Ruthless Creatures by J.T. Geissinger

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3K A G EIt shouldn’t make a difference that’s she’s stunning,but it does. She’s so extravagantly beautiful, Ialmost laughed out loud when I saw her.I was ready for anything but that. It surprised me.I hate surprises. Usually when I’m taken off guard,someone starts to bleed.But now I know. The next time I see her, I’ll be prepared. Iwon’t let that face or those legs or those incredible eyesdistract me from what I came here to do.Or that hair, either. I’ve never seen hair so glossy andblack. It’s like something from a fairy tale. I wanted to plungemy hands into that thick, shining mass of waves and pull herhead back and—Fuck.I know better than to mix business with pleasure. I justneed to focus and do what I came here to do.If only she wasn’t so goddamn beautiful.I don’t like to break beautiful things.
4N A TIwake up in the morning with a throbbing headacheand Mojo snoring in my face.“Geez, dog,” I mumble, poking at his furry chest. “Couldyou keep it down? Mommy’s hungover.”His response is to grumble, burrow deeper into the pillow,and release a fart that might peel the paint off the walls.I roll to my back and heave a sigh, wondering if I didsomething terrible in a former life. Sometimes I think it’s theonly logical explanation for the shit show of my existence.When the phone rings, I flail around in the direction of thenightstand until my hand closes over my cell. I hit the answerbutton, but before I can even say hello, Sloane is jabbering inmy ear.“I’ve figured it out. He’s a widower.”“What? Who?”“Don’t be dense. You know who. The stud who turneddown the two hottest babes on the West Coast, because…” Shepauses for dramatic effect. “He’s in mourning!”In Sloane’s world, the only legit reason a guy isn’tinterested in her is if he’s gay, married, brain damaged, or hiswife died recently. Very recently. Like, within the week. I alsothink she secretly believes that given enough exposure to hercharms, a man in any one of those situations will come aroundanyway.I wish I had that kind of confidence.
Page 2 and 3: RUTHLESS CREATURES
Page 4 and 5: CONTENTSPrefacePlaylist1. Nat2. Nat
Page 6 and 7: This is a work of fiction. Names, c
Page 8 and 9: For Jay, my poison of choice.
Page 10 and 11: P L A Y L I S T“Desperado” Rhia
Page 12 and 13: Chris isn’t a bad guy. He’s not
Page 14 and 15: David and I rescued him when he was
Page 16 and 17: Today marks five years since David
Page 18 and 19: I take my sweet time using the toil
Page 20 and 21: I’m shocked. This is unprecedente
Page 22 and 23: walk into a room without automatica
Page 24 and 25: 2N A T“Earth to Natalie. Come in,
Page 26 and 27: I wonder what she’d do if I dumpe
Page 28 and 29: thousand feet above sea level isn
Page 30 and 31: “Because I’m awesome, obviously
Page 32 and 33: me up on Steelhead, so I thought I
Page 36 and 37: I run my tongue over my furry teeth
Page 38 and 39: “Breakfast it is.”After I’ve
Page 40 and 41: I mean, if I can handle this, I can
Page 42 and 43: palpitating.When the front door sla
Page 44 and 45: 5N A T“Itold you he was a widower
Page 46 and 47: “Him who? Reschedule what?”“I
Page 48 and 49: I make a show of polishing off my s
Page 50 and 51: Whoa. That was my stomach dropping.
Page 52 and 53: He murmurs to himself, “She’s f
Page 54 and 55: Not angry, exactly, but more like u
Page 56 and 57: He’s breaking out the manners, I
Page 58 and 59: the set of Sons of Anarchy, and und
Page 60 and 61: My mouth opens. For several moments
Page 62 and 63: life, not even my fiancé.”He wai
Page 64 and 65: I settle on, “I’m not the girl
Page 66 and 67: “Oh, come on! You would not!”
Page 68 and 69: “I just feel like…I don’t kno
Page 70 and 71: I lose the battle with trying to ho
Page 72 and 73: run a hand over my hair, and try to
Page 74 and 75: But it must’ve been only a day or
Page 76 and 77: An extra set of house keys is there
Page 78 and 79: He glances bashfully at the ground
Page 80 and 81: “I have one just like it. Same si
Page 82 and 83: “Tomorrow night, then. Tuesday ni
Page 84 and 85:
“So I thought about what you said
Page 86 and 87:
He doesn’t turn around. He simply
Page 88 and 89:
The voice on the other end of the l
Page 90 and 91:
1 0
Page 92 and 93:
Getting through class Monday is she
Page 94 and 95:
She holds my ID up against her comp
Page 96 and 97:
The interior of the box is simple.
Page 98 and 99:
were toast.”It’s true. He was a
Page 100 and 101:
“Your Honor, I present to the cou
Page 102 and 103:
N A TAmonth goes by. Then another.
