Rage & Killian Read Free

a new job.
    “You know I run a cash only business.”
    Vern shook his head, leaning to the side to open his briefcase. Then, grabbing a thick envelope, he tossed it onto the desk.
    “You’re a pain in the ass, you know that Lucie?” he asked her, watching as she snatched up the envelope and promptly counted the crisp bills inside.
    She didn’t trust anyone. Period.
    “I try.” She strolled toward the nearby door. “Let me know next time you upgrade.”
    There was the sound of Vern hastily rising to his feet. “What’s your hurry?”
    Lucie’s steps never slowed. “It’s late.”
    “Not that late. We could have a drink or—”
    “No.”
    “What about a quick trip to Paris? I have my jet on standby—”
    “No.”
    There was a strangled sound of disbelief. No doubt Vern was accustomed to women who would do backflips at the chance to go out with him. Like another male that she’d once known.
    Bleck.
    “Well, you’re nothing if not blunt,” he said with a small laugh.
    “It saves any misunderstandings.” She glanced over her shoulder, her ponytail swinging. “Call me if you have a job.”
    Without giving him time to press his invitation to linger, Lucie headed out of the office and toward the nearest stairs. It didn’t matter she was on the tenth floor. There was no way she was going to get into an elevator.
    There mere thought of being trapped in a small box made her breath lock in her lungs.
    After her grandfather…
    No. Lucie gave a shake of her head and jogged easily down the stairs. There was no past.
    Only the future.
    Within minutes, she was out of the building and moving down the dark street. Her thoughts were still with the easy money she was shoving into her back pocket. It was crazy, really. She’d started hacking in defiance of Xavier and his stupid rules. She hated people telling her what to do. Besides, being able to break into systems that were supposedly impenetrable made her feel like a badass.
    And after leaving the Wildlands, she’d needed to hack to support herself.
    But in the end, she’d discovered she could earn a shitload more cash by becoming legitimate. Now companies paid her to hack into their high-security systems.
    How ironic was that?
    The smug thought had barely drifted through her mind when an intoxicating scent of musk had her coming to a sharp halt.
    Pantera.
    Shit.
    Although the puma-shifters preferred to stay in the Wildlands, there were always a few roaming the city. Either to spy on the humans or to keep up on their ever-changing technology. But over the years, fewer and fewer were willing to risk leaving their homelands, and she’d become overly complacent.
    Knowing it was too late, she still turned, trying to dart into the nearby alley.
    She’d barely manage to take a step when arms were wrapping around her waist and she was being pulled against a hard, male chest.
    “You’re a hard girl to track down,” a low, disturbingly familiar voice whispered in her ear, sending Lucie into an instant panic. Kicking backward, she managed to connect with his shin while at the same time she turned her head, snapping her teeth at his face. “Shit, Lucie.” His arms tightened until she could barely breathe, let alone move. “Easy, for god’s sake, it’s me.”
    Yeah, like she didn’t know that it was Rage who held her?
    This male had once figured into her every girlish fantasy. She’d spent hours watching him from a distance, fascinated by his male beauty and the easy charm that made him a favorite among the females.
    And much to her embarrassment, she still found herself searching for him during the rare occurrences she returned to the Wildlands.
    Now she was desperate to get away from him.
    “Let me go, Rage,” she growled.
    He chuckled. “Long time no see.”
    Lucie didn’t know what bad juju had crossed her path with this male, but she needed to get away. Not out of fear. Xavier had removed the bounty on her head some time ago. But this male…
    He disturbed