Read Heartless Rebel for Free Online Page A

Because he’d gone
after Bobby when Bobby had hit her. Even if it had been unnecessary, even if
she hadn’t needed his help, she had to acknowledge that he’d gotten hurt
because he’d tried to help. It made her angry and sad at the same time.
                 “I
don’t see how it could be worse.”
                 “Trust
me, it could.”
                 “Are
you accustomed to getting beaten up, then?” She was trying to inject a bit of
humor into the conversation, but his expression said that she’d failed
miserably. His jaw looked as if it had been carved out of granite. His eyes
were flat, bleak. She sensed she’d stumbled into quicksand. “Don’t answer
that—”
                 He
lifted a hand, traced his fingers over her bottom lip. Her heart raced like the
powerful engine in his car, but she didn’t move to stop him.
                 She
couldn’t. His touch felt too good, too raw and honest.
                 “Are
you afraid for me, Cara? Afraid of what I might tell you?”
                 “I—”
She didn’t know what to say. Her heart was a painful knot in her chest. She
sensed they’d crossed some sort of demarcation line, that there would be no
going back now. Ever. “I should run the bath,” she blurted.
                 Because
standing here while this man touched her wasn’t the best idea she’d ever had.
He evoked sensations she’d never experienced, sensations she wanted desperately
to explore. But he was all wrong for her. This was wrong.
                 He
was a gambler, a card shark—he wasn’t the sort of man a girl could rely on. And
she didn’t need a man in her life, anyway. It never turned out well. She needed
to go, needed to run the bath—and she needed to get away from him as soon as
possible, before her silly heart decided she liked his touch, his attention.
Before she decided she wanted more.
                 “Does
it hurt?” he asked, his fingers ghosting over the split in her lip.
                 “A
little.”
                 “Was
this the first time?”
                 It
took her a moment to figure out what he meant. “Bobby never hit me before, no.
I didn’t like him much, but the pay was good and the bonus he promised to those
of us who came to Nice was even better.”
                 “But
you didn’t get the money.”
                 Cara
sighed. “No. I don’t suppose I ever will now.”
                 Mama
and Remy would be fine, though. Cara would find another job and keep sending
money home just like always. And Evie was still there, working and helping Mama
with Remy. A tiny voice in Cara’s head asked when she would get to do what she
wanted in life—but she shoved it aside angrily. She would do what needed to be
done. Always. Daddy might have abandoned the family, but Cara never would.
                 She
stepped back, out of Jack’s reach. His hand dropped. He looked like a beautiful
dark angel, his torso bare and bruised. He was delicious, tempting, and she was
appalled that she thought so. Appalled that if he weren’t hurt, she could
picture herself pushing him back against the pillows, her mouth on his, their
limbs tangling. She could picture the moment when he entered her body, the way
she would shudder beneath him, her body rippling in one long, ecstatic wave.
                 “You’re
a cruel woman, Cara Taylor,” Jack said, pulling her from her tangled thoughts.
                 “How
can that possibly be?” she said softly. “I’m helping you, aren’t I? I could have
left you for Bobby to finish off.”
                 “I
almost wish you had. It would be easier than watching you look at me like I’m
an ice cream cone. Do you want to lick me, Cara?”
                 Oh,
God.
                 There
was nothing to do but