Book Three: King's CommandTyson King felt her presence the moment she stepped across the threshold and into the city's most dangerous illegal gambling den. His shoulders stiffened as he glanced up and spotted her. Tyson didn't so much as twitch a muscle to give away his sudden tension, but his bodyguard, Daniel Mercer, went instantly to attention and scanned the room. Tyson knew the moment his deadly man set eyes on Claudia Cantore, because his alarm dropped and he relaxed back into position behind Tyson. Tyson forcibly quelled the surge of jealous rage that flared to life as male eyes all over the room focused on her. The tall, beautiful blond was starting to draw stares from some of the city's most dangerous men. Tonight Claudia had packed her delicious curves into a thigh length blue bandage dress with her waist length honey-coloured hair flowing loose around her bare shoulders. Her long legs were made longer by the four-inch spiked, black heels she wore. His rational self ack
"I don't know what you're talking about." Claudia tried to make her voice sound normal as she was steered toward the front entrance of the gambling club she had foolishly allowed herself to be dragged to. Cool air washed over her heated skin when they stepped out of the club and into the dark night. She shivered and blinked several times, trying to adjust her eyes to the sudden darkness. The man that held her arm in a vice grip, Tyson King, ignored her words completely. He looked around impatiently, his sharp eyes taking in the traffic on the street, and then dragged her toward a car parked at the curb. Another man, not as big as Tyson but just as frightening, opened the door to the car. This guy had a brutal, chilling look about him that made Claudia shiver. He looked like he ate babies for breakfast, women for lunch and Navy Seals for supper. There was no way she was getting in the car with these people. Claudia tried to pull away from Tyson, digging her heels against the pavemen
Her tense body relaxed slightly. She had indeed planned on waiting for the car to slow down enough that she might be able to somehow get her seatbelt off, the door open and then jump into the road before he could grab her again. It was an unlikely plan, but it was all she had. She found his statement almost reassuring. She hadn't been looking forward to the amount of her bare skin that might come in contact with the pavement if the car was moving when she managed to get out. "Why are you doing this? Where are you taking me?" she asked, glancing out the window at the passing buildings. The club had been located in a somewhat unsavoury area of downtown. They were speeding past the dilapidated buildings toward the nicer end next to the river. He ignored her first question, but answered the second. "We're going to my penthouse." Claudia shifted in her seat, edging her knees away from where they rested close to his. He was such a big man that his body filled most of the roomy back sea
She had known on an instinctual level that the man wanted her, so she wasn't entirely surprised by his response. She stepped back, attempting to put space between them. His hand dropped from her, but his knuckles brushed across the peak of her breast, tightly wrapped in the dress. Her body responded involuntarily, a spear of attraction shooting through her. "What if I say no?" she asked, breathlessly. "What if I want to leave? Will you let me go?" She knew the answer before he spoke. "No, I'm afraid that's not an option, Claudia." "Why?" she asked, the constrictive band tightening around her chest once more. "That's that's kidnapping." He stepped back, pulling his suit jacket off his huge shoulders and laying it casually across the back of a couch. "For several reasons," he spoke, as he pulled cufflinks off his shirt, dropped them into his pocket and rolled the white sleeves of his dress shirt up his muscular forearms. Dark tattoos swirled up his arms drawing her eyes. They loo
"What if I leave?" she asked. "Won't they find me? Like you said at the club, if you could find me then they might find me." His dark eyes bored into hers. "Dante Marquez and Franco Delgado you mean?" She flinched at the names of the Mafioso guys that were most likely trying to track down her whereabouts at this very moment. The ones that she had betrayed. She nodded. "They won't find you here. Niccolo DeLuca is an old friend of mine. You've heard his name before?" Claudia nodded slowly, her eyes wide. She had heard the name of the Italian whispered in tones of awe and fear by her former boyfriend and many of his crew. Though she had never laid eyes on the man, she knew he was a powerful person. Tyson continued. "I've already discussed the matter with him and assured him that Dante's ex-girlfriend, the bird who flew the nest with information that should never have been found, has no interest in his affairs. Nic is in the process of severing his Miami connection, which will ta
"Oh god," Claudia whimpered. Tyson felt the tension thrumming through her body despite his much heavier one crushing her into the couch. He knew she was aroused, but fear threatened to overwhelm the desire she was beginning to feel. He had to remind himself to go slower with her. She wasn't some woman he picked up off the street for a quick fuck. For his purposes, she was pretty much an innocent in his world. Caught up in a drama she couldn't hope to cope with alone. He eased his hips away from hers. If he thrust against her ass again he was likely to lose what little restraint he had left, shove her dress up the few inches it would take to get at her pussy and fuck her until she couldn't stand, let alone contemplate leaving his penthouse without permission and an armed escort. "Calm down, baby. I'm not trying to scare you." "Then why did you say that that you want to keep me and have sex with me?" she whispered, her voice shaking. He sighed and released his grip on her wrist
She sounded so near tears that Tyson decided to give her a little space, if that's what she needed. He eased up and let her slide off his lap, onto the floor. She kneeled in front of him with her skirt hiked up to her waist, and glared at him through wet, spiked lashes. Black mascara smudged under her eyes and ran down her cheeks. He reached out to wipe the black streak off her face. She jerked away from him, but he caught her arm and pulled her closer, between his spread knees. Pressing his thumb against the skin of her cheek, he wiped the mark from her face. His hungry gaze took in her disheveled state. "So fucking beautiful. I have to have you in my bed tonight." She stared at him, her eyes huge. "What if I say no?" "Not an option." Anger made the green of her eyes sparkle. "Or what? You'll toss me out onto the street where Franco Delgado can get me? Is that the alternative you're threatening me with?" Tyson tightened his fingers on her arm, starting to weary of her consta
Claudia took two minutes to use the toilet and wash her hands. She placed her hands on the vanity and stared at herself in the mirror. She hated the vulnerable, frightened look in her green eyes. She'd been running for more than a year, with the threat of Dante and Franco Delgado always close behind. After arranging for fake ID and stealing information that would incriminate Franco Delgado's illegal business in Vegas and Dante Marquez's in Miami, she had fled. She'd also paid a hacker to arrange for fake records for her fake ID. For six months, she had run from state to state, never settling down. Unable to cope with a nomadic lifestyle, she finally took a risk and set herself up here, in Tyson King's city. After eight months, the fear of discovery had finally started to fade. She breathed deeply, urging her heart to slow down and her brain to start moving faster. She couldn't have her wits scattered if she was going to get out of this new mess. Staying with Tyson King was not an opt