Read Payable On Death: A Jax Rhodes Novel, Book One (The Jax Rhodes Series 1) for Free Online Page A

the need to feel him inside me driving away all of my inhibitions. He grabbed my wrist, forcing my arm up above my head. Pinned beneath him, one hand firmly gripping my hip, the other still holding my arm, I willingly gave up control, practically begging him to take me.
    He leaned in and pressed a kiss behind my ear. "If I die before I wake, my soul the Devil will surely take."
    Startled by his words, I turned my head to look at him, locking eyes with the Devil instead. I tried to buck him off me, screaming when the transformation from my dream lover to the dapper and deadly being I'd met all those nights ago was complete. The Devil thrust forward, owning my body the same way he owned my soul. I cried out, tears rolling down my cheeks. The Devil lapped them up, savoring my pain.
    And then I woke up, the sheets soaked with sweat.
    The cycle of drinking to pass out and coffee to escape the nightmares continued until I was out of alcohol and I finally blacked out. The alarm on my cell phone woke me the next morning. After rolling out of bed, I zombie shuffled to the bathroom and guzzled water from the faucet. My mouth might have felt like a desert but my bladder still demanded attention.
    I waited for the toilet to finish running before turning on the shower. The water pressure in my apartment sucked but at least it was hot. I stayed in until the water ran cold, unable to shake the dreams from the night before.
    Wrapped in a towel, I made my way to the kitchen and started a pot of coffee. I was scheduled for the breakfast shift at the shelter. I'd never been one to shirk my responsibilities but I was in no condition to help anyone. Afraid, for the first time in a long time, I needed to get my head together. I needed to go to the gym, the one place where I felt in control of my body and my life.
    Coffee in hand, I went back to my room for my cell phone and called Michelle.
    "Hey, M. I'm sorry to do this last minute, I'm not going to make it in today. Do you have someone who can cover me? I don't want to leave you shorthanded."
    "Don't worry about that. I talked to Dane. He told me what happened the other night."
    "You talked to Dane." I don't know why I repeated what she said except that anger had momentarily stripped me of the ability to use my words.
    Who the hell did he think he was, talking to Michelle about me? Telling her my private business? I was going to tear him a new ass. Just as soon as I found his business card so I could call him. The nerve of that guy.
    "Are you okay? I left you a couple messages. Dane stopped by to let me know he found the woman he was looking for. She's been admitted to Shepherd Pratt. Anyway, he asked if you were in, I said no. Then he asked if I'd talked to you. Again I said no.”
    “Was that all he wanted to know?” The idea of his inquiring mind and her loose lips set my nerves on edge.
    “He seemed awful worried so I asked him what was wrong. I just couldn't believe it. There's no end to the violence in this city is there? I've covered your volunteer shifts here for the week. Did you talk to the police? I can put a call in to Detective Whitfield if you want."
    My mind kept drifting to Dane while she prattled on. The fact that he had a legitimate reason to be at the shelter did not excuse him running his mouth, gossiping like a little school girl.
    "Jax, do you want me to call Detective Whitfield?"
    "What? No, no. I'm fine, really. I just… I don't know. I just need a couple days to get myself together." And to figure out what was going on with the demons. They were too aggressive, too bold for me to be around the shelter. I refused to put anyone else at risk.
    "Of course you do. Remember who you're talking to, Jax. I see it every day. You were assaulted. It's perfectly normal to take some time. You do so much around here, you're invaluable to me, the staff, the women we help, you deserve some time off anyway. We'll be okay until you're ready to come back. If you want to talk about