Payable On Death: A Jax Rhodes Novel, Book One (The Jax Rhodes Series 1) Read Free Page B

Lazarus, the sneaky bastard. He never stayed in Hell for long. I'd exorcise him from my life and a week later, he'd be darkening my doorstep again. Literally.
    There'd definitely be a special place in Hell for me if I didn't earn my way back into Heaven before I died.
    I threw on my hoodie, grabbed my bag, and headed out. I felt new guy's gaze on me until I hit the stairs.

FOUR
     
     
     
     
    Lazarus waited outside for me, as usual. Tired from my workout and the unwanted attention I'd already received, I lashed out. My arm felt like Jello so the swing went wild, connecting with a looping overhead right. He reeled back, clearly shocked I'd managed to hit him.
    So was I.
    Thankfully, he vanished before I could challenge him again because exhaustion would have prevented a repeat performance. Even one afternoon without him harassing me was a gift, so I was grateful for the temporary reprieve.
    I walked back to my apartment with a little spring in my step. The blessed silence in my head from the lack of my inner demons drowned out the music of living in the city.
    A quick shower and change of clothes later, I made my way over to My Sister's Keeper, a shelter for battered women and children on the outskirts of Fells Point. Close enough to my apartment to walk, I volunteered there three days a week before my shifts tending bar at Bad Decisions. Like everything else in my life, my desire to help people who often found themselves in a shelter due to substance abuse during the day while serving up someone's liquid addiction at night to pay the rent was a ridiculous paradox. Still, the easy money earned behind the bar made it possible to donate cash as well as my time.
    Tommy waited for me on the front steps. "Mom's working late, so I figured I'd take you up on your dinner offer."
    "I thought you didn't want to risk your life by eating my cooking." I hopped up the steps, my feet seemingly lighter without the demon on my back.
    "Pfft, danger is my middle name. Besides, I'd hate to stand you up and break your heart when you've been begging to take me to dinner."
    "Well, come on then, Casanova, you've just been promoted to prep cook." I looped my arm through his and steered us toward the kitchen.
    Right into the path of the smoking hot stranger from the gym.
    Tommy rocked back as if he'd been hit with a Taser. He obviously picked up on the same danger factor I'd felt at the boxing club. I moved to put myself between Tommy and the other man, pausing when his hand gripped my forearm with a strength I wouldn't have expected to come from the lean teenager.
    The stranger extended his palm, lowering it when neither of us reciprocated. "I'm Dane. Dane McDonough. We met earlier at the gym. Well, sort of."
    "Are you sure it's not Stalker ? I thought I made myself pretty clear back at the gym."
    "I'm actually here to see the director." He flashed his thousand watt smile again.
    I pointed him in the direction of Michelle's office. The perfect combination of bad boy and boy next door, Dane looked exactly like my type. That alone would normally send me running in the opposite direction because my type had a track record of being bad, period. Warning bells sounded in my head, signaling me to keep my distance. Not like when a demon came around, but close.
    Too close.
    He thanked me and headed in the direction of Michelle's office, giving me a wink and another glorious smile before walking away. Oh yeah, Dane McDonough was definitely bad news.
    Tommy and I made our way to the kitchen, and began quietly slicing and dicing vegetables for the stew. After throwing them into the pot of simmering beef and broth, we uncovered the rolls rising on the baking sheets and slid them in the oven. Neither of us said anything, my thoughts turning to the way he'd grabbed my arm.
    I got a soda from the fridge and tossed it to Tommy. "Have you seen that guy before today?"
    "No, but something about him freaks me out. What about you?"
    "Not before he walked into the gym. I