Wolfe snagged them out of the air and snapped them on Dana’s wrists before she could blink. They were fur lined and soft, but felt restrictive nonetheless. “We’ve already reached an agreement,” he murmured.
“Well. In that case, have fun.” Trentington moved to leave.
“Charles was being pushy again,” Wolfe said quietly. “It’s time you kicked him out.”
Trentington sighed and turned toward the dance floor. “Thanks.”
Dana looked down at the pink cuffs. She kind of felt like Wonder Woman. “Why did you—”
“They show ownership,” Wolfe said, clipping the cuffs together easily.
Her abdomen rolled, and her head snapped back. “Excuse me?” She tugged hard, but they wouldn’t separate, effectively binding her wrists together. She eyed his shin. With her heels, she could do some damage.
He chuckled, the sound low and dangerous. It slid over her skin, burning her from within. “Right now, you’re playing a sub, no doubt for a story. But I’m playing a dom, and if you kick me, I’ll toss your ass over that bar and beat it.”
His words slid right through her to pulse between her legs. For Pete’s sake. That scenario was not sexy. The idea of Wolfe’s hand anywhere near her butt sent her already sensitive body into hyperdrive. Oh, she’d handle him later. For now, she had work to do, so she shook off all emotion and leaned closer. He’d said “playing.” “Are you on a job?” she whispered.
“Yes.” He glanced around. “Who’s Albert Nelson?”
“Someone I need to talk to,” she said, looking again. “I scared him off last week, but I know he’s a member of Captive, so I came here to ask him questions.” She planned to pressure him into answering all of her questions this time. She no longer cared about subtlety. Finding out who’d killed her friend was all that mattered. “Your job?”
“Confidential. You know a guy named Clarke Wellson?”
“No, but I could do a background check later,” she murmured. They’d helped each other with cases before.
Wolfe glanced down at her, his gaze warming. “You look incredible.”
“Thank you.” It was nice he’d noticed, although the outfit wasn’t really her style. She was more a jeans and flannel type of girl. She shuffled uneasily in her heels. That way he had of switching topics had thrown her ever since they’d met. “Okay. I’m going to mingle and ask questions. You?”
He smiled, the sight daunting. “I just cuffed you. No dom would allow a sub to mingle.”
Allow? Oh, heck no. She blinked. “Then uncuff me.”
“No. Last time you didn’t have backup, you nearly died.” He crossed his arms, somehow scouting the entire room while also watching her.
Her back teeth gritted together. “You’re not in charge here, Wolfe.”
“The cuffs say otherwise,” he said, angling his head to take in the dance floor.
She couldn’t help it. She really couldn’t. Full on, she’d chased this story, and now she was pretty much tied up because of a guy who only wanted to be her friend. She kicked him, as hard as she could, right in the shin.
He stiffened and rapidly pivoted, and both hands went to her hips to lift her. She was in the air, halfway to the bar, before she even thought to struggle. A heavy thud sounded from behind Wolfe. A woman screamed.
Wolfe dropped Dana to her feet and shoved her behind him, angling toward the dance floor. He looked up to a balcony high above.
Dana craned her neck to look around him, staring down at the dead man on the ground with a bullet hole in his head. His eyes were wide open and frighteningly blank. Her stomach lurched, and she coughed. “That’s Albert,” she whispered.
Wolfe looked over his shoulder at her. “Well, shit. That’s Clarke, too.”
Sirens sounded in the distance. Wolfe grabbed her bound wrists. “We have to get out of here. Now.”
Chapter Two
Holding Dana tight, ignoring her sweet orange blossoms scent, Wolfe ran past the gaping onlookers to the vestibule, where Thor with an attitude tried to stop him. Not halting his stride, Wolfe lifted the moron beneath the neck and tossed him against the far wall. The fancy wooden paneling cracked, and the guy dropped to the marble floor.
Dana gasped but kept pace with him as he charged out the front door and into the street, scouting for threats. “Where’s your car?” he asked.
Trembling, she pointed down the quiet street to a compact lime-green bug.
His steps faltered and then quickened again. “Where did you get a tiny green car?” he snapped.
“Rented it,” she panted, her eyes wild. “Figured it’d be tough to trace me if something went wrong.”
It was freaking easy to trace a properly rented car if she had used her real ID, which no doubt she had. “Good idea,” he rumbled. Why scare her even more than she already was? Or maybe he should. When he’d turned around and seen her at that sex club party, his head had almost exploded—and not just because of the danger she seemed to hunt like a bluetick hound. That outfit should be illegal.
He opened the passenger-side door and settled her inside, lifting his head. The skin of his neck prickled in warning. Slamming her door, he ran around and tried to force his six-foot-six body into the driver’s seat. Groaning, he reached down and pushed the seat all the way back, which still wasn’t far enough, then slammed the door, wincing as his knees pressed the steering wheel up. He turned the key, impressed she’d left it in the ignition.
The car bucked, and he punched the gas.
“Hey.” Dana stabilized herself with her hands on the dash. “Slow down.”
He didn’t bother to answer, settling both hands on the steering wheel and taking a turn on two wheels.
Sirens trilled, rapidly approaching.
Going on instinct, he turned down another residential street in the subdivision, heading for the rear entrance. The emergency vehicles would use the main entrance. He hoped. “Put on your seat belt,” he said, increasing his speed.
“Wh-what if we need to jump out?” she gasped.
“Seat. Belt.” He didn’t have time to argue.
She did as he ordered, mumbling something and no doubt rolling her spectacular green eyes. “You need to release these damn cuffs.”
Without looking, he reached over and freed the clasp before taking another turn, swiping some rich person’s rosebush. “I like you bound.”
She snorted, tearing off the cuffs and tossing them in the back seat. “Don’t flirt if you can’t follow through.”
He swallowed down a