Page 104 and 105:
When I only stand there staring at
Page 106 and 107:
The ghost of a smile lifts the corn
Page 108 and 109:
He’s thrown his wool overcoat ont
Page 110 and 111:
He murmurs, “I want everything yo
Page 112 and 113:
heartbeat in every part of my body,
Page 114 and 115:
N A TTover the line.he next day, I
Page 116 and 117:
“What?” she demands. I can almo
Page 118 and 119:
Aaand here comes the heat in my che
Page 120 and 121:
In his pause, I feel his surprise.
Page 122 and 123:
“We’ve been over this. We’re
Page 124 and 125:
“Don’t worry,” he says in a h
Page 126 and 127:
N A TWHa!hen Kage knocks on my door
Page 128 and 129:
out of my head, and I’ve tried. H
Page 130 and 131:
I say, “Okay. Let’s say I accep
Page 132 and 133:
Then he breaks away suddenly and st
Page 134 and 135:
I whisper, “So either don’t tel
Page 136 and 137:
1 4
Page 138 and 139:
Upon laying eyes on Kage, every one
Page 140 and 141:
“Here. Boston. Chicago. New York.
Page 142 and 143:
The table falls into silence when t
Page 144 and 145:
He murmurs, “We’d be pleased to
Page 146 and 147:
He pushes me against the wall. His
Page 148 and 149:
When my orgasm hits, I lose myself.
Page 150 and 151:
K A G EWhorror.“What was that?”
Page 152 and 153:
No—not cowers. Her legs are curle
Page 154 and 155:
If we’re lucky, they won’t see
Page 156 and 157:
N A TKage is silent as he drives. H
Page 158 and 159:
“In a nutshell…yes.”Now I’m
Page 160 and 161:
His voice gravelly, he says, “It
Page 162 and 163:
He knows what I’m asking.Knows th
Page 164 and 165:
He pulls his brows together. “Of
Page 166 and 167:
N A TIalready knew Kage was intense
Page 168 and 169:
Harsh, guttural Russian, the words
Page 170 and 171:
The moment when I finally give myse
Page 172 and 173:
Into my hair, he whispers, “I hav
Page 174 and 175:
I kiss him softly on the lips. “Y
Page 176 and 177:
N A TWe talk for a while, then Kage
Page 178 and 179:
When the plate is empty, he sets it
Page 180 and 181:
His voice has dropped an octave and
Page 182 and 183:
“I love this greedy wet cunt—
Page 184 and 185:
So of course I have to keeping roll
Page 186 and 187:
That’s the last thing I remember
Page 188 and 189:
N A TWhen I open the door, I find t
Page 190 and 191:
Pause. A daring stare. I say nothin
Page 192 and 193:
Men.“I don’t know anything.”H
Page 194 and 195:
“Jesus, Nat. That guy? Are you ki
Page 196 and 197:
“We landed in Rome. Now we’re o
Page 198 and 199:
Then I click over to Kage.
Page 200 and 201:
N A T“K“Good morning. I left yo
Page 202 and 203:
“Mine, of course.”He sounds so
Page 204 and 205:
trying very hard not to break out i
Page 206 and 207:
—”“Mr. Santiago from MoraBanc
Page 208 and 209:
N A TFor the next few weeks, I exis
Page 210 and 211:
I call my parents in Arizona, but t
Page 212 and 213:
“—is a liar, a career criminal,
Page 214 and 215:
I say firmly, “This is private pr
Page 216 and 217:
2 2
Page 218 and 219:
He winds his arms around my back, p
Page 220 and 221:
I give up with a grateful sigh and
Page 222 and 223:
My voice comes out in the barest of
Page 224 and 225:
“You’d let me tie you up and bl
Page 226 and 227:
I giggle a little when I picture my
Page 228 and 229:
2 3
Page 230 and 231:
I think for a moment. “Where were
Page 232 and 233:
giving me a great view of his beaut
Page 234 and 235:
“Was that planned?”“No.”I s
Page 236 and 237:
I cover my mouth with both my hands
Page 238 and 239:
2 4
Page 240 and 241:
Too addictive. I’m too far under
Page 242 and 243:
N A TAfter the shower, I pour Kage
Page 244 and 245:
It’s not gruesome. It’s not eve
Page 246 and 247:
He squeezes my butt when he says,
Page 248 and 249:
That makes me snort. “Not even cl
Page 250 and 251:
“I know you’re not giving me sh
Page 252 and 253:
His voice breaks. “Not even for l
Page 254 and 255:
2 6
Page 256 and 257:
“Not that.”His voice is serious
Page 258 and 259:
“I mean when I told you my life w
Page 260 and 261:
Still advancing slowly, he says sof
Page 262 and 263:
2 7
Page 264 and 265:
This one, apparently.He’s an evil
Page 266 and 267:
The skin on his cock is the softest
Page 268 and 269:
My entire central nervous system is
Page 270 and 271:
Kage breathes, “Fuck, baby. You l
