Read All or Nothing (bad boy romantic suspense) for Free Online Page B

release . It feels like I’ve been saving that up for years.”
    “Let him go.”
    Back before her, squaring up to her like a boxer before the bout. His breath hot on her face, Brady said, “Don’t you get it yet? He’s mine. I have him at my mercy. I have you at my mercy. I could do what I like with you, Ms Dane. Or I could leave you for the boys. But despite what you’re seeing now, I’m one of the nice guys. Remember that. This is me being nice.”
    He spun, he swung, and the bat hit Denny in the ribs. Denny cried out, an animal sound. The pain seemed to rouse him from his stupor. “Leave her, Brady,” he gasped. “Leave her out of this. I’ll do whatever you want. Like old times, Brady. We can work together like old times to sort things out.”
    “‘Old times’?” said Brady. “The times you got all the attention and I was the one working round the clock to make things happen? The times you blew it all?”
    Another swing, and the bat skidded off Denny’s skull.
    “Leave him!” cried Cassie. “For God’s sake, leave him!”
    She ran to Denny, ignoring Al, who tried to grab her. She wrapped her arms around him, and only shrunk away a little when he winced with pain. She had to get him away from this. She had to stop Brady from beating him to a pulp.
    She felt hands on her arms, a vise-like grip, pulling her, lifting her.
    Then, abruptly, the grip eased and let her go, and she stumbled forward, almost falling into Denny’s lap.
    “You lay a finger on my girl and it’ll be the last thing you do.”
    She turned, and Billy Ray stood in a doorway, a heavy Magnum .44 leveled in both hands. After the sight of that long-barreled gun, the first thing she saw about him was how much older he looked. It had been ten years, but jail had clearly taken its toll. His hair was mostly gone, and what was left was silver now. His neck sagged, and lines were etched around his eyes and mouth.
    He was an old man, standing there with a gun that was too big for him and she hoped to God he wasn’t alone.
    §
    It was a stand-off.
    Brady stood there with his baseball bat dangling; Luis stood across the room, handgun swinging from one hand, but not raised; and Al stood behind Denny, no doubt armed but his gun still concealed, not drawn.
    “You’re going to untie McGowan,” said Billy. “Nice and slow. And then you’re going to let my girl help him through to her automobile so they can get away, and then it’s just you and me. You got that?”
    Brady shrugged. “You really think you’ve got all three of us covered, old man?” he said.
    Billy shook his head. “No,” he said. “No I don’t. Any of you make a move and I’ve probably only got time to get off one good shot, maybe two, before you take me out.”
    Brady smiled, but then faltered as Billy went on.
    “Question is, which of you gets taken out before it’s my turn? You want to take a chance on that? Now stop fucking with me and get untying.”
    Brady stepped across, behind Denny, and reached down behind him. “You’re history, Billy,” he said, in a conversational tone. “Your day is past.”
    “Nothing wrong with history,” said Billy, his gun leveled on Brady. “I like to think I’m a classic.”
    “There’s nothing classic about a sad old man who comes out on a mad adventure like this to play the hero without any backup. And that’s right, isn’t it, Billy? You’re all alone.”
    Billy said nothing.
    “An old man prepared to write off millions of dollars just for a chance to speak with his daughter again? You’ve gone soft, Billy. Jail broke you. Nobody takes you seriously any more.”
    “You really think that?” asked Billy. “Maybe I’m not what I once was, and yes, jail changed me. Maybe I can’t call on guys like Al and Luis so easily these days, but I haven’t gone soft. I was dealing with no-account jerks like you  back when you were still in diapers. I’ve still got my wits and I’ve still got my contacts. You think I’m a