In His Shadow (Tangled Ivy Book 1) Read Online Free PDF Page A

when he approached the bed, I made myself hold my ground no matter how badly my limbs trembled with fear. He towered over me, his blue gaze unblinking and searing right through me. I remembered the assured way he’d held his gun, completely unmoved at having killed someone, and swallowed hard.
    He raised his hand and I couldn’t help flinching, but he merely rested his fingers on my bare shoulder. The touch felt as though he’d applied electricity to my skin, shooting through my veins until every nerve ending was attuned to him.
    The rough pads of his fingers were unexpectedly gentle as they traced the line of my shoulder to my neck, lower to brush my collarbone, then up the line of my throat. I could barely breathe, my eyes locked with Devon’s. The fear I felt was tinged with something close to excitement, followed by desire. My heart raced and I knew by the subtle curve to his lips that Devon had seen the fluttering pulse underneath my skin.
    “I think you will.” The words were a soft murmur. “I’ll be in touch, Ivy.” Then he was gone as silently as he had come.
    Next to me on the bed was his tie, and it seemed as though I was watching someone else’s hands pick up the soft silk, bring it to my nose, and inhale the scent of sandalwood, spice, and Devon.

C HAPTER T HREE
    I di dn’t see Logan until late in the morning on Saturday. Hearing his keys jangling in the lock, I turned from where I was huddled under a blanket on the couch, sipping my coffee. The door opened and Logan walked in, spying me and sending a shit-eating grin my way.
    “How was she?” I asked.
    “Fantastic,” he replied, breezing past me into the kitchen. When he reappeared, he had a mug of coffee as well and had discarded his coat. With a sigh, he plopped down next to me, grabbing some of my blanket.
    “It’s disgusting how a man can look just as good doing the walk of shame in the morning as he did the night before,” I complained. Logan’s dark hair was mussed, a day’s growth of beard shadowed his jaw, yet with his blue eyes and wicked grin, he looked as though he could have stepped from the pages of a magazine.
    “I have good genes,” Logan said with a shrug. I rolled my eyes. “So I take it you didn’t like Tom?” he asked.
    I made a face. “I’m not into the artistic type,” I said. “I’m guessing he found someone to ease the pain of my rejection?”
    “I seem to remember him kissing some girl and then following her into a taxi, yeah,” Logan replied.
    “And your girl?” I asked. “Did she have a name? A number?”
    “I’m sure she did,” Logan said, taking another sip of the steaming coffee. He winked at me.
    “You’re unbelievable,” I huffed, flipping the channel on the television. “I’m so glad we never got involved.”
    “I’d much rather have you as my best friend than a one-night stand,” Logan said, unrepentant. It mollified me, but I still felt the need to at least make a token protest on behalf of all the women he laid and left.
    “One of these days, you’re going to find some girl you fall head over heels for and she’s going to make you ditch your man-whore ways,” I predicted.
    “Maybe,” Logan admitted. “But it wasn’t last night.”
    I laughed at his cheeky grin and wink. It was impossible for me to stay mad at him. I loved Logan unconditionally. He was the brother I’d never had. Ever since I was twelve and he’d seen me crying in a dark corner of the school library, he’d been there for me.
    “So who was that other guy?” I asked, bringing up the man I hadn’t been able to stop thinking about since he’d disappeared from the apartment last night.