Dangerous Surrender Read Online Free PDF Page A

eyes widened a fraction. “You’re friends with Vadim?”
    Surprised she knew his friend’s name, Roman nodded. “Yeah. How do you know him?”
    She pursed her lips together, eyeing him as if she didn’t trust him—when she was the one who’d broken into Vadim’s house.
    “You know what, I’m calling the cops.” He went to grab his cell phone from his back pocket but she held her hands up.
    “No, wait! Vadim and I have been friends for years. We did some work together years ago, before he got out of…the military.”
    Roman lifted an eyebrow. “Which branch?”
    She watched him for a long moment, clear she didn’t trust him. Well the feeling was fucking mutual. Finally she said, “Marines.”
    He nodded. “That’s right.”
    The tension in her shoulders seemed to relax at that. “The company I work for handled a couple government contracts and Vadim and I ended up working together. I came to see him because…well, it doesn’t matter. I forgot he’d still be on his honeymoon or I’d have never come. If you’ll just let me get dressed I’ll be on my way. No harm, right?” She laughed nervously and he didn’t miss the little wince she tried to cover up.
    He frowned, ignoring the last part of what she’d said. He could see a spot of blood coming through the towel where she’d been wounded. “What kind of trouble are you in? Did someone fucking shoot you?”
    Her beautiful face paled. “No.”
    His jaw tightened. “Don’t lie to me.”
    When she didn’t respond he sighed and pulled his cell phone out.
    “Wait—”
    “I’m not calling the cops,” he muttered. “What’s your name?” he demanded as he scrolled to Angel’s number.
    He raised his eyebrows when she didn’t respond, watching and waiting. Finally she sighed, seeming almost defeated. “Taylor.”
    Though Roman hated to interrupt Vadim and Angel, this called for it.
    Vadim answered the phone on the second ring. “Why the hell are you calling my wife on our honeymoon?” he growled, not much heat behind his voice. “Is everything okay with Charlie?”
    “Your dog is fine. There’s a woman at your house who says she knows you. Broke in, but hasn’t touched anything. She passed out in the shower and I’m pretty sure she’s been shot.”
    “Are you fucking with me?”
    “Nope. Says her name is Taylor. Dark hair, blue eyes, not very tall.” He wasn’t sure he bought her story.
    The woman just wrapped her arms tighter around her middle, looking young and vulnerable; the sight disturbing to Roman.
    “Taylor Arenas?” Vadim’s voice was shocked.
    “What’s your last name?” Roman asked her.
    She paused for a moment. “Arenas.”
    “Yep.”
    “Put me on speaker,” Vadim demanded.
    “Hold on.” Roman looked at Taylor as he held the phone out. “I’m putting Vadim on speaker.”
    The tension lines around her mouth lessened. “Okay.”
    “You’re on,” Roman said.
    “Taylor? What’s going on?” Vadim demanded.
    “I…I’m in trouble, but I forgot you were on your honeymoon. I’m so sorry, Vadim. I never would have come here otherwise.”
    “Fuck that. What’s going on?”
    “Vadim, I…can we have some privacy?” she asked Vadim, carefully avoiding Roman’s gaze as she stared at the phone.
    Roman snorted as Vadim said, “Taylor, you can say anything in front of Roman. Anything. He’s a former Marine too. I trust him with my life.”
    Well, damn.
    She took a deep breath, her eyes filling up with tears, which she angrily swatted away. It was clear she didn’t want Roman around but that was just too damn bad. “Long story short, Neal shot Hugh. He’s been diverting funds to a bogus company and when Hugh confronted him, Neal just shot and killed him. I saw it happen and managed to escape—though he nicked me, but it’s just a flesh wound. But now something else is going on. I think Neal is somehow framing me but I don’t know how he’d have been able to do that. I guess he could have erased the