Contents

Copyright
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Author's Note
Acknowledgments
Other Books by K.C. Stewart
About the Author

Swe lte r by K.C. Stewart
© 2016 by K.C. Stewart.
All rights re se rve d. No part of this book may be
re produce d or transmitte d in any form or by any
me ans, e le ctronic or me chanical, including
photocopying, re cording, or by any information
storage and re trie val syste m without the writte n
pe rmission of the author, e xce pt whe re pe rmitte d
by law.

This book is a work of fiction. Name s, characte rs,
place s, and incide nts e ithe r are products of the
author’s imagination or are use d fictitiously. Any
re se mblance to actual pe rsons, living or de ad,
e ve nts, or locale s is e ntire ly coincide ntal.

Cover Design © L.J. Anderson, Mayhem Cover
Creations
Editing by: Dare to Dream Editing

Chapter One

“Where have you been?” the man

barked at her. “Is it done?”

She had two answers for him. “Fuck

no and none of your business.”

“I’m paying you for a job, when you

disappear after part of it was to be
completed, it becomes my business. I
thought I hired the best?”

After she failed to kill the sister of

her target, because the target found her
beforehand and then proceeded to take
her captive for the night, Charley didn’t
feel that her embarrassment was any of
his business. Although, she made up for
it in the end with her disappearing act.
She hoped Silas like the note she left
him.

With her bag packed, Charley zipped

it closed and moved to the next. The fact
that Silas knew where she lived and how
to get into her apartment wasn’t an issue
before but she pissed him off and proved
him wrong. The man would be sending
out his guys to bring her back. Luckily,
she had a few holes in the city and was
packing up the essentials to move.

“Calm your face, it will be done.”

Her employer this time around was a
whiny hardass. He checked in a few
times a day and nagged her relentlessly.
She typically didn’t get involved with
the whys of the situation just the who’s
and how’s. As in, who did they want
dead and how did they want it done. But
sometimes, and right now was a perfect
example, she really wished she could
kill the people who hired her instead of
the targets, the world would have one
less asshole. But then she wouldn’t get
paid and Charley really liked to get
paid. Although in this case, the money
was not nearly as tempting as putting a
hole in Mr. Bergman’s chest.

“Get it done within the week and I’ll

double what I’m paying you.”

Well now…
“You’d pay me four million dollars to

kill the leader of the Green sept of
dragons?”

“Only if you do it by Saturday night.”
Oh man, this was what she lived for.
Charley was born half angel, half

bastard. She had no idea what her other
half was since her bitch of a mother left
her when she was five. Foster homes
made up the next thirteen years of her
life until she was eighteen and could
walk away from the life her mother had
condemned her to. Hunting and killing
things had started off as self-
preservation in a hard world full of
creatures that hated her because she
wasn’t one of their perfect races. Being

a Halfling made her a target, being a
good shot got the bull's-eye off her back
and onto the head of someone else. Turns
out that just because people hate you for
what you had no choice in, didn’t mean
they wouldn’t pay you to kill someone
they hated more. She had a pretty good
life for herself. Then that fucking green
dragon had to come knocking.

Charley had been thrilled to find that

someone hated that cock sucker as much
as she did. The man broke into her home
after having virtually nothing on her. She
knew, she kept track of those things. He
just broke in to see who she was. This
led her to believe he was either stupid
and stumbled into the wrong apartment--
which considering he was known as one

of the most ruthless men in his species,
she didn’t think stupid was a very good
description--or he must have known her
from somewhere else. Charley doubted
he was trying to hire her. He had his own
men for that shit. That meant he had to
know her sperm donor.

She had made assumptions about her

father throughout the years. Who he was.
What he was. She never got a definite
answer. Silas’s presence in her
apartment pushed her towards the idea
that her father was a dragon.

Her assumptions were confirmed just

last night. Silas knew her father. He
flashed her his hand and it was tempting,
so damn tempting.

But then again, so was money.

“Deal. He’ll be dead by Saturday.”

*****

“You’ve been distracted all night,”

Hailey whispered to him. He blinked
away the glaze in his eyes and focused
back on her. They were the only ones
dancing under the millions of tiny
twinkling lights of the small dance floor.
Then again considering she was one of
three women here, the options were
limited. His sister made a beautiful
bride, even more so when she smiled
like she was. Her surprise mating to
Dacea had gone as planned and Silas
had to admit, he was happy for it. He
had grown tired of their back and forth
love battles and arguments. Had they not

done this today, he would have
kidnapped them both and officiated the
ceremony himself while they were
bound and gagged.

“I’m distracted by your beauty.”
She snorted. “Nice try. What’s on

your mind?”

Little red headed escape artists.

“Work.”

“Then why are you smiling?”
Silas narrowed his eyes. Cocky little

thing today, wasn’t she? He spun her out
and pulled her back with a giggle on her
lips. “Maybe I’m smiling because you
are so happy, it makes me happy.”

“I don’t think that’s a lie but it sure

ain’t the whole truth.”

“Hailey,” he said in warning. “I do

not wish to discuss it.”

“It’s my wedding and I’ll grill you if I

want to. Now talk.” She stepped on his
foot but he kept them moving.
Traditional dances were not something
she was familiar with and mixed with
her lack of coordination on a good day,
his toes would be bruised that evening.
Still, he spun them around so effortlessly
that no one would be the wiser of her
coordination issues unless they were
watching for her grimaces.

“A prisoner escaped from the cells

last night.”

Surprised she said, “I thought that

was impossible. Well, beyond my heroic
escape.”

“So did I.” It bothered him all day.

He had spent his time before the mating
locked in the room trying to see a way
out from her perspective. He found none.
His men were doing the same now but
during his last check in, they hadn’t
found any way out either.

“Who was it?”
“No one important,” he said

dismissively.

Hailey wasn’t buying it. “Try again.”
But Charlotte wasn’t important, she

merely over took his mind at all hours of
the day and consumed his thoughts so
thoroughly that he could get nothing else
done.

“A woman who you do not need to

hear any more about.”

“Is this that woman Dak mentioned?

Started with a C or something.”

He’d need to thank Dacea with his

fist later on for telling Hailey about
Charlotte. “Yes,” he said stiffly.

“No frowning at the bride.”
Silas exhaled trying to find patience.

“Hailey-“

“Geez, fine. I’ll stop.”
“Thank you.” The song ended and

wasn’t that just perfect timing. Silas
stepped back and with a bow, he
excused himself. He heard her mutter
“coward” at his back but didn’t step up
to the challenge. She’d get her answers,
eventually. First, he wanted his own
answers.

Charlotte missed her original target.

That was going to eat at her if it wasn’t

already. She was a perfectionist and
from the look she had when he told her
of the miss, he knew that had been a
first. She’d come after him hard now,
wanting to finish the job and move on.
Most in his situation would hide away
and increase their security. Silas planned
on doing the opposite. She wanted to kill
him for profit. So he would put himself
out there for her to try. He’d show
himself so she would have to show
herself.

There were a few functions he was

invited to that would work well for this
plan. Normally he would send a check in
lieu of attending, which most preferred
since he didn’t “play well with others,”
as Hailey put it. He would enjoy seeing

the faces of everyone when he did show
up, especially those at his table.

The poor souls won’t know what hit

them.

Chapter Two

“Silas, I want a drink.”
The sound of her voice put his teeth

on edge. Silas kept a neutral face while
he nodded to those he knew at the
benefit.

“Then go get one.”
“But I want you to get me one,”

Krystal said, hanging off his arm.

Never again would he bring one of

the women he fucked as a date,
especially a nymph. There was a reason
he gagged them when they met up and
this was it. Their voices were like
screech owls. Just once, he wanted a
woman who could either shut up and
look pretty or actually enhance a
conversation with intelligence and wit.
To have both would be a godsend.

“Baby,” Krystal said with such a

nasally high tone that his eardrums
almost burst.

“I am not yours nor anyone else’s

baby.” What had he been thinking? They
had only been there twenty minutes, they
hadn’t even eaten dinner yet. How was
he supposed to get through the evening
surrounded by people he could barely

tolerate on a good day with the sound of
Krystal’s whining only a foot beside him
the entire night?

“Baby,” she said, not even hearing his

comment on the name. Silas groaned.
“What’s for dinner? Did you tell them
that I am only eating organically grown,
seaweed harvested off the coast of Nova
Scotia this week?”

Silas’s mask broke. The only

response he had was a look of
exasperation. “No,” he ground out.
“Frankly, I don’t care if you eat at all.
What I do need is for you to close your
mouth and to not open it again until you
have walked through your front door.
Right now, you my dear, are a prop.
Nothing more than something to hang off

my arm this evening.”

She pouted and made a little indignant

squeaking noise that he found repulsive.
Why did women think that a pout would
get them anything other than a bit lip? He
pulled down on the offending lip with
the pad of his thumb. “Put that away
darling before I rip it off and feed it to
my cat.”

She sucked it into her mouth and bit

lightly.

“As I was saying. You are a prop. A

good prop doesn’t talk, it doesn’t pout. It
smiles with its Botox infused lips and
mesmerizes with its voluptuous curves.
Bad props are given to the dwarves to
fight over.”

“You wouldn’t?”

“Oh darling,” he said sardonically,

“don’t tempt me.”

