
I made a sound and felt around for it.Why didn’t I think of that?
“Other side.” His voice was dry.
Is he making fun of me?I changed direction, found the safety, and switched it off. Triumphant, I re-leveled it at him. “I’ll really do it,” I told him.
“You’re holding it wrong.”
I swore beneath my breath and looked down. Frowning, I said, “No, I’m not.”
He moved so fast I didn’t even see him coming. One minute, he was standing there, and the next, he was wrapped around me from behind, body heat making me realize how cold I was dressed in just a shirt.Hisshirt.
“Yes, baby doll, you are,” he said, voice low and right beside my ear. Tingles raced across my scalp and down the back of my neck as his arms lifted, enclosing me in the center of his wide frame. I resisted the urge to sigh, lean in, and let my head fall back against his shoulder. His hands wrapped around the gun, gently taking it from my grip.
I made a sound of protest, but his low, gruff voice took control. “If you are going to threaten me, then do it properly,” he reasoned, taking the gun and turning it around.
Oh my God, I was holding it backward?!No wonder he didn’t seem the least bit scared. Holy crap, I could have shot myself!
“Like this,” he instructed in some kind of dangerous rasp that made my toes curl into the floor and the hair on my body stand.
When I didn’t do what he said, his beard nudged the side of my face. “Pay attention, doll.”
