Summer Sin (The Anthology Novella Series Book 2) Read Free

Well, aren’t you the lucky one? What infraction have you committed now? Or did you just draw the short straw?”
    Simon burst out laughing and grabbed the suitcases from her hands. He was a blond, blue-eyed shifter that had the total surfer vibe going on. Tanned, muscled…he was the epitome of a California boy, and Victoria thought it would make much more sense if he were the one going to the beach for a month instead of her.
    “Yep, Malcolm figured that you might decide to cause a stink and refuse to go at the last minute, so he sent the only person who could beat your sorry ass into submission to take you to the airport and make sure you got on the plane.”
    “Beat my ass,” she snorted with disgust, glaring at him now. “You got in one lucky shot, two freaking years ago and now you think you’re Mister Macho or some shit. Please! Submission my ass,” she grumbled.
    “Whatever,” he responded, chuckling good-naturedly as he grinned at her. “Are you ready to go, Fireball? We don’t want you missing your flight. Malcolm would have my ass on a platter.”
    Victoria grabbed her purse and stepped through the door, turning and locking it behind her as she did. “As ready as I’ll ever be, Hooper.”

    Simon grinned when she referred to him by the nickname she’d given him way back when she had first joined the team. He remembered her looking him up and down and finally saying that he looked like a buff version of the oceanographer in Jaws.
    Since then, they had formed a strong friendship that he cherished. So when Malcolm had asked him to keep her safe until she boarded the plane, he couldn’t have refused if he had wanted to. He wasn’t sure just what was going on with Victoria; he only knew that it had to be big if their leader was forcing her to disappear for a while.
    Simon ushered her to his SUV and opened the door. “You know, Fireball,” he remarked nonchalantly as he attempted to help her into the car, but the look on her face stopped him cold and he gave her a wink as he waited for her to jump in and close the door. “I can’t help but hope that you might just lighten up a bit after a little R&R. You know, I was thinking about it on the drive over here and in the seven years that I’ve known you, I’ve never once seen you so much as crack a smile.”
    Before she had the chance to respond, he bounded around the front of the car and hopped into the driver’s seat beside her. She glanced over at him and he could see the irritation in her expression, but he could also detect that underlying sadness that always seemed to hover over her. It was always there, lurking behind her eyes as if implanted there forever.
    “What in the hell is there to smile about?” she grumbled darkly.
    Simon appraised his friend a moment, noting once again how utterly beautiful she was. Beautiful and haunted , he thought with a frown. She damned well deserved to be happy, he thought with a sad shake of his head. He sighed and started the car. “If you’d just give yourself a chance,” he finally replied quietly, “you might be surprised.”

    Victoria woke just as the Captain’s voice drifted through the cabin informing them that they were beginning their final decent. She yawned sleepily as she swiped a hand across her eyes. Good Lord! She’d fallen asleep from almost the moment that they had taken off and had slept the entire flight!
    She leaned over and looked out of the window at the beautiful islands nestled below. Bali. Malcolm had actually sent her to freaking Bali! What in the good God was going on here ?
    Just why in the hell did he suddenly feel the need to send her halfway across the world? Her ribs were back to normal. In fact, she felt great. So why this sudden forced getaway? Her brows furrowed as she realized that something was definitely up. She could feel it in her bones. Malcolm was keeping something from her and she was pretty damned sure that it wasn’t good.
    Victoria suddenly felt the hairs at