He turned his head and caught a flash

of red curls out of the corner of his eye.
Perfect timing. Charlotte could kill him
now and put him out of his misery. Then
again she was the reason he was at this
thing with this perky nymph on his arm.
The hair and the woman disappeared
into the crowd. Taking the opportunity as
it was presented, he left his date to go
search for her.

Silas scanned the room not seeing her.

Gone already. He’d find her later but
losing her in the crowd meant he'd have
to return to Krystal and her enlightening
story about how her toaster broke the
day prior because she put a whole

sandwich in it hoping to make a grilled
cheese with organic, locally grown
tomatoes harvested between 2:34
and2:57 that Tuesday, or something
equally ridiculous.

A soft hand wound in between his

arm and moved in close. The perfume
was a much more delicate scent, sensual
with a spice, than that of the nymph. The
touch was softer too, not as possessive,
more curious, testing. Silas looked down
to find Charlotte smirking at him.

He let his eyes roam, not caring who

saw. She was impeccable. Hair curled
and secured in a tangle of pins on her
head, a few smaller pieces left down to
frame her brilliant green eyes. The dress
was nothing but a sheath of emerald but

the cut accentuated her lean figure and
the fierceness of her character.

“That color does your skin justice.”

Silas ran a finger down her bare
shoulder. “But your eyes are the gems of
the evening. Hello Charlotte, you look
stunning.”

He moved his hand to rest on hers.

The pressure was there so she wouldn’t
escape but touching her was the ultimate
goal.

“Thank you, Silas. I find that this suit,

although they are all beautifully cut,
really brings out the whorishness of your
date. Tell me, where did you find such a
woman on such short order?”

He grinned. “Ah, well the woman I

had wanted to bring had run out on me a

few days back. She left a note but no
number.”

“Pity.”
“It is. So are you here to kill me now

or after dinner?”

“Hmmmm,” she hummed as she

thought about it. “I think after dinner.
Wouldn’t want to ruin everyone’s night
so soon.”

“Perfect. Then we have time for a

dance.” Silas tugged her forward even
when her honey sweet voice yelped with
surprise.

“What? No. Silas.”
“Yes,” he told Charlotte as he spun

her into his arms. She was all hard
muscle under feminine softness. The
orchestra was playing but no one dared

to dance yet. She shot a look around the
room to the people who watched them.
Heads tilted together as they murmured
their comments to one another. He
ignored them. There was only one pair
of eyes he cared about.

“I don’t dance.”
Silas pulled her closer, he positioned

her hands and let his fall to her waist as
he clasped her other within his. Her eyes
were wide when they looked at him
again. He liked the look of surrender. It
would keep him company on a lonely
night.

“You do now.”
The song changed, a slightly faster

tempo and Silas began. He pulled her
where he wanted her to go, she stumbled

a bit at first but then relented and let him
lead. Such a simple submission but
worth so much in his eyes. When she
relaxed and just let him take control, she
smiled and even laughed at a few points.
She claimed not to be a dancer, but their
rhythm was anything but mundane and
clumsy. No, their bodies worked
together, one step flowing into the next.
A skim of her fingertips on his nape. His
hand traveling down her spine. The
clash of their bodies when they came
together. The angry rush when they
pushed apart. His breath on her neck.
The soft exhale on her lips. It was
serious. It was sexual. It put every other
dance he'd ever participated in to shame.

On the final beat, he had kept her off

balance and in his arms. She clung to
him, her chest heavy with unanswered
breath. Silas couldn’t look away. A few
pieces of her hair had fallen. She was
flushed and tousled. And in an
unguarded moment, she was his.

The clapping of the people around

them broke the moment. A hard wall
came down in her face and Charlotte
managed to untangle herself from him.
She cursed loud enough for him to smile.

“Don’t suppose you would consider

calling off your plan to kill me?”

She laughed, short and humorless.

“Alas, Lover, you won’t get away that
easily.”

“Excuse me!” Krystal’s voice

screeched.

Charlotte took one look at the nymph

and politely but contemptuously said,
“You’re excused,” and then turned back
to Silas.

Unable to figure out a dismissal when

she heard one, Krystal asked Silas,
“what was that?”

In the same tone Charlotte had used,

he said, “A dance.”

Charlotte smirked.
“That was much more than a dance.

That was like watching fully clothed sex.
You’re here with me Silas, remember?”
She glared at Charlotte in a sad attempt
at staking her claim on him.

Krystal must have forgotten their talk

about her purpose this evening. “No, you
are here with me or must I explain this

idea of props to you once more?”

Off to the side, a server was waiting

to be noticed. Silas motioned him
forward with a small flick of fingers.
Two glasses of scotch accompanied a
flute of champagne. Krystal snatched the
champagne with a smile like she had just
won a coveted prize. Charlotte ignored
her and reached for the scotch along
with Silas. She clinked her glasses
against his and took a sip while
watching him over the rim of her glass.

The look was not a safe one.
“Did you poison my drink?” He

sniffed the liquid not detecting anything
but the way she watched him was cause
for concern. “That’s so unbecoming and
unoriginal. I expected something a little

more valiant than that.”

“Poison you?” she asked offended.

“That’s a coward’s way. When I kill
you, I’ll be looking into your eyes so you
know it. I didn’t poison you, Silas. But I
did poison your little bimbo.” Krystal’s
eyes widened as she choked on her
champagne. “Have fun with that.”

Krystal dropped her glass and

grabbed hold of his arm. Her legs
wobbled before giving out completely.
One person rushed forward. Then
another. Men mostly, but Krystal had the
attention she craved.

Charlotte disappeared into the crowd.

Her emerald clad hips swaying with
sexy confidence. Silas smiled, leaving
Krystal to her rescuers and followed

after her.

*****

Holy hell.
Charley made her exit in the

confusion. Once more her plans had
been changed by Silas but at least he had
a headache on his hands with that
woman. He wasn’t dead, yet. It was a
pity but she wasn’t worried. It would
happen soon, and she had many backup
plans waiting in the wings.

The night had a chill to it but she still

considered just leaving without her coat.
Hearing the calls for help and an
ambulance behind her made her smile.
Krystal would be fine. Charley may have
poisoned her, but it was nothing deadly,

just the shits for the next twelve hours.
Charley had time. No one was at the
desk where she checked her coat. Being
the resourceful woman that she was,
Charley walked around and entered the
room with her ticket in hand.

A hard hand latched onto her arm and

pulled her off balance. Her back hit the
wall at the same moment lips devoured
her. Silas, hot blooded and angry put his
hands on her, everywhere. Any protest
was met with a bite or a pinch. She liked
it. God, did she ever like it. With the bite
of pain came a soft roll of pleasure.
Gasp and moan. Over and over again.

He wanted to possess her. Silas was

a domineering man, an alpha type. He
wanted to own and control. Charley

didn’t do either of those things. She may
have had a lapse here and there with him
but she wouldn’t give up anything,
especially to him.

She pulled at him, nails digging into

his scalp. The thin silk of the dress did
nothing to pad the erection that he ground
into her. Oh lord, she wanted that. She
wanted that hard and fast and frenzied.
Silas grabbed a healthy handful of her
ass and made sure she felt all of him.

Charley bit him in response.
His skin changed under the trail her

tongue took up his neck. Hard, smooth
scales followed the wet path. Silas’s
control was wavering but so was hers.
Charley wanted to fuck him right there in
the coat closet. She wanted to wrap her

legs around his waist and let him slide
right into her. She was ready for him,
had been for a while. He’d rock into her,
his hands on her ass, the pinch of talons
as his control lessened. She’d take him,
all of him, hard and fast. It would be
dirty and hot and wrong on so many
levels. But she wanted it. She wanted
him.

Silas rucked up her dress and what do

you know? Charley took the freedom to
climb up his body and wrap her legs
around his hips. She reached down and
began to unbuckle his belt. He captured
her wrists and slammed them into the
wall above her head with a growl.

“You think I’d let you decided the

when and how?”

Charley tightened her legs to bring

him towards her. She was acting like a
bitch in heat but she didn’t care. She
needed him.

“Pretty Charlotte.” His tempo slowed

down while hers revved up. “All hot and
pink. Ready for me.” He forced his shaft
against her cunt. All that separated them
was the thin fabric of her thong and the
pants that were working their way off of
his hips.

He sucked on the column of her neck

up to her ear. Silas’s voice was heavy
and horse as it whispered in her ear.
“Sucks to be you though.”

“Why’s that.” Why was his penis not

inside of her yet? Did she not make that
intention clear enough?

His hand tightened on her wrists.

“Because when I stop this in a minute
and you go home tonight, all hot and
needy, you are not going to touch
yourself.”

“Aren’t I?”
He bit her, hard and fast. “Oh no, you

won’t.”

“Why not?”
“Because I told you not to. The next

time you cum, it will be by my fingers,
my mouth or my cock inside of you.” To
reiterate his point he ground that cock of
his against her sensitive flesh. “Besides,
then I’ll have won.”

What the hell was he talking about?
“You know where to find me when

the need becomes too great.”

Charley was so consumed with his

body that when he dropped her hands
and set her on the ground, she felt like
the entire Earth had shifted on its axis.

He kissed her one last time. It was a

promise if she ever heard one. He then
pulled her coat off of the rack beside her
and handed it to her. Absently she took it
from him. He was not seriously about to
leave her like this? He had to be feeling
the need just as badly. Blue balls were
no joke. She watched him tuck his shirt
back into his pants and fix his belt. When
he looked presentable he tipped his head
at her and left.

