Primal Pursuit

Counting down, rabbit. Don’t tell me a simple fucking code got you all tied up.

Tying you up is my job.

“Asshole,” I mutter as a shiver of desire runs through me. What I should do is ring Will or one of the girls from my job, see?—

Oh. Ring. As in phone, as in…

I pull up the pad screen of my phone and work it out. Sly bastard used my own game against me tonight.

SE CNR Market plc.

Take half an hour away from ten p.m., and you have nine-thirty.

Unless he means fifty minutes.

It’s already eight-forty, and Market Place is almost twenty minutes away.

Do not be late, rabbit. Or I’ll come for you.

Ready or fucking not.

Chapter

Twenty

POPPY

I can drive there.Market Place is close enough.

I dither over the gun but put it in my purse. There’s a plan, and it’s still the same one I had when I went to the park. Only now I need to bide my time before I take him down. The mace is still in there, too, in case I need it.

I grab my coat when he bangs on the door. A slow smile creeps up, thinking he just couldn’t wait to start. He wants this as much as I do. Maybe even more.

I dump the bag and my coat as I stalk up to the door, unlocking it.

“You just couldn’t—” I stop.

It’s not Davian.

My lip curls in dislike. “Can I help you, Giovanni?”

“Always. Dressing up for me, eh?” He reaches out to grab me, and I move out of his way.

He’s always had the sleaze element about him, which is why I drop the rent off at the office, usually a week early. And once more I curse being late with the rent thismonth.

His mouth twists up, and he comes in close. He’s all bad-will and booze fumes. Shit.

“Baby doll, I didn’t realize you were so fine. Thought I’d come by, stop in. I had to fix something on the top floor.”

“I don’t need anything,” I say, stomach churning.

“I do. Rent.”

Ice pours through me. “I gave you rent.”

“You are almost half a month late.”

“I gave you rent.”