The Mercenary Read Free

Her injured arm throbbed. But not for a moment was she going to let him
    see just how terrified she was. Girding herself, she tilted her chin and met his stare.
    His gaze raked her body from head to toe. His eyes narrowed when he noticed the cast on her arm, and
    everything inside her froze as he asked grimly, “How did that happen?” She’d thought her sleeve covered
    the blasted thing.
    “I fell.” Into a wall. Unadulterated fear made her go icy cold all over.Don’t think about it. Don’t think
    about it. Do not think about it.
    “Take off your jacket.” He didn’t move, but his words felt sinister.
    She gave him a startled look while her heart pounded beneath her rib cage like a trapped animal. “What
    on earth for?”
    “Because I say so.”
    “I’m a guest in your home, Mr. Savin. I won’t be bullie—”
    “Guest? Guests are invited. Don’t make me strip it off for you. I’m too tired for games.” He was unyielding. As much as she hated obeying, Tory choked down her pride and shrugged off the
    jacket. It hadn’t been easy getting the fiberglass into the sleeve, and it wasn’t any easier getting that arm
    out. Bunching her jacket against her body, she held up her arm, shooting him a fulminating glare. Which
    might have been effective on some level if she hadn’t felt her chin wobble.
    She wouldnot cry in front of him. She gritted her teeth. “Satisfied?”
    “Far from it.” His eyes took in the grubby cast showing beneath the edge of her white cotton sleeve, then
    scanned her face. It took every ounce of willpower she possessed not to touch any of the bruises she’d
    so carefully covered with foundation to make sure he couldn’t detect them.
    A muscle clenched in his jaw. “Who did this to you?”
    “I told you. I fell.” Often and hard. Oh, God. He was going to know she was lying through her teeth.
    She was lousy at it, and he seemed to be able to see directly into her brain with those pale, unamused
    X-ray eyes of his. Tory felt the heat in her cheeks get hotter and her gaze skittered back to the pattern on
    the carpet before she forced herself to meet his eyes.
    “Let me put it this way, Miss Jones. I’ll ask the questions. All you have to do is supply truthful answers.
    If I don’t like what I hear, you’ll be out of here so damned fast your head will spin. Got it? What
    happened to your arm?”
    Tory licked her dry lips. “I was mugged at the airport.”
    “No abusive boyfriend or husband following you?”
    Hateful man. “I’m not married.”
    His lips twitched. “Now why doesn’t that surprise me?” Tory tried to make her arm inconspicuous and bent to pick up her purse from the floor where it had
    fallen. Her mouth was dry and perspiration beaded on her skin. She was so tired of being scared. And he
    scared her to death. There was just…so much of him.
    His hair, as dark as her own, was tied back in a short ponytail and the diamond stud flashed in one ear.
    His scuffed cowboy boots were set apart, his arms loose at his sides. He didn’t look like a spy or a
    mercenary. Not that she’d had any idea what one looked like, but surely not like a cross between aGQ
    model and a predatory animal.
    Obviously not impressed by what he was seeing, he said, “What can I do for you, Miss Jones? It must
    be something compelling to get you to stand here when you’d rather be anywhere else.” His eyes shifted
    to the indented cushions on the sofa behind her and then narrowed on her face.
    Victoria had never had a man look at her like that. It was disconcerting. She shrugged back into her
    jacket, despising herself for almost asking his permission to do so. But she didn’t ask, and he made no
    comment as she buttoned the serviceable navy serge up to her throat.
    The wind sounded mournful as it whipped the bare tree branches and rattled the window. The perfect
    setting for the nightmare she found herself living. Jerking her gaze away from the night sky, she turned
    back to him.
    It