Collector's Item Read Online Free PDF Page B

gadfly.
    Okay, but for what? For her missing aunt. Now, there was a princess! A woman who used her Unadapted condition like a “get out jail free” pass. From what he’d heard, the woman didn’t care for anything or anyone, but herself. Hell, he wouldn’t put it past her to be on a yacht or shacked up somewhere.
    Peyton checked the plastic ties on KT’s wrists and ankles. Tight, but not going to cut off circulation. Lying on her side, with her arms behind her back, she looked nothing like the furious alpha female he’d faced off with earlier. Her black hair spread out across her shoulders in a swirling tangle, one section like a black gash across her cheek. His fingers itched to push it aside, but he resisted.
    Not princess , Max asserted, his approval a warm purr in the back of Peyton’s brain. Alpha, a truly worthy alpha.
    Enough. Peyton pushed to his feet and looked at Massey, lying on the couch. Massey would expect Peyton to give him the couch over their victim, and KT had accepted that without argument.
    Just like she’d rolled up her sleeve and held out her arm for the sedative shot, as if it were nothing. Only the rapid rise and fall of her chest, and the racing pulse in her neck, betrayed her fear.
    Her dark eyes had met and held his over the syringe. “Only enough to get me to the hangar, and no more, right?”
    He’d nodded with a confidence he secretly questioned. “With your metabolism, a half injection will wear off just about the time we’re heading for the hangar.” He paused, worried that for a “package” this high-profile, a little insurance might be a good idea. “Are you sure about the microchip?”
    Her gaze steadied. “I won’t need it, right?” The corner of her mouth quirked into a charmingly lopsided smile and caused a jolt in his groin. “I’ll have my own personal Protector.”
    He shoved down his reaction and nodded. “Me, and an entire squad of Alliance Rangers.”
    Her smile broadened into a grin. “Okay, then let’s do this.” And just like that, she let him shoot her with enough sedative to stop a raging elephant dead in its tracks.
    Peyton approached Massey and slapped the other man’s face. “Wake up, damn it, Massey! She didn’t hit you that hard.”
    Massey’s head lolled before he opened his eyes, blinking against the lamplight. “What?”
    Peyton crossed his arms over his chest and frowned. “Shit, man. You’ve gotta lay off the fries. You weigh a fuckin’ ton.”
    Massey blinked a few times, and then recognition as well as memory returned. He shoved himself off the couch and swung at Peyton.
    Peyton dodged the wild swing and held up his hands. “Hey! What’s your problem?”
    “My problem? My problem?” Massey shouted. “You were supposed to tackle her, not me. And then you try to beat the shit out of me. What the hell?”
    Peyton motioned downward with his hands. “Keep it down. Her neighbors should be heading home soon.” He glared at the unconscious KT. “She moved at the last second. I had to do something to keep her from guessing. Then, when she hit you, I nailed her.”
    Massey raised a hand to touch the back of his head and winced. “Why the hell didn’t you hit her first? I thought you weres had lightning reflexes.”
    “If she’d slammed the door shut on us, we’d have lost our best chance to catch her unprepared.” He pulled KT’s Taser out the pocket of his duster. “She had this in that desk drawer there. One zap with this and you’d be useless for hours.”
    Massey smirked. “I’ve been tasered before. No biggie.”
    Peyton shook his head. “This one’s been amped up for paranormal physiology.”
    Massey’s eyes widened and he gave the Taser a more respectful glance. “They make those?”
    Peyton snorted. “Course they do.”
    Massey stepped closer to KT’s unconscious form and drew back one foot. “Bitch.”
    Max leaped forward and drove Peyton to grab Massey’s arm. Peyton swung him around so that his kick never