The motherfucker just left.
Charley’s whole body was about to

ignite and he fucking walked away.

Oh, she was going to kill him.
Fuck the money. This was personal.

Chapter Three

The sun would begin its ascent

through the sky in less than an hour.
Charley laid in the sweaty sheets of her
bed, muscles tight and quaking.
Frustration and sweat seeped out of her.
There was no touch, no toy, no fantasy
that would allow her to climax and move
on with her life. Fucking Silas and his
fucking commands thinking he can rule

her goddamn life like he had any control
whatsoever. And yet, here she was lying
in bed after a night of restless sleeping,
erotic dreams and a solid hour of
pleasuring herself to the point of pain.

Her body wouldn’t listen, wouldn’t

just give in to the need. It rode high and
when she was moments away from
cresting, his voice would come into her
head. “The next time you cum, it will be
by my fingers, my mouth or my cock
inside of you.” Her body, ever obedient
little fuck it was, would shut down. His
voice halted all movement. It didn’t cool
her off or depress the need any. No, it
just kept it at its peak, not able to move
forward or back to achieve any kind of
relief.

Silas was going to die slowly and

painfully. She didn’t care if she made the
weekend deadline anymore. Fuck the
money. Charley would stretch this out
for weeks if it meant he was under her
control for that time begging and
pleading for her to end it all.

Seeing him beaten down and

worthless helped her cool off. The
image wasn’t a pretty one. Imagining
Silas as a weakened coward felt wrong.
She knew that he would never be in that
position. Even if she were to capture
him and keep him for her own a few
weeks, he would never be anything more
than a domineering male whose ego was
about as big as his dick.

And what about that attracted her so

fiercely?

This assignment was completely

fucked.

Charley prided herself on the ability

to get shit done and move on. Silas
though, he knew how to fuck with her
head just as easily as he could fuck with
her body. This needed to end but it
wasn’t like she could just waltz into his
house and kill him in his sleep. Just
seeing him in bed would probably jump
start her ever revved libido.

What she needed was to get all these

annoying, needy urges taken care of so
that she could focus once more. Question
was, who would be the male? Her body
wouldn’t go for just anyone. Not now,
not after all this. Charley was worried

that it wouldn’t play nice with anyone
but Silas. Was he even an option?

“You know where to find me when

the need becomes too great.”

He had invited her. Sort of.
The more she thought about it, the

more she liked the idea. So she couldn’t
walk into his house and kill him. Could
she walk in and screw his brains out?

She was just desperate enough to try.

*****

Silas half expected to see Charlotte

that evening. Lord knows he wanted to
see her. But the night sky rolled into day
and there was no sight of her. He did
what he needed to do that day all while
uncomfortably shifting. Nothing eased

the strain in his cock. He told her that
she would not be able to enjoy any
pleasure that was not provided by him,
but that was a two way street. The next
time he came, it would be in or on
Charlotte.

His control had been so close to

snapping yesterday. Charlotte pushed
him to his limits and he loved it. He
loved the bite of pain and the struggle
for control. Not only with himself, but
with her as well. He could have had her
up against that wall in that closet. At any
point he could had slid her thong over
and taken her. But her face when he
denied her his cock was worth the
uncomfortable strain of the day.

It was just after midnight when she

did come to him. He had been waiting in
his bed. The moonlight his only
companion. Security had notified him of
her arrival and then was told to back off
and let her come in. He had to give her
points for style and stealth. Had he not
been waiting, she might have snuck up
on him, which was difficult to do. Silas
kept his eyes closed and his face lax.
The soft padding of her footsteps almost
silent on the hard wood. Behind his eyes
the steam of moonlight darkened as she
stood in front of him. He could smell
her. A mistake on her part. Although if
she were really here to kill him, he
hoped she would know better than to let
scent give her away.

“Should I open my eyes now so I can

watch you try and kill me?” A smile slid
across his face at her curse.

“I hate you so much,” she muttered.
“The feeling is entirely mutual, my

dear.”

Charlotte was the personification of

sexual frustration. From the scowl on her
face and the roaming eyes, to the hard
peaks of her nipples that shown through
her shirt, she was every bit as deprived
as he was. She ate him up. Her hungry
eyes scolded every inch of skin it could
find. Considering Silas slept naked, she
had a feast in front of her.

“Well? Are you going to make your

move or not.”

He never thought he’d find a snarl

sexy but from Charlotte the sound when

straight to his dick. Silas grabbed her
wrist and tugged. She fell into the bed,
into him. They fought as much as they
kissed. She would roll over him,
straddling Silas in hope to gain control.
The hard kisses they shared would leave
bruises in the morning. But he wouldn’t
let her stay there for long and would
twist and roll them over until he was in
between her legs and rubbing his
erection against her cotton covered clit.
Together they tore off her clothes.

She tried to push him off of her but he

wouldn’t budge. “You’re such a
controlling asshole.”

He bit her neck and relished the

guttural moan that left her lips. “You like
it.”

Silas dodged the knee she lifted and

pushed away from her. They tumbled to
the floor, each fighting for the upper
hand, neither on quite grasping it. He
pinned her and her eyes glossed over
with arousal. “Like that do you?” he
murmured. Moving her wrists into one of
his hands he pushed her thighs wide with
his. “I think you will enjoy this too. I
know I will.”

Then he was in her. He was pumping

his hips and squeezing her breast. He
had a hand on her nape so he could kiss
her how he wanted, how she needed.
She struggled but not to gain control, not
any more. Charlotte had submitted, if
just for this one moment, this one act.
There was still hate and lust shining at

him through her eyes, but there was also
trust. It wasn’t much but enough.

*****

Who was this person who had taken

over her body? Charley gave in to what
he wanted. She gave up her most
coveted quality and rolled over like a
dog for him, a dog that was enjoying
herself.

The way he rolled his hips should be

outlawed.

At first, the intensity had been

overwhelming. They pushed each other
and then pushed some more. Forget
makeup sex. Hate sex was the way to go.

It was all going so well until she gave

in, more like caved. All at once she

found that giving up that independence
and control that she so desperately loved
to own, felt good. More than good, it
was a relief.

When she let go, he had known. Of

course he had known, he could feel her
heart beat through her chest they were so
close together. Something had changed in
him. And then his hands softened on her
wrists. No longer was she clawing at
him but pulling him towards her, stroking
his back, gripping his shoulders. He
rested his forehead against hers and
thrust over and over in a relentless
rhythm. The hate had left their stares,
leaving only lust and confusion behind.
She came in that unguarded moment. It
took her by surprise and drowned her in

pleasure.

Her eyes had closed in it all but

Silas’s growl opened them back up. He
had seen her fall apart; she would damn
well watch him.

*****

“You’re leaving?” he asked unsure if

he was surprised that she was going or
that he cared.

“Well, yeah. It’s either that or I shove

something through your heart.
Personally, I want some sleep tonight.
So yeah, I’m going.”

Made perfect sense, and yet for some

asinine reason, he didn’t like it.
Charlotte made quick work of her
clothes. Silas watched her with a blank

expression. He wasn’t sure what else to
say. Awkward wasn’t something he had
ever consider himself but as the words
dried up in his throat he found that it was
a perfect description.

They had gone past hate, lust and

infatuation and straight into awkward.

“I don’t know whether I want to

smack you, stab you, your kiss you, so
I’m just going to leave.” Charley stood
by the window. It was still open. She
held herself away from him and he found
he did not like the posture. Hell, Silas
didn’t like any of this.

“Aren’t you going to say anything?”

she asked surprised at her own
emotionally threaded voice.

Was he? Silas didn’t have any words

that fit the situation. Never had he
expected to have sex with the woman
trying to kill him. Not just sex. If that
was just sex he would have had her
removed by now. What they experienced
had more emotion and purpose than sex.

“Are you fucking brain dead?”
He raised an eyebrow, seems like he

wasn’t the only one unsure of what to do
next. Charlotte could have left any
number of times but she stood glued to
that window waiting for him. Silas
stood, he wore nothing but a few patches
of scales that shimmered in the
moonlight. He went to her, cornering her
against the window.

“Goodnight Charlotte.” Silas cupped

her chin. “Tomorrow feel free to use the

front door.” He dropped a soft kiss on
her lips. Charlotte wrinkled her brow.
What? She thought this was a onetime
thing? He had thought so too until he
touched her, kissed her, possessed her.
This wasn’t over. It had barely even
begun.

“Next time I see you Silas, it won’t

be for sex. It will be to kill you, get my
money and move on.”

His eyebrow raised in question.

“We’re back to that again?”

She huffed out an exasperated breath.

“Yes. We never left it.”

He touched her again since she was

so close. “Alright, you can try to kill me
but if you fail then you will end up in my
bed again.”

“Goodnight Silas,” she said pushing

him away and swinging a leg out the
window.

“Sweet dreams.”

Chapter Four

She pushed her cart through the

grocery store and found it unfortunate
that even kick ass killers like herself had
to do mundane things like shop for food.
The problem with this particular chore
was that Charley had no self-control
when it came to the foods she loved,
which also happened to be the foods that
we full of enough preservatives to last in

her cabinets through a nuclear holocaust.
Her stomach somehow digested these
unnatural anomalies so she just kept
buying them. Her cart didn’t have one
fresh or cook–beyond-heating-in-the-
microwave meal.