Page 272 and 273:
2 8
Page 274 and 275:
threads a hand into my hair and gri
Page 276 and 277:
“Color?”Panting, I whisper, “
Page 278 and 279:
“Hush now. No more sound unless I
Page 280 and 281:
I arch, gasping, out of my mind wit
Page 282 and 283:
He makes me feel safe. Safe and pro
Page 284 and 285:
N A TA We don’t talk about it, bu
Page 286 and 287:
Kage comes back and this sour littl
Page 288 and 289:
surfaces.“What about you? Are you
Page 290 and 291:
didn’t go over well. By the time
Page 292 and 293:
“Oh, I know. I also know your mat
Page 294 and 295:
3 0
Page 296 and 297:
She stares at me like I’ve just s
Page 298 and 299:
I look at the ceiling and heave a s
Page 300 and 301:
Silence.When I glance up at her, Sl
Page 302 and 303:
Of all the times Kage has probably
Page 304 and 305:
K A G EWhen the text comes through,
Page 306 and 307:
He wants to know what to do with th
Page 308 and 309:
warehouse, headed back to their fam
Page 310 and 311:
“Yeah. She broke it off with Stav
Page 312 and 313:
I can’t.Because for the first tim
Page 314 and 315:
N A TAfter that night, three days g
Page 316 and 317:
Because I’m hearing the ringing o
Page 318 and 319:
His lids drift lower. He licks his
Page 320 and 321:
He swallows and tightens his arms a
Page 322 and 323:
could get you killed.”His laugh i
Page 324 and 325:
N A TII lie in the dark in Kage’s
Page 326 and 327:
I close my eyes. A lone tears slips
Page 328 and 329:
I say, “Green. Do it.”A gentle
Page 330 and 331:
He winds an arm around my waist, wr
Page 332 and 333:
K A G EWhen the view outside the be
Page 334 and 335:
I want to sink my teeth into every
Page 336 and 337:
“What you said to make Chris go a
Page 338 and 339:
3 5
Page 340 and 341:
It’s a Saturday. I’m up early,
Page 342 and 343:
The footsteps in the snow. The nigh
Page 344 and 345:
He exhales a short, disappointed br
Page 346 and 347:
deafening. I scream, purely on inst
Page 348 and 349:
N A TKage drops the shotgun and fli
Page 350 and 351:
When he stays silent, I prompt, “
Page 352 and 353:
K A G EA My father told me that. He
Page 354 and 355:
She takes it from me silently. She
Page 356 and 357:
“When were you going to start ask
Page 358 and 359:
As she points the gun an inch from
Page 360 and 361:
When I return an hour later, her ho
Page 362 and 363:
N A TThe instant the door closes be
Page 364 and 365:
Catherine Zeta-Jones played the par
Page 366 and 367:
I pack a bag, call my parents, and
Page 368 and 369:
N A TThe Villa Camilla Hotel in Pan
Page 370 and 371:
I try to make my smile look as sane
Page 372 and 373:
I also can’t wait to set it on fi
Page 374 and 375:
4 0
Page 376 and 377:
Nobody threatens my baby.
Page 378 and 379:
N A TWhen I come to, I’m lying on
Page 380 and 381:
“Okay, that covers the first few
Page 382 and 383:
He murmurs, “I never wanted to hu
Page 384 and 385:
for me? Not knowing what had happen
Page 386 and 387:
“I don’t understand.”I try to
Page 388 and 389:
4 2
Page 390 and 391:
years ago or you are. My money’s
Page 392 and 393:
Behind him, an attractive brunette
Page 394 and 395:
4 3
Page 396 and 397:
It’s obvious she can tell by the
Page 398 and 399:
I’ll leave her alone all she want
Page 400 and 401:
but he does care about gaining adva
Page 402 and 403:
“Max is dead.”She blinks. I nod
Page 404 and 405:
4 4
Page 406 and 407:
in a bit of a state.”“A state?
Page 408 and 409:
She’s unimpressed. “Puh. He’s
Page 410 and 411:
“To bed.”I don’t bother fight
Page 412 and 413:
pulling it out and stroking it from
Page 414 and 415:
N A TOver the next week, what seems
Page 416 and 417:
He chuckles. “Yes. That one’s t
Page 418 and 419:
“Answer the damn question.”“
Page 420 and 421:
“Headstrong? You’ve been readin
Page 422 and 423:
E P I L O G U E
Page 424 and 425:
Shaking my head, I snort. “There
Page 426 and 427:
Oh boy. This doesn’t look good.I
Page 428 and 429:
A C K N O W L E D G M E N T SWhew!
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A B O U T T H E A U T H O RJ.T. Gei
Page 432:
STANDALONE NOVELSPerfect Strangers(
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Ruthless Creatures by J.T. Geissinger

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