Read Online The Killing Game by Toni Anderson - Free Book Online Page B

woman crashed into his thigh and knocked him sideways. Her face was distorted and there was a ferocity in her eyes that made her look feral.
    He rubbed a hand over his dust-covered face. “You’ve got to be the craziest woman I’ve ever met.”
    “Says the man who has shot three of the world’s most endangered species—”
    He opened his mouth to correct her but she bulldozered right over him.
    “Please don’t kill any more, I have money. I’ll pay whatever you want not to kill him.” She sobbed and it sounded awful in the peacefulness of the mountains. “I’ll do anything you want.” She froze, and then steeled herself as she realized what she’d offered.
    Whoa . What the hell? There was a beat of tense silence.
    “Really? You’ll do anything I want?” He let his eyes scrape down her body. “As long as I don’t shoot that leopard?”
    She nodded although she looked like she’d rather puke. He was torn between humiliation, irritation, and amusement. What the hell was she thinking ? He pushed her onto her front and straddled her thighs from behind. Because he was angry he paused for a moment and let his weight sink against her. She felt as rigid and sexy as a tank but he had seen her naked.
    “Tempting.” He pulled out his knife and cut the cuffs. “Thankfully I don’t have to tie up women for sex. Well,” he amended, “only if they want me to.” He climbed off her and brushed the dust off his trousers. Gazed at the leopard who turned briefly to look at them before disappearing over the hill’s crest. His anger had burned down to a low simmer and he savored the peace and quiet for a moment before he spoke. “For your information, lady, I was never going to shoot that leopard, so your generous…sacrifice…was unnecessary. Although if you get the urge again just let me know.” He let his eyes drift over her. “I’ll think about it.”
    She sat up, looking dazed. There was a smudge of dirt across her cheek and a graze on the end of her stubborn chin. He refused to feel bad about it. She’d pulled a gun on him. She was lucky she wasn’t dead.
    She rubbed her wrists, ringed red from her struggles against the cuffs, shaking her hands to get the blood back into her fingers. “I don’t understand.”
    “I’m not desperate for female companionship.”
    Her lips twisted. “That bit I understood.”
    He held out his hand. This was a peace offering and if she wasn’t smart enough to take it that was her problem. “Sergeant Dempsey, British Army.”
    “British Army?” She swept her gaze over him suspiciously. “You don’t look like Army and you don’t sound British. You sound Irish.”
    “Some parts of Ireland are British and wars’ve been fought to prove it.” Anyone who thought the Northern Ireland he’d grown up in wasn’t a war zone hadn’t set foot in Ulster in the seventies or eighties.
    Hesitantly, she placed cool fingers in his and allowed him to pull her to her feet. Her skin was soft and smooth. “Dr. Axelle Dehn.”
    She retrieved her fingers immediately, which was fine by him, although he was a little chagrined when she wiped her hands up and down her thighs.
    He went over to collect his kit, shouldering the rifle.
    “What are you doing here?”
    “Following you,” he told her. “Seeing what you’re up to.”
    She was trying to get the blood flowing in her fingers. “I’m just doing my job.”
    “And I’m doing mine.”
    “British Army.” Her brows lowered, lips pressed tight. “So you’re not going to shoot G-man?”
    “G-man?” He raised one brow. “As in an FBI agent?”
    “The snow leopard.” She spoke as if he were dull-witted.
    “Snow leopards are a CITES listed endangered species.” He threw her a hard look. “It’s against international law to kill them.” His prey walked on two legs.
    She grabbed his elbow. “You’re not the person shooting my cats?”
    That got his attention. “You have a poacher?”
    Her fingers drifted down his arm to