Charley was just about to say fuck it

and leave with what she had. She hated
this shit, hated even more that she could
barely boil water without destroying her
kitchen. Not having parents would do
that to a girl. As she was reaching for
her cereal staples on the bottom shelf a
heated, unwanted and goddamn sexy
voice stated that her choice in breakfast
left much to me desired.

“What the ever living hell are you

doing here, Silas?” Charley grabbed her

box of Coco Puffs and dropped it in her
cart. Silas had no cart. He had no basket.
All he had was one of his slim cut suits
that she was beginning to think were
actually all he owned and a smile that
spoke more of his arrogance than words
could ever do.

“You’re avoiding me,” he stated.
“No, I’m shopping,” she said

annoyed. And she wasn’t avoiding him,
just the sex they had. The sweaty, rough,
oh go please don’t stop sex.

He looked into her cart and sneered a

little. Charley pushed it away feeling
mighty defensive over her cart and its
contents. “Don’t judge me on my bad
habits.”

“Hmmm, indeed. All that you have

chosen is rubbish. Leave the cart here
and let’s go get some actual food.”

“Yeah, no.” Crazy son of a bitch

thought she was going with him? Hell
no. Dinner with the man she was
supposed to be slaughtering was a big
no-no in the book of how to kill people
and get paid for it.

Silas smirked. “You really prefer Star

Wars macaroni and powered cheese than
a dry aged steak?”

Charley didn’t even know what a dry

aged steak was. “I’m not having dinner
with you. Please go away.”

She pushed her cart down the aisle

and around the corner. Not that her
refusal deterred him. Silas merely
followed behind making tsking sounds

and disgusted noises as she packed her
cart full of the necessities like Spaghetti-
o’s and Goldfish.

“God, what now?”
He had chuckled when she added a

party sized bag of Swedish Fish in
beside the bag of assorted chocolate.

“Nothing. I just realized how well

you and my sister, Hailey, would get
along on your food choices alone.”

“Will you please leave me alone?

Just go away. I really just can’t do this
right now.”

“No,” he shook his head. “I don’t

think I will. You know it really hurts a
man’s ego when the woman he just had
sex with leaves before his cock even has
a chance to get soft.”

“I highly doubt your ego has ever

been hurt.”

“True enough,” he agreed. “Have

dinner with me.”

“No.” But she kind of wanted too.

Gah! He was messing with her head
again. She needed to leave. He needed
to leave. They both needed to go in
different directions and never cross
paths again. Ever. She could contract the
job out to someone else and go live on
some tropical island selling alcohol in
coconuts.

There was a thoughtful silence as he

assessed her and then, “Fine, we’ll do it
your way.” Silas walked off leaving her
stupefied that he actually listened to her.

“Alright then.” Charley pushed her

cart a little further down the aisle and
looked behind her. He was gone. Pushed
a little more and she looked around
again. He was still gone. Had he
seriously left, just like that? Rattled, she
decided to go straight to checkout and
just go home with what she had. It was
better than nothing which was what her
cabinet was full of at the moment. She
was just about to pay and leave when
Silas dropped a basket overfilled with
fresh produce and meat on the conveyor
belt. The cashier rung him through and
bagged his with hers and before she
could argue, or, at least, find her voice
to argue, he paid for everything.

“What are you doing?”
“Making you dinner,” he said like that

sounded reasonable when it was the
most ridiculous thing she had ever heard.

“Excuse me?”
Silas smirked as he touched her chin,

closing it.

“My driver is outside. He’ll take us

to your apartment and then I will be
making us dinner while we talk.”

“What will we talk about?” Her

voice was on the edge of a squeak. It
annoyed her that she could barely
control hero own vocal cords around
him.

He smiled like he won and dammit,

he had. “Everything and we’ll see where
that takes us.”

*****

When he woke up that morning, Silas

found himself incredibly irritated. It
didn’t take much to figure out that
Charlotte was the reason behind his
awful mood. When she left so abruptly,
he had been unable to fall asleep.

Had he been too hard on her?
That seemed absurd because she was

just as turned on and angry as he was.
But still he had worried he had gone too
far. It was a frustrating feeling and one
he did not appreciate having. Charlotte
did that to him, though. Made him feel
things he had never felt or only had in
brief passes.

Silas had someone track her down

and he went to corner her in the market.
It took a little doing but he got his way

eventually. Charlotte frowned the entire
drive to her apartment, which was just a
block or two away. To her surprise, he
carried all the bags inside and put away
her food. If you could call what she
bought as food.

“What are you making?” she asked

from the small dinette table in the corner
of the kitchen where he told her to sit.

He removed his jacket, had gone sans

tie that day and rolled up his sleeves.
“Chicken Saltimbocca. I prefer veal but
the market did not carry any suitable
cuts.” When she didn’t answer, Silas
looked over his shoulder at her. “Is there
a problem?”

Cut from a daze, Charlotte snapped

her head up. “No. Sorry. I was just

wondering where you learned to cook.”

Well, that was a simple place to start.

He had wanted to converse and get to
know her better; he had to be willing to
share as well. “As a child, I often would
escape my father’s ministrations and
coursework by hiding out in the kitchen.
Our chef was a burly woman who took
no tongue from anyone and she had a soft
spot for boys who studied all the time
and never played. She taught me how to
cook.”

Even now he liked to go into his

kitchen and make a meal when he was
feeling stressed. Often times his security
team would wake up to fresh baked
cinnamon rolls. But it had been awhile
since Silas cooked a meal for another

person.

“Sounds nice.”
“My childhood? Hardly,” he scoffed.
“You had two parents who cared

enough about you to give you an
education,” she said seriously. “And let
me just reiterate the whole you had
parents thing.”

The chicken was cooking in the pan

and had a few more minutes to go. He
turned his back to it and leaned against
the counter with his arms crossed over
his chest. “I killed my father taking not
only his life but his title. Do you know
why?” She shook her head. She wouldn’t
know. This wasn’t something found in
history books. “He tried to kill my sister.
Had done such a great job of it that I

believe she was dead up until last year.
When he had taken the infant from my
mother, who had died in childbirth, by
the way, he left to dispose of the child
because she was female, she was human.
He must have had some kind of flicker of
love for her because he dropped her off
at a hospital instead.”

“That’s horrible.”
He wouldn’t argue with that. “I killed

him for what he had done to my sister. I
had parents, Charley, but they screwed
me up just as much as your lack of
parental guidance screwed up yours.”

He had to flip the chicken. Silas

turned back to the stove and continued
preparations for their meal. Her chair
squeaked as she pushed it back, a

moment later she was standing beside
him.

“Can I help?”
He glanced over at her and smirked.

“Think you can handle a salad?”

“Sure.” But she didn’t sound so sure.

The vegetables were cut in giant chunks
while the lettuce was ripped into small
pieces. It was the strangest salad he had
ever eaten but enjoyed it none the less.

“I’m sorry,” she stated as they ate.

She pushed her inch wide carrot chunk
around her plate. “I really can’t do
anything culinary.”

Silas speared a piece of tomato. “I’m

not. This is delightful. However, if you
would like some lessons, I’d be happy to
show you.”

“Cooking lessons?” she asked

skeptically.

He nodded. “Yes. Although, I do

request we do them at my house because
my kitchen is much larger.”

“Of course, it is,” she said dryly.
Silas collected her plate and brought

over their meals. A piece of chicken
breast topped with fresh basil and a
piece of prosciutto covered with a white
wine butter sauce alongside roasted
broccoli and angel hair pasta. It wasn’t
the best he had ever made but it smelled
good and her stomach had been rumbling
the moment the aromatics had released.

She ate like she did everything else

with full force and not holding back.
Charley savored everything, groans of

delight tightened his pants but he loved
them.

“That was…oh man. That was

amazing.” Charlotte sat back in her chair
with a clean plate in front of her.

“I’m glad you liked it.”
“I’m tempted just to jump you right

now in appreciation but I can’t move.”
She patted her stomach. “So full.”

Silas chuckled. He liked seeing her

like this, so open. “I told you about
cooking, tell me about a passion you
have.”

“I kill things,” she stated blandly.

“That’s my passion.”

“Yes, you’ve mention that before. But

you have to have something you like to
do besides killing…things.”

Charlotte had to think. Time passed

silently. He was about to give up and ask
her something else when she answered.
“I’ve always liked to paint,” she said
softly. “They suck but it’s something I
play around with. When I was at one of
my foster homes, I got a painting kit for
Christmas. It was stupid but I really
loved that kit.”

“Do you still paint?”
“Yeah,” she ducked her head. “From

time to time.”

“Can I-“
She cut him off. “No. No, you cannot.

I’ve never shown anyone and they are
really bad but they are mine and very
personal.”

“Alright, but maybe one day you’ll

show me.” He respected her privacy but
he would see these paintings.

“Aren’t you forgetting something?”

she asked. Charlotte’s face had changed.
Her brows crinkled together with
hesitation and worry. Silas reached
across the table and cupped her chin.
She jerked back and he tightened his
hold but after a moment she stilled.

“What am I forgetting?” he asked

softly.

