LOGINCassandraIt’s him! My heart leaped at the sight of him, tall, fearless, walking towards us. Botero cocked his gun. His name left my lips before I could stop it.He stopped. “Cassie?”“Is this the deadbeat who ghosted you?” Botero asked. He shook his head. “This is too much of a coincidence. What game are you playing, chica?” He pressed the firearm into my ribs.“I swear I didn’t know he’d be here.” But I had hoped.Connor knocked on the window. Botero let the window slide down. I heard car doors opening as the rest of Botero’s men got out. Even in the dark, I saw the anger and confusion on Connor’s face.“Cassandra, what the fuck are you doing here?” He leaned in, glaring daggers.“We should ask you the same question, cabrõn.” He aimed the firearm at Connor. “Start talking. And why the fuck are you naked?”“Come on out, and we’ll discuss this. Let Cassie go.” Connor’s voice was calm, but I noticed the way his lip twitched. He was seconds away from losing it.The other men surrounded
Connor“Did I die?” I asked no one in particular. “Did I fucking die? Natalia!” I still tasted her blood on my tongue. Its bitter aftertaste made my stomach roil with disgust.She rolled her eyes at me. “What?”“I swear to the gods… if you turned me...” I let the threat hang in the air, but it sounded as empty as the windless night.She tossed her dark-brown hair. “Whatever! I saved your miserable life. So, consider it payback.” That still didn’t answer my question.I grabbed her arm so hard my fingers left an imprint on her skin. The look she gave me would turn ordinary men to stone. I wasn’t one of them. But I let go of her arm, because I felt dizzy. Sank to my knees in the dirt next to the SUV.‘Miles?’ No answer. ‘Fucking answer me, wolf!’ I felt sick with worry. Did I lose my wolf? What kind of alpha would I be without my wolf spirit?How did I get out of the mine? I remembered the suffocating smoke and how the ground shook. But after that – nothing. It felt like falling into a b
CassandraThe bad-boy mafia guy circled me like I was his dinner or maybe dessert. I didn’t like it.“Look, I have nothing to do with whatever you have going on, Mr. Botero. So, I will greatly appreciate it if you would just let me leave.” I had to try. Right?“Are you a fed?” he asked, his tone measured with the promise of extreme violence.He was too close. I took a step back. He kept coming.“Say what?” I faked a laugh. “Very funny, Mr. Botero. Do I look like one?” Fuck, I hope not. I saw the firearm holstered on his hip.His eyes narrowed. “I wasn’t making a joke, doll.” He reached behind my head. Fingers twisted around my ponytail, and he tugged, just enough to get his message across. “Take off your clothes. Prove to me you’re not wearing a wire.” “Excuse me?” Oh hell no.He let go of my hair, walked to snuff out his cigar in a silver ashtray on the coffee table. “Either you do what I say, or I will do it for you, sugar.”He wasn’t joking. I had to think fast. I was never a goo
ConnorDust and smoke made it hard to breathe, each breath worsened by the sharp taste of chemicals. It burned in my nostrils, my eyes, even my brain. Overriding all other smells, the stench of blood and death hung heavy in the air. Blindly, I stumbled to the blocked exit, my fingers examining the rough boulders. Feeling for a gap. Need air. I gagged.“Alpha! You alright in there?” Ray’s voice, muffled by the obstruction.“Still alive.” I wheezed. My lungs felt tight. There was an invisible weight on my chest that I couldn’t shake. But the safety of my men was of more importance. I got them into this situation. “You must get out of here, Ray. This entire mine is about to cave in.”“We’ll get you out, Connor.” There was an undercurrent of fear in his voice, which he tried to hide, but I still heard it. “Just hold on.”If I died here, Cassie would never forgive me. I had to get out. “What…what about Locke?” I panted with the effort it took just to breathe the noxious air. So weak. Damn
CassandraWhy do criminals like black cars? Just a random thought that popped into my head as they manhandled me into one of those ugly, black SUVs with tinted windows.“Look, if it’s money you’re after… I hate to disappoint.” I sounded calmer than I felt. Somehow Connor was involved in all of what the fuck this was.The guy grinned. “We’ll let Mr. Botero decide what to do with you. He likes pretty little things like you.” He reached over and grabbed my face. I didn’t like the look in his eyes. “If you’re lucky, you just might survive.”His eyes caught the ring on my finger. “What this then?” he grabbed my hand and pried the ring off my finger.“Hey! Give that back!” I tried to reach for it, but he held it higher.“This must have cost a lot. No money, huh?” he smirked. “Who is the lucky guy?”“None of your damn business! Give it!” I held my hand out.The other guys laughed. But the dark-skinned one looked at me with renewed interest. “Are you one of Mr. Broccoli’s baby dolls?” He pock
ConnorThe Nevada sky turned the color of a bruise as we approached the long-abandoned silver mines. We ignored the weather-worn signs that spelled danger and warned away trespassers. Ray maneuvered the SUV through a gap in the fence. The metal fence screeched against the car’s body and set my teeth on edge.This was a ghost town occupied by the worst of the worst, human predators, preying on the depravity of humanity; sex, drugs and greed. Believe me, I was no humanitarian, but this affected our future, mine and Cassie’s. After this night, I was done with trying to save men and monsters. My pack needed me. Aiden needed me, and I needed Cassie. All I wanted was a life free of looking over my shoulder, just running my pack, earning an honest living. Was that too much to ask for?Apparently, it was.We passed old, ruined structures that had long since given up the ghost to nature. A lone dust devil twirled in the distance, chasing the tumbleweeds down the overgrown road. There was no si







