Ruin (Rhodes #1) by Rina Kent

                             I shake my head once.

                             Her eyes narrow, a hint of rebellion mars them. She steals a glance at King and the opposition dies, keeping her mouth shut.

                             Smart girl.

                             She sits beside me. Too close. Out of my comfort zone, close. Her citrus shampoo scent conquers the air around me as her unsettled eyes focus on King.

                             “He won’t move unless I command him. I suggest you stay on my good side.”

                             Why the hell did I say that?

                             Her gaze locks with mine and she stumbles to the other end of the sofa. My hands twitch to make her go back to where she sat before.

                             Mae glares, the little warrior inside her activated. She’s smart enough to remember keeping her voice low. “You’re not fair! How can I win if you bring jaguars in the game?”

                             She thinks of this as a game? Well, damn. I must’ve really messed her up.

                             “Since when did you think you had a chance to win, lamb?”

                             “Since...” She clears her throat, thrusts her chest forward, and crosses her arms. “Since you didn’t kill me. For some reason, you want me alive.”

                             “For now.” I capture her gaze, voice harsh. “Don’t tempt me, Mae. I can still finish your little life.”

                             She swallows, doubt and fear clouding the blueness of her eyes.

                             She should be afraid. Underestimating me is one of the stupidest things to do.

                             “I—”

                             Mae’s interrupted as a beep comes from the security’s system.

                             Tristan’s pissed off voice fills the space. “Open up!”

                             Bloody hell.

                             I should have attended the damn meeting today.





                             Chapter Fourteen

                             Mae



                             Something similar to disturbance cloaks Aaron’s features, but he soon masks it.

                             “Aaron!” The deep masculine voice calls again.

                             “Who’s that?” I face Aaron to be sucked into the frightening grim of his eyes.

                             Both his hands clutch my shoulders in a bruising grip. “Listen well, Mae. If the person outside sees or finds out about you, you are well and truly dead. Do you understand?”

                             His voice flows in its most stern tone, assuring me that he’ll carry out with his threat if not obeyed. Or the other person will. Either way, I don’t want to find out.