“There is no future for cooking

lessons or paintings. I’ve been hired to
kill you, Silas.” He lifted the napkin
from his lap and set it on the table. Silas
stood and walked the short distance
around the table to her.

“Such distrust,” he murmured. Her

back had gone straight and Charlotte
closed herself off. Silas knelt in front of
her, between her knees. He cupped her
head with his hands, letting his fingers
tangle in the hair at her nape. “Our future
is up to you, Charlotte. Where it goes or
doesn’t go is in your hands.” He pulled
her into his kiss. This wasn’t angry like
the sex had been. In fact, it was the first
tender touch they experienced together.
His lips coaxed hers open. It didn’t take
much before she was kissing him back
with enthusiasm. He dropped a hand
down her back and pulled her forward
into him. Her legs wrapped around his
back, effectively trapping him. They
kissed as if hungry. The sweetest of
desserts was the simplicity of her lips on

his.

When she had had her fill, she pulled

back. “You’re really good at messing
everything up, you know that?”

He chuckled. Not the first time

someone had said as such. “Yes, I
know.”

Logic returned to her body and mind

fairly quickly. “I should clean up.”

He took the cue and stood, backing

out of her personal space elegantly.
Charlotte stepped around him and took
their dishes.

“I’m going to leave.” The news didn’t

come as a surprise to her. She continued
to load her dishwasher but nodded. “I
heard tonight was supposed to be fairly
cool. I suggest leaving your windows

open. I know I will be.”

A smile spread across her face and

she looked over to him. “Subtle.”

He retrieved his coat and slid it on.

“Would you prefer direct? Come to my
house tonight. I promise you devious
amounts of pleasure.”

Shocked but pleased at his more

direct route, her eyebrows lifted and she
laughed. “Well, how can a girl refuse?”

Chapter Five

“You’re running out of time.”
Thank you, Captain Fucking Obvious.

“I’m good.”

“Are you? Because the way I see it,

you have had ample time to do the job.
You have two days left if you want to
double your money.”

All things she already knew. “I’ll get

it done.” The thought of killing him

didn’t excite her as it once had. Twice
she went to his room in the dead of the
night. They barely spoke to each other
just had raging sex and then moved on.
Each time they were more pissed off
when they left than when she arrived. It
was infuriating to not feel the
satisfaction sex should bring, but it was
missing something. The sex was great,
so it wasn’t that. It wasn’t until she was
heading home that she felt the coldness
seep into her. It was such a contrast to
the heat they felt when they were
together.

“What do you have against Silas?”

Charley didn’t usually ask for a
background. The few times she had in
the beginning but each time she almost

had killed them too. She couldn’t dwell
on the targets. Charley would go crazy if
she bothered to get to know them. It was
harder to be cold and heartless if you
showed your compassion and
understanding.

But Silas, goddamned fucking Silas,

had gotten under her skin. Charley had
heard about his reputation and any
number of people would be justified to
hire her. But she had never heard any
rumblings about him doing something to
Lou Bergman.

“I thought you didn’t ask questions?”
“Usually, I don’t but more information

might be helpful at this point.”

The line was silent for a brief

moment. “Alright. It’s a fair question. He

threatened my family, specifically my
daughter.”

“Threatened?” That was it? Seemed

like a bit of an overreaction to her. Had
he killed Lou’s daughter then maybe she
would understand more. This was
exactly why she didn’t ask questions.
Charley never got what their grudge was
all about.

“I don’t think this is relevant. I hired

you to kill him and he is still alive.”

“Won’t be for much longer.” Maybe.
Christ what was with her? Have sex

with a man, earth shattering sex but sex
none the less, and she becomes this
procrastinating, incompetent woman.
Not to mention the fact that she kept
rolling over on her independence and

feeding into Silas’s already inflamed
dominate ego.

This needed to stop. The sex, the

feelings, the insecurity, the confusion.
All of it needed to end.

“With your reputation, I had expected

more. I’m disappointed, Charlotte.”

“Name’s Charley,” she said

automatically. It didn’t bother her when
Silas said it. Well, it did but she kind of
liked it. But when other people called
her by her given name she wanted to
punch something.

“It’s not. It’s Charlotte.”
This guy was walking on thin ice. She

was already wound up and his
instigating wasn’t helping her attitude.
“My name is what I say it is. Accept it

or find someone else to do you bidding.”
What the fuck? Where had that come
from?

“You’d turn down four million

dollars because I wish to call you what
your parents named you and not some
modernized version of it?” He was
surprised. Well, so was she.

“I’d turn down the money because

you don’t respect me. I get it. Most don’t
respect a Halfling but that has never
factored in with you. This is a power
play and you will not win it. My name is
Charley and if you continue to call me
Charlotte then I’m going to have to
decline your money and move on.”

“I see. My apologies, Charley.”
Damn fucking straight. The win was

minor but felt good. She hung up.
Charley needed to get her head on
straight and back in the game. She’d
clean her guns. The systematic nature of
the process would help her think. Then
she’d act. No more waiting around, no
more intense planning. Just do the job
and move on.

*****

Silas didn’t change often. It was a

horrible habit of his keeping his dragon
inside all the time. Today, though, he
needed to get out and away.

Hailey and Dacea were cleaning out

the cabin of the recently deceased
Darby. It was going to be a small retreat
home for them. Silas decided that

morning to fly up there and see them. His
wings needed to be stretched and the sky
was always a safe haven for him.

Out of all the dragon septs, Green

was the largest; it also had the least
amount of changeable dragons. Their
kind was evolving. Silas however,
considered it devolving. A dragon that
couldn’t change into his true being was
no dragon at all. He led Green because
he could change, a true rarity. He was
also incredibly smart and resourceful.
People may have found his tactics to be
a bit cruel and selfish, but he always
won in the end.

Silas hadn’t flown in months. It was a

shame because he felt the most in tune
with himself and his thoughts in this

form. As a dragon, he was his true self.
No hiding. As a human, he was who he
needed to be.

It was a shame that more of his kind

couldn’t change because their forms
were very different from the other septs.
His scales were like little plates of
armor. His body was a tank in this form,
impenetrable and poisonous. He had two
ridges of varying sizes of spines down
the length of him to the tip of his tail. His
wings were massive, spanning out ten
feet in either direction. Silas was so
dark of a green he appeared black at
times.

He soared over the mountains of

central Pennsylvania. They were more
like soft hills from his position and made

him hunger for the ridged peaks of the
Rockies. This was by far the longest
Silas has stayed in one area of the
country. It was about time to travel to his
other houses and check in on things
elsewhere. But as long as Charlotte was
trying to eradicate him from the earth,
he’d stay put. Giving her the satisfaction,
of what would look like his retreat,
would only put ideas of control and
winning in her head.

And he couldn’t have that.
Charlotte had come to him twice. The

first was no surprise at all but the
second had taken him off guard. He
hadn’t thought to see her for another
night or two but she was there, tapping at
his bedroom window. She had tried and

failed, to gain the upper hand with him
which just made her submission that
much more beautiful.

Her departure had left a sore spot in

his chest. It was uncomfortable. She felt
it too. He could see it plainly on her face
as she crawled back out of his window.
Silas had wanted to say something to her
but his hesitation cost him the moment.
She slipped from the room.

She’d be back tonight. He knew it. He

also knew that he wasn’t letting her
leave this time. He’d chain her to his
bed if need be. And wasn’t that a pretty
picture.

As he approached the cabin he saw

Dacea on the ground, a hand shading his
eyes as he looked up at Silas. The Red

dragon met him at the landing site just
behind the house and had a change of
clothes waiting for him. They were
cotton sweat pants and a t-shirt. He
sneered but slipped on the garments.

“Hailey is going to be sorry she

missed this,” Dacea laughed.

Silas rarely wore anything this

simple. “She’s not here?”

“Went into town. We needed food and

she needed internet. Why are you here
Silas?”

They walked down the path to the

cabin. “Just out for a joy ride.”

Dacea bypassed the open door and

went around front to the porch and the
rocking chairs that resided there.

“And you chose to come here?”

Dacea asked unbelieving. “I heard about
your dance with Charlotte Morgan. Isn’t
she trying to kill you?”

Silas shrugged. “That’s what she says

but she hasn’t so far.”

“So what has she done?”
Explaining to Dacea what Charlotte

and he had been doing was actually
entertaining. Dacea had never had hate
sex so he was lost to the nuances that it
held against make up or even loving sex.

“Why are you even letting her

continue this charade? Next time she
comes just lock her up. I’ve seen you kill
men for less than what she’s
threatening.”

That was the question wasn’t it? He

should have contained this weeks ago.

“It’s complicated.”

As Dacea studied him as Silas looked

out over the forest. It really was serene
here. He could see why the little witch
had settled on this mountain. It reminded
him of the feeling he got when he was at
his vineyard in New York. Silas
wondered if he took a surprise trip north
if Charlotte would follow him. He
thought she might enjoy the peace Seneca
Lake offered at sunset.

Dacea laughed breaking the

contentment of the moment. “You’re in
love with her.”

“No,” he answered not bothering to

look at him.

Dacea smiled. “Oh yes, you are.

Everything makes a little more sense

now. You can’t lock her up because you
care about her. How’s she feel about
your smug ass?”

Was this conversation actually

happening? When had Dacea gone from
the man who’s skull he wanted sitting on
his bookshelf to his confidant?
“Charlotte’s emotions are her own and
we don’t exactly talk when we are
together.”

