Heart of the Dragon Read Online Free PDF Page B

rescue.”
    “Dammit, that isn’t how I operate, Ms. Brown.” He leaned back after he’d freed her hands. Bringing them around to her lap, he rubbed the irritated skin on her wrists while he frowned at her harshly. “Believe me, I didn’t order anyone to kidnap you.”
    “Then how did you know I was here?”
    “I had you followed. Lucky for you.”
    “Why should I believe you?” She jerked her hands away.
    He licked his forefinger and reached forward. Before she could pull back, she felt his wet fingertip stroking a spot on the side of her neck. It stung, but the moisture was soothing. “You’re bleeding,” he said gruffly. Either there was true concern in his voice, or her hearing aid was acting up. She blamed the hearing aid.
    “They stole my necklace.” Rebecca looked hard into his eyes, while surprise grew inside her. Despite her anger, she was starting to feel relieved. Safe. Rescued. By him. The dragon who had hinted that he’d do something as terrible as this to her if she stayed in Thailand. So why was he gently smoothing his finger over her scraped skin?
    “They’re not working for me,” he said grimly. He sat back on his heels and began unfastening the rope around her ankles. “Or for the Vatan family.”
    “Nothing makes any sense. They accused
me
of being part of the Vatan family!”
    He went still. His eyes searched hers. “You’re making enemies you didn’t expect to make. Perhaps if you tell me the truth about your reasons for being here, I could help you discover why those men wanted you.”
    “I’ve told you the truth!” As he freed her feet, she pushed herself back on the dirty mattress and glared at him bitterly. “Just leave me alone.”
    “If I granted that wish, you’d be worse off than you know. Think what might have happened to you tonight if I hadn’t had someone following you.”
    She looked down at herself and the gaping bodice of her dress. The knife had sliced her slip as well. Her breasts, small but full, strained against the exposed cups of her bra. “Are you injured there?” Santelli asked bluntly. Before she realized what he intended, he reached over and spread the cut material with hisfingers, brushing the inside curves of her breasts above the bra. He studied them with poker-faced calm, his dark gaze moving slowly.
    His scrutiny burned her as much as the touch of his fingers had. Grinding her teeth in confusion over his tenderness, Rebecca grabbed his large hands and pushed them away. “Maybe I ought to scream for the Sleaze Brothers to come back. At least they didn’t hide their nastier impulses behind a gallant show.”
    Santelli’s eyes rose to hers. The cold warning in his gaze sent a shiver down her spine. “You know far more about hiding ugly impulses than I do, Ms. Brown. I’ve told you nothing but facts. You’ve told me nothing but an outrageous story about being my client’s half sister. You may be nothing but a bald-faced con artist hoping to worm your way into a wealthy Thai family.”
    “Mr. Santelli, get away from me and get out of this room. I’d rather talk to the crummiest customer in this brothel than continue this conversation with you.”
    He made his voice sound prim. “Gee, lady, the last time I heard someone described as ‘crummy,’ I was no more than twelve years old and watching an episode of
Leave It to Beaver
.”
    She felt her face begin to burn with embarrassment as well as anger. “I don’t have to describe a pig wallow in pig language.”
    “I suppose that’s my cue to oink.”
    “It’s your cue to leave. I’ll take care of myself now. I don’t need you or your attitude toward me. I’m not accustomed to men who think I’m capable of immoral and even criminal intentions. I won’t put up with it. When you find out how wrong you are about me, I hope you’re ashamed of yourself for accusing me.
Get out
.”
    Kash gave into an urge to keep taunting her, to expose her for whoever and whatever she really was. He