speration, and stale cigarettes. Emilee pulled her baseball cap lower. S

He looked bored. Then he put on his jeweler's loupe. His eyes widened

d his throat. "This is

ensive, it was a signature. A piece of him. And he had left i

r phone. "Found

alarm button under the counter. Possession of stolen P

he owner jumped. He stared at

ed at Emilee with wide, fearful eyes. "Y

ted counting out stacks of hundred-dollar bills. "Fifty thousand

ed quickly. She shoved the money into her backpack. She

d her leave. He held the phone to his ear. "Good," he said to the paw

xpensive," Archer noted

lisle said. "She has her war che

cky keyboards and no cameras. She logged in. She transferred the money to Nine via

g Oneill Media as a laundry mat. He was funneling illegal gambling profits through her fat

's hand was on Harper's waist. They looked incredibly intimate. "Cousin" Julian.

en the back door into the alley. Three men were waiting for her. They wo

e said. He cracked his knuckl

her was locked. She was trapped.

rd," the man said.

er phone. She had o

h Ave Net Cafe. Alley

t. He laughed. "She thinks

Arche

rlisle ordered. "It seems

He roared, clawing at his face. But the other two grabbed her. One pinn

m, but only a choked gasp ca

re. He moved like a soldier. He took out the first guy with a precise chop to the throat. The second guy dropped Emilee and pulled a knife. Arc

is cuffs. He walked over to the blinded man. He kicked him in the knee. The man collaps

all, clutching her backpack. Her ch

aced one hand next to her head, leaning close enough that she could feel the heat radiating from h

. The platinum cuffl

s before meeting her eyes with a smoldering intensity. "Plus t

him. He bought it back. Of course he di

octave. It wasn't mocking anymore. It was a low

the men on the ground. "My

a flash of possessive anger. "Get in the car," he sa

gerous. But right now, it was the only safe thing in the alley. She took it. His long fingers wrapped a