“True enough. So what are you going

to do? It’s not like you can just let her
keep breaking in and threatening you?
What if she actually makes a move on
you?”

Silas was done with this question

hour. Turns out male friends were over
rated, they asked too many questions.

“That’s my problem, not yours.”

Dacea scoffed. “Look you came here,

remember. I assume that means you
wanted help of some kind and this is me
helping. Deal with it or leave.”

“Goddammit.” Silas leaned his

elbows on his knees and let his head
hang. Dacea was right. He had come for
aid and he was refusing to even talk
about it.

“Sorry,” he muttered.
“It’s ok. Love sucks sometimes.”
“Fuck.”
He didn’t have to look to know Dacea

was smiling. “I must say, this is
entertaining for me. I never thought
you’d fall in love but the fact that she
was hired to kill you makes it all the

better.”

Silas sneered. “If you are going to

help, you can’t mock me.”

“No, you’re right,” he said, sobering.

“What exactly is your problem, Silas? I
haven’t heard anything other than your
angry sex tales.”

What was his problem? He couldn’t

keep her around long enough to figure
that part out. Charlotte kept running to
and from him but never stayed long in
either position. They connected so well
during sex, he wanted to see where else
that connection held true. But the moment
he left her sweat soaked body, before
either of them could catch their breath,
she was running to the window.

“I don’t know,” he admitted. “I don’t

know what the problem is. I don’t know
what I’m doing. I guess that is the
problem.”

“I’m going to give you a hint,” Dacea

said with the utmost seriousness. “None
of us know what we are doing, but
neither do they. How you get through it is
through communication. Talk to her. Be
honest and talk to her.”

It sounded simple but there was that

whole issue with her running away. He
remembered the vision of her chained to
his bed and he smirked. He might not
have to go that far but it was always an
option.

The crunch of gravel sounded as a

small cloud of dust billowed through the
trees. “Hailey’s home,” Dacea

commented getting to his feet.

“I’ll be going.” Hailey would hound

him for details that he wasn’t ready to
share yet. That meant it was time to head
home.

“Coward,” Dacea smirked.
In this case? Yes, yes he was.

Chapter Five

Silas sat in his favorite chair, the

darkness surrounding him like an old
friend. He watched the window with a
drink in his hand. He had given her
access to his house but yet she still felt
the need to sneak around. Maybe it gave
her a sense of distance. He’d ruin that
tonight. The arm’s length she tried to
keep him at would be crushed. Silas

would push her tonight. Push them both.
He needed to test whatever this was,
maybe even get some answers.

The window opened and Charlotte

hopped down inside. Her eyes sought his
immediately and a grin spread across
her face.

“You came,” he stated still surprised

that she returned night after night.

Charlotte quirked a smile. “Yes, now

get naked.” She was in a playful mood.
He wasn’t. Silas couldn’t find any
playful in him at the moment.

“No. Undress Charlotte.” Silas put

down his drink and stood. No jacket or
tie tonight, he had removed those earlier.
His shirt sleeves had been rolled up and
the top few buttons of his shirt open. She

hesitated. Maybe it was the command or
possibly the edge in his voice but her
smile and lightheartedness had died
away.

“Silas?” So hesitant and unsure. The

quiver in her voice tightened his chest.
He understood the emotion there, had
been feeling it all day.

He softened as he went to her. “You

have nothing to fear from me, Charlotte.”
He ran a finger down her cheek. “But I
want you naked and in my bed. Trust me
to keep you safe and give you pleasure.”

She swallowed. He wasn’t sure if she

would trust him that far. This thing
between them was born out of hate and
lust. A deadly combination. He didn’t
hate her, never really had. She intrigued

him, confused him and angered him at
times. But mostly she tested him.
Charlotte pushed to see where he’d give.
The unmovable Silas had budged for her.
Tonight wasn’t about a game of control.
It was to see if this was real.

“Charley,” he said softly using the

name she preferred. She sucked in a
breath and nodded.

He smiled. “Good. Over there.” He

nodded toward the bed. Charlotte
undressed. She hadn’t worn much, not
even a bra under her slim shirt. In
anticipation maybe? Whatever the
reason he was glad of it. Watching the
tease of her skin being bared to him was
a sweet torture. He didn’t touch, just
savored the view. The dip of her hip.

The curve of a breast. The arc of her ass.
The line of her toned legs. When she
turned, the arch of her spine tempted his
twitching fingers.

She sat on the bed and leaned back on

her hands letting her red hair fall down
her back. Naked, beautiful and confident
she waited for him to come to her. Silas
complied and walked over. He ran a
finger down her neck and over the curve
of her shoulder.

“Gorgeous,” he murmured.
The arousal in her eyes outweighed

the fear. It was the most attractive thing
she wore. Silas flipped the button on his
pants. Charlotte’s grin spread across her
face like honey. She didn’t reach for
him, not yet. She flicked those eyes back

to him asking for permission with a lick
of her lips.

“Suck me.”
Obediently, she pulled out his

erection and did just that.

There was no teasing with this one.

She went for the kill right away and
almost brought him to his knees.
Charlotte took all of him to the hilt and
swallowed, deep. She smiled up at him,
mouth full of his cock, her pretty pink
lips full and stretched around him. She
was delightfully sinful. Silas pushed her
hair back as she began to work him. Soft
one time, hard the next, barely touching
him save for the tip of her tongue. She
brought him up high hard and fast. Silas
pulled out of her mouth and held her

back so her grabby little hands couldn’t
ask for more.

“You are too good at that.”
She smirked. “Then come back here.”
“Oh no. It’s my turn.”
He took her mouth and for a moment

there was nothing else. Silas kissed her
until she was lost in it. He then moved to
the column of her neck and licked and
sucked his way around. Her hands
gripped his shoulders as she pulled him
closer. Legs wrapped around his hips
and tugged him in the rest of the way.

“Patience is a virtue,” he reminded

her as he licked over a nipple. A moan
hummed in her throat. He sucked and
then bit the peek and enjoyed her
squirms beneath him. As he nipped his

way across her chest to her other breast,
he told her to undress him. Her fingers,
blind to everything but touch, fumbled
the small buttons of his shirt. The last
few were popped off as she pulled the
shirt tails apart.

He bit her nipple. “I liked that shirt.”
“Too bad.”
Silas moved down kissing the soft

flesh of underside of her breast then
tracing his tongue along the ridges of a
rib. Charlotte was all but pushing his
shoulders down by the time his mouth
had worked down to the apex of her
thighs. He waited, his chin an inch away
from where she desperately wanted him,
his breath a warm presence on her
swollen skin. When she stopped pushing

him and writhing around, she looked
down at him.

“Well, get on with it!”
“I will when I’m ready. This will

happen my way or not at all. Those are
the terms.”

“Those aren’t terms,” she whined.

“That’s an ultimatum.”

Silas raised an eyebrow. “Do you

agree?”

Charlotte’s groan of sexual frustration

made him smile. “Yes, fine. What the
fuck ever. Just get back to work.”

He ran his hands up her inner thighs

and then hooked them down and around
her hips. With her completely captured
and immobilized from the waist down,
Silas ran his lips along her tanned bikini

line. “No more commands or this all
stops. Let go, Charlotte. Let go and let
me carry you tonight.”

He didn’t hear any complaints but

neither did she agree. He looked up to
find her watching him again. Charlotte
nodded slowly her agreement and went
lax in his arms. With a ready and willing
woman in his hands, Silas spread her
lips and licked a long stroke up her
center. Charlotte arched under him with
a husky moan.

To return the favor of earlier, he

brought her high nice and fast. She was
very vocal. He had noticed that about
her the previous nights. Charlotte’s
mouth didn’t have a filter when her brain
was busy elsewhere. Usually, Silas

didn’t like when a woman talked a lot
during sex. It felt forced and fake. But
Charlotte’s commentary was not only
open and honest but entertaining too.

“Don’t you dare fucking stop or I’ll

shred your balls to pieces.”

He felt it coming but her climax took

her off guard. She gave a cursed yelled
and fisted his hair. Silas kept going,
finger deep in her pussy, he rode out the
orgasm and brought her immediately to
another one with a hard suck to her clit.

Her body was still convulsing when

he stalked up her body. Silas pushed his
pants down with one hand and entered
her an instant later. He could feel her
body still quake in the after effects of the
climax. Her hands lifted to touch him,

but he snagged them from the air and
pinned them to the bed. Silas rocked into
her body, each movement harder than the
last. When he kissed her, it was soft. His
body was a contradiction wanting to
pamper her with caresses all while
marking her hard like an animal.

Silas pulled out and flipped her over

with rough hands. He kissed a line of
wet open mouthed kissed up her spine
while he pushed into her from behind.
Charlotte moaned at the intrusion but
immediately began to push back against
him, greedily taking more from him. His
hands gripped her hips to hold her in
place. He had never felt the need so
heavily to mark a woman, to make it so
the world knew she was his, if only for a

little while. Charlotte gave him that urge.
She made it so he wanted to ruin her for
other men. Just thinking of her with
someone else made him angry. She
couldn’t, wouldn’t be with anyone else.
He was the only one.

She came, clamping down around him

and making her already incredibly tight
pussy constrict around him. Silas pushed
harder. The slapping of skin outweighed
the sound of her cries. He was so close
to falling after her. His controlled
movements became disjointed as he felt
his orgasm rush forward. Silas thrust
into her one last time before spending
himself deep inside of her.

He dropped his head to her back to

catch his breath. Both of them were

heaving air. Instead of letting her go—
because she felt too good in his arms—
Silas rolled them to the side. She went
with it, too tired to put up a fuss. He
knew it was only a matter of time before
her senses came back to her and she
snuck back out the window.

Not tonight, though.
Silas kept his arms around her like a

cage. She wasn’t leaving so soon. He’d
keep her pinned to this bed with his dick
if it came to that. In fact, he might do it
anyway.

She tried to push him away but he

didn’t budge. Every time she tried to
move his arms he pulled her tighter up
against his chest and his softening penis
pushed deeper inside of her. A small

shiver went through her.

“Let me go, Silas,” she said in a

whisper. The quiet room which had only
moments earlier been filled with sounds
of passion soaked up the noise in its
emptiness. Her voice, at such a soft
level, reverberated around the room.

“No,” he said in her ear. “Not this

time. Tonight you’re mine and I’m am far
from done with you.”

Under his hands, her chest exhaled in

a rush.

*****

She waited until he fell asleep before

she tried to move again. Silas’s arms
were inflexible no matter how she
twisted, pushed, pulled and pinched. He

just kept her there like she was a doll.

Tonight you’re mine.
Jesus, why did that excite her so

much? Why did she keep coming back
night after night? Glutton for punishment.
That’s for damn sure. She was a lapsing
alcoholic in a liquor store and Silas was
a bottle of Jack Daniels.

Charley lifted his hand and rolled out

and away from him. He didn’t wake but
in his sleep, he scowled. What was she
doing here? This had been a mistake.
The past three nights had been mistakes.
The smart thing to do would be to leave,
figure out how to finish this job and get
the hell out of dodge. She’d go to
Colorado for a little break and then
maybe down to Vegas. Jobs were easy to

find in Sin City.

But first, she had to finish this one.
Charley watched Silas sleep. Just like

in sex, in sleep, he was a paradox. His
brows were pulled tight into a scowl
while his lips remained slack. Actually,
he had a small smile on. Just a tilt of the
lips. She liked it, just like she found
herself liking so many things about him.
Which was just fucked up in so many
ways but it was getting hard for her to
ignore how much she thought about him
during the day and how much she
enjoyed his touch, even his domineering
self that Charley found herself submitting
easily to. It should piss her off, she
didn’t like being controlled but when
Silas did it, it didn’t feel like she had

lost her sense of self. She was still
Charley. She just had someone taking
care of all the details so she could relax.
God, she loved not having to think all the
time, not being the decisive one.

“Not that I don’t mind the view, but

are you going somewhere?”

She jumped. Fuck. Silas was awake

and looking at her with his chin propped
in his hand.

“Uh…”
He lifted up the cover giving her a

glorious view of the body that was just
smothered against hers. “Come on.”

Charley obeyed and slid in next to

him. When he pulled her close, his lips
locked onto hers and she forgot about
leaving, she forgot that he was a job, she

forgot about everything except for his
lips and his body.

He rolled her over onto her back and

slid inside of her. He wasn’t fully erect
but getting there. Unlike the rutting
before, his movements, this time, were
slow but powerful. Charley wrapped her
legs around him. His weight was on his
elbows on either side of her head and he
leaned the two inches down to kiss her.

It felt amazing, all of it. The slow but

steady rhythm he set created a build in
her that was growing with the same
tempo. It was wrong, all of it, but felt so
right. This was what she avoided. This
kind of sex. This kind of man. It was
passion in its purest form. It wasn’t
meaningless sex with some guy whose

name she had forgotten two minutes into
meeting him. It was so much more than
just fucking. This was…more, carnal
with a bit of sinfulness and almost a
little loving.

Everything she stayed away from.
Everything she didn’t want.
It wasn’t supposed to happen this

way. She had a plan and sex—the kind
that made her skin buzz and her chest
ache with longing—was not supposed to
happen, ever. Feelings were not
supposed to enter into the job. He wasn’t
supposed to matter. But with every thrust
of his hips and caress of his lips on her
neck, she feared that she was way
passed that point.

Silas smoothed a finger over her

cheekbone. She looked up at him. His
emerald eyes gazing at her with a
softness she hadn’t expected. Her face
felt tight with worry.

“Don’t fight it,” he whispered.
God, was she that transparent? Could

he see how much this was frightening
her? His eyes told her that he could, that
he understood the battle of emotions she
felt. He kissed her again and it was
tender and sweet. She felt so vulnerable,
so open.

“Just feel, Charlotte.”
She nodded with the glaze of tears in

her eyes. Charley may not want any of
this, but she had it and she didn’t know if
when the time came, she’d be able to let
it go.

Chapter Six

Charley slept better that night than she

had her entire life. Between exhaustion
and the body warming hers, her mind
turned off and didn’t power on till the
morning. She woke refreshed but
confused. It felt like she had been out
drinking all night. An emotional
hangover.

She felt awkward there in his bed. In

the morning light, memories of last night
looked so much worse. They had a
moment, many of them. Silas had
claimed her, made love to her and
commanded her every move. He saw
inside of her and didn’t turn away.

“Morning,” he said in a sleepy voice

in her ear. Silas kissed her neck right
below her ear like he had every right to.
“Breakfast should be up soon.”

“Breakfast?”
“You eat don’t you, or do Halflings

not partake in food?” he teased.

He just had to bring that up, didn’t

he? “You think that it’s funny that no race
will accept me? That I am more hated
than even you?”

He raised himself up on an elbow to

see her, looking at her thoughtfully, like a
puzzle with a dozen missing pieces. She
felt a little bad about snapping like she
did but not enough to say something. He
just didn’t understand. He would never
understand, none of them would.

“You are half dragon, Charley,” he

said slowly. “Which makes you all
angel, at least in the eyes of dragons. We
can only be male, therefore, all of our
females are technically Halflings.”

She didn’t know what to say to that.

Charley had never thought about it that
way.

“So all this animosity you think

other’s feel towards you isn’t because
you are half of something, it’s because
you guard yourself and push everyone

away. You don’t give anyone a chance to
get to know you, which is why I bother
you so much.” He grinned like the
bastard he knew he was. “I knew you
before we met. I looked into your past
and present and learned who you were
before I found you on that rooftop aiming
for my sister.”

“What are you saying, Silas?” What

did she want him to be saying? That
question scared her more than what she
asked aloud.

He smirked, an eyebrow quirking up.

“I’m not sure exactly. That I like you?
No, that’s not right.” He ran a finger
down her hairline to her chin. “I do like
you but it runs deeper than that. After
last night, I know you feel it too.”

“I don’t,” she said stubbornly.
He sighed. “You do, you just aren’t

ready to admit it.”

“Stop making assumptions about me

Silas. You don’t know me, not at all.
This is just sex, not even that, just a fuck.
All you are is a job to me.”

His face hardened along with his

voice. It was such a harsh change that
she had to fight the urge to shrink away
from him. “Just a job?” he asked.

Charley couldn’t get the words out

again, wasn’t sure how she got them out
the first time so she nodded.

“I see.”
“Good.” Charley rolled out of bed. “I

won’t be coming back. The next time you
see me I’ll be putting a bullet in your

chest and leaving this crappy place
behind.”

“Running doesn’t suit you,” he said

blandly as she gathered her clothes.

“Fuck you.”
“Already did, Darling. You already

did.”

*****

“What?” Charley barked into the

phone as she drove home. She hadn’t
stayed for breakfast and he didn’t ask
her to. The whole thing was ridiculous,
but what was even more ridiculous was
that she actually cared. Her stomach had
been in knots since she left his bed.
Outrage paved way for regret, which
quickly turned to dismay.

She was hooked and hooked bad.
“I have an idea as to how we can

finish this,” Lou explained.

Jesus, not this. Not now.
“How?” she asked uninterested.
“I’ll ask Silas over to my office

where you will be waiting. He walks in,
you shoot him. It’s simple and straight
forward and I get to be there as a
witness.”

“I’ll think about it.” She wouldn’t.
“No. This is happening. I paid you for

a service for which you have not
completed. Silas will be here this
afternoon at four. I suggest you be here
by three thirty.” Lou hung up before she
could say much else.

Charley rubbed her temple with her

thumb. Why this? Why right now? She
was so confused about everything and
now she had to add killing the man who
had her in knots to the list.

“Fuck,” she pounded on the steering

wheel. “Fuck, fuck, fuck!”

Chapter Seven

“Here’s fine, Sam.” The car slowed

and stopped at the curb. Silas fiddled
with a cufflink as Sam got out and
opened his door. Lou had called earlier
after Charlotte skittered away during
their argument. He asked Silas to come
in and look over a new proposal for the
Council. Usually he left this shit to the
other sept leaders but apparently none of

them were available.

Lucky him.
The Council building was situated in

center city Philly. There was one on the
west coast in San Diego and one in
London as well. All were made out to be
Law offices. Silas took a moment to just
stare at the building. He really didn’t
want to be here. Had he not been caught
in a moment of aggravation, he never
would have agreed to come down. Lou’s
request came minutes after Charlotte
exited through the window. He was so
angry and tempted to follow her so they
could continue their conversation. Silas
figured the meeting would be a good
distraction so he didn’t do something
rash and heated. But now that the time

was here and he had cooled down, it
was the very last place he wanted to be.

“Thank you, Sam. Be ready in twenty.

I don’t plan to be here long.”

Silas walked forward into the

building. He didn’t bother checking in at
the reception desk and went straight up
to Lou’s office. His assistant was
waiting for Silas at the elevator with a
mug of coffee and a tumbler of scotch.
He chose the scotch.

“He’s waiting for you, Sir,” she told

him and led the way to his office. Silas
followed, sipping his drink and enjoying
the warmth it provided. Lou’s assistants
never lasted more than a few months.
Silas never bothered asking why. He
learned not to bother with names either.

His taste in assistant always stayed the
same. Dark brown hair, small breasts,
large ass. Silas would typically enjoy
the view as they walked but today the
scenery just wasn’t as appealing. He
found that he preferred a different
silhouette, a more athletic, smaller build
with hard muscles under silken skin and
a bundle of red hair cascading down her
back.

Thinking of Charlotte put a snarl on

his lips. They weren’t done. Far from it,
in fact. He planned on stopping by her
place after seeing Lou. They needed to
have a very serious discussion on this
continued job she kept bringing up. He
was not a job. Silas may have started out
that way but he was more than that now.

He planned to convince her to give up
the name of the one who hired her. He’d
pay her double what she was making if
that’s what it took, anything to have her
give up this notion that they were
temporary because their relationship
would end with him dead at her feet.

“You can go right in,” the assistant

said with a wave. The door was closed
and he didn’t bother knocking, Silas
opened the door and stepped inside. Lou
was grinning like a fox. He didn’t have
to look to know Charlotte was there
behind him. He felt her in his veins. The
distinct sound of her gun cocking behind
him brought his lip up in a snarl.

“I’ve been set up?” he asked looking

at her over his shoulder. She was in the

same clothing as she had been when she
left his house. He inhaled and exhaled in
a small growl. She still smelled like
him, like sex. Charlotte hadn’t showered
him away. That pleased him.

“Yes,” Lou answered. Charlotte

didn’t move. Her face was completely
shut down to him. There was no way of
knowing what she was thinking. He
never thought that they would be in this
position after he had had her in so many
other ones in and around his bed.

Silas ignored Lou, he’d be dealt with

later, and posed his questions to
Charlotte.

“Hmmm, it looks as if I was

incorrect. It doesn’t happen often, mind
you. You played a good game Charlotte.

I actually believed that you didn’t know
who your father was.”

Her façade twitched. “What does that

have to do with anything?”

“You don’t know?” he asked casually

as he looked back to Lou.

“Kill him!” Lou shouted. “This is

what I paid you for.”

“Oh this is priceless,” he laughed.

Lou, the world’s best dad, hired his
daughter who had no idea who he was to
kill the man she was sleeping with.
Months earlier Silas had threatened to
hire Charlotte to kill him, apparently he
remember the idea and used it for
himself. Silas looked to Charlotte and
was not the least bit sorry for what he
was about to do.

“Charlotte, he is your father.”

*****

The gun was steady in her hand, even

as the blood in her veins pulsed with
aggravation, she kept her trigger finger
still. Silas had looked betrayed when he
first regarded at her. Charley didn’t
know why. She had told him her plans
from the start. This moment was never
going to be a surprise.

Lou being her father, however, was a

bombshell that exploded all over this
pitiful little office. Silas had no reason
to lie, that wasn’t in his nature. The guilt
on Lou’s face was a pretty clear
indication as well.

“This true?” she asked him. “Are you

my sperm donor?”

“Charlotte, there were reasons…”
“Really? Reasons you say?” She

laughed. God how she wanted to take
that gun off of Silas and point it at her
father’s head. “You left me with a crazed
woman who blamed me, a child, for
your disappearance. When she left me, I
had no one.”

He actually had the nerve to look sad

about that. Fucker.

“Charlotte,” he pleaded. “We’ll talk

about this. I promise. I owe you so much
and you will get everything and more.
But first.” He nodded towards Silas.

Her lover was looking entirely too

entertained by it all.

“Don’t call me Charlotte,” she ground

out. Silas smirked.

“Charlotte,” Silas began with a

sardonic smile. She narrowed her eyes
and wiggle the gun just a bit. “Yes, I see
it. No need to wave it in my face.”
Asshole. “I was just going to suggest we
get this over with. No need to drag out
my own death.”

“You aren’t going to fight it?” Jesus.

This man. Charley was going to lose it.

“Why fight what is inevitable? You

promised to kill me and you always keep
your promises. I’m just a job after all.”

Who in their right mind would bring a

fight up with a gun in their face? He was
asking for her to kill him. Actually
asking her. This had to be a fucking first.
Her father was just as surprised as she

was. He fidgeted around behind his desk
like a cat with too much catnip. Out of
everyone, Silas was the only calm one.
The only one who look unaffected by it
all.

“I’m paying you for this. Charlo-” one

look from Charley shut him up real
quick. “My apologies, Charley.
However the notion still stands. This is
exactly what I am paying you for. You
were given a deposit and the time has
come.” He sounded so logical about it
all. Like killing another person was just
a simple matter like picking up the phone
to call a friend. No matter how distant
she kept herself it was never simple.

Silas began to walk over to her. She

backed up a step. The gun pointed right

at his chest. He stopped by a chair and
raised that fucking eyebrow of his.
“Sorry, didn’t mean to frighten you. This
is just taking longer than anticipated so I
thought I would get comfortable.”

Charley’s eye bulged. He was

mocking her. Mocking and teasing and
daring her to do it. That little fuck. She
laughed in bewilderment. He was daring
her. She could see it plainly in his eyes.

“Charlotte,” Lou’s voice cut in.
Shut the fuck up.
Charley swung the gun towards the

desk and shot of two rounds right into
Lou’s chest. He fell back against the
window and then dropped to the ground.
There was a pregnant silence while the
event settled in their heads.

“My fucking name is Charley you

piece of shit.” At Silas’s soft chuckle
she snapped the gun back up and pointed
it at him. “Now look what you made me
do! God, you are such a dick
sometimes.”

Silas smirked. “So are you ready for

dinner? I was thinking sushi.”

“Yes,” she yelled angrily and

dropped the barrel of the gun. “Let me
get my things.”

He stood as she walked by and

snagged her arm, pulling her into his
chest. He wound an arm behind her back
and trapped her body against his. With a
brief flick of those green eyes to Lou’s
body, he asked, “Is this your way of
saying you love me?”

What a pompous, self-assuming

asshole. Charley glared at him. “What if
it is?”

The devious smile in his eyes sent a

chill down her neck. His hand covered
hers still wrapped around the gun and
lifted it. Silas shot two rounds into Lou’s
dead chest.

"I love you too."
The gun dropped heavily to the floor.

His hand went straight to her neck where
he held her and kissed her. They
assaulted each other, gripping and
pulling until the angry kiss turned heated.
Charley wasn’t sure what this would do
to her career. Killing your employer was
generally a no-no. But Silas had a world
of people who disliked him, threats

happening daily if not hourly. Maybe he
would send a few her way.

His lips bruised hers one last time

before backing off. He looked smug,
which pissed her off. Then again, who
was Silas if not a smug bastard?

"This doesn't me I that I actually like

you," she warned him.

He laughed and nipped her lip. "Of

course not, Darling."

Author's Note

So you know how I said after

Smolder that the series was over? I lied.
Now it is over. This book has been
sitting in my back pocket ready to be
published since last fall but it was meant
for a boxed set that never happened.
Once I found out I immediately got to
work on publishing it myself.

If you’ve read Hailey’s series then

I’m going to nudge you on to the
Adirondack Pack series. It’s all about
werewolves. These characters are
quickly becoming favorites of mine.
Each book features a different couple.
They could be considered standalone but
I do suggest you read them in order
starting with the novelette,

Over the

Line

.

This is the part where I shamelessly

plug my mailing list. Not only will you
find out the latest news on releases and
giveaways but you will also get an
exclusive story only available to my
mailing list subscribers.

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and don’t miss out on anything from K.C.
Stewart.

Acknowledgments

The Wolf Pack is such an amazing

group of authors who I rely on so much
throughout this process. Vicki, I love
your face…your llama face. I also need
to thank the bloggers and reviewers out
there. I know it’s not a hardship reading
all of our books but know that we
appreciate the reviews you do.

The Hailey Holloway

Series

Spark

Singe

Scorch

Smolder

Complete Series

The Adirondack Pack

Series

Over the Line

Too Far Gone

Fault Lines

About the Author

K.C. Stewart is the self published

author of the Hailey Holloway series
and most recently, the Adirondack Pack
series. All her life she had fantasized
and day dreamed on a regular basis but
it wasn’t until she began writing flash
fiction and that she made those fantasies
a reality. Now she has graduated to
novels but still dabbles in the occasional

flash fiction and short story. Because of
her love for reading and the written
word, K.C. is currently continuing her
education at Clarion University for
Library Science. When she isn’t taking
photographs, studying or writing, she is
supporting a very real gummy bear habit.
Currently, she lives with her boyfriend,
german shepherd and cats in central
Pennsylvania.