Dark Warrior: To Tame a Wild Hawk (Dark Cloth) Read Online Free PDF Page A

undoubtedly kill her.
    She looked up to find Hawk’s gaze riveted on her face. His gold-green eyes flickered over to Cord, and something unnamed moved between the men, before taking in Meg, then settling back on Mandy.
    His gaze moved over her with sensual ease. She flushed, then realized he was baiting her. He wanted her angry. He wanted her ready. “What have you got yourself there, McKinney?” he drawled with lazy ease.
    Mandy had to look at him twice to be sure that western twang had really come from him. Like the trickster coyote, he had many faces; but then his words brought her back with roaring clarity. McKinney! The McKinney. The cold-blooded bank robber and killer of everyone who got in the way McKinney ! Her gaze clashed with Hawk’s, once again. She would be ready.
    She had to be.
    She glanced at Meg, trying to convey as best she could to Meg that she also needed to be ready.
    McKinney snickered at Hawk’s question. “Just a piece of fluff I plan to amuse myself with.” He gave her ribs another painful squeeze. “She’s a might skinny for my liking, I prefer my women a little more—filled out, but she’ll do.”
    “Over my dead body.” Mandy’s voice was a hiss.
    McKinney chuckled and gave her ribs yet another painful squeeze. “That can be arranged,” he whispered near her ear, his voice sensual. He could have been talking her out of her dress for the way he said it.
    Hawk’s cold eyes took in McKinney for a moment and then lowered to her, catching her gaze with his piercing one. Raising a brow, she heard two words ring clearly in her head.
    Death wish.
    McKinney pulled her more tightly against his chest. She felt his coiled hate beneath his mask of calm disdain—felt his curled anticipation. He was awaiting a bloodbath . He was looking forward to it. It was heady, nauseating in its beauty; like a great cat tearing apart its prey, the taste of blood sending the great cat’s senses taut with knowledge of the upcoming feast.
    “She’s pretty though, isn’t she, Mister? You can have the one over there, if you’d like.” He nodded toward Meg.
    “Oh, I don’t know,” Hawk’s golden gaze pinned McKinney once more, “I don’t expect you’ll be enjoying much of anything after today.”
    McKinney grinned, mean and nasty, and drained away the last of Mandy’s fear. She centered herself and the room slanted. She saw herself held there, trapped in McKinney’s embrace. She saw these things through Hawk’s eyes.
    And she waited.
    “I’d nearly given up on catching you,” Hawk was saying. “I was even going to let you go. Imagine my surprise when you up and started to lead me here. Decided to turn yourself over to me, or was your boss afraid I’d give up?”
    McKinney laughed. He stood relaxed, nonchalant, as if he hadn’t a care in the world. Except that he was holding Mandy prisoner, and he held a gun to her head, he sounded as though he were discussing the weather. It was infuriating. “Nope. Just got tired of waiting for the boss to give me the okay to kill you.” He shrugged. “Nobody troubles me and lives to tell about it.” He shrugged again, his smile easy. “Not even you.”
    “It’s been a long time,” Hawk said. Mandy realized he, too, was smiling. His eyes were pools of liquid gold. “Looks as though it’s finally over. You’re at the end of the line.”
    McKinney snickered. “You haven’t got me yet, Hawk, and you’ll never be free. You’re good,” McKinney said, sounding as though he were having a civil conversation . . . until you heard the words. “Real good. Too bad you have to die today.”
    The time was near.
    Mandy let the mask she had learned to wear so well slip into place, the mask of the rancher’s daughter, the mask of a western female who now owned and ran a ranch. “Let go of me,” she spat. “Then, you and your friend here can get on with your game. I have better things to do with my day.” She stomped her foot. “Release me this