Agent M4: Riordan Read Online Free PDF

her cheeks. She refused to look Josie’s way, knowing she’d give her a thumbs up or at least a sly grin.
    Riordan, on the other hand, accepted the water with impressive aplomb before Josie left the room.
    How did she face him now, after she’d allowed them to cross that invisible line she knew darn freaking well shouldn’t be crossed?
    Taking a sip of water, he watched her as he swallowed. She glanced away, the curtain tassels at her elbow suddenly fascinating.
    “I lived with my mother and grandfather...”
    Catching her breath, she whipped around to face him. He gave her a small smile as he set down the bottle on the credenza behind the sofa. She couldn’t help but smile back.
    “She died in a car accident when I was eight. After that, I resided in the same house as my grandfather, but he lived for his high. I pretty much raised myself.”
    That explained another facet of Riordan’s character - his survival instinct, his independent nature. He’d never had anyone to depend on but himself.
    She’d learned that lesson, too.
    “So, you took a bath, sent yourself to school each day, made good grades…” Crossing an arm over her middle, she rested her elbow on top.
    Tipping his head to the side, he braced an arm on the window frame and stared outside. “I sent myself to school and made good grades - until I figured out I could get the girls to do my homework for me.” He glanced at her.
    She spoke on a sigh. “Why am I not surprised?”
    His mischievous grin would be the death of her.
    “After that, I spent all of my time in the backseat of my Dodge Challenger, or racing it. I graduated mid-list, and enrolled in the local community college to get a degree in criminal justice.”
    His relaxed features turned dark, his brows lowering into a fierce scowl. “The first week of college, a gang surrounded me in the parking lot after a night class. They wanted my car.”
    Oh no… “Were you scared?”
    “I was pissed .” He spat the last word. “My car was everything to me. I wasn’t about to hand it over without a fight.”
    “What happened?”
    His tone sounded adamant, yet distant. “I leveled them. Once I returned the first punch, it was like a dam had burst inside of me. I didn’t stop swinging until they were all down. When I drove out of that parking lot, I left four unconscious bodies lying on the pavement.” He stared down at his hands. “I shook so hard I had trouble steering my car.”
    Letting his hands fall to his sides, he stared outside again. “The next day, a guy approached me in the same parking lot and asked if I wanted a job as a bodyguard. It paid more money than I’d ever make as a cop, so I took it.” He looked at her, his eyes turned down at the corners. “The business is all I’ve known.”
    The business. As a senator’s daughter, she knew all about the business . No one stood beyond bribery or above blackmail. Yet, something told her Riordan St. James, if given the chance, would choose the right thing if it came down to it.
    “Have you ever struggled with doing the right thing?”
    A hurricane swirled in his eyes, his nostrils flared. “When I got back and they told me Robert Naylor was responsible for sending me away, all I could think about was getting strong enough to kill him. Naylor’s death was one hundred percent premeditated. I flat out knew what I was doing. That should tell you everything.”
    Natalie caught her breath. A part of her didn’t want to believe it. Another knew him capable of that and more. He’d proven to be the toughest, most daring man she’d ever met.
    Knowing he’d killed his enemy didn’t shock her as much as his defensive tone. Riordan had satisfied his thirst for revenge and killed Robert Naylor.
    However, where revenge had resided for so long, guilt, heavy and dark, remained.
    “How did it happen?”
    Riordan ran his fingers through his newly-cut hair. “It was a team effort. The other three super agents entered the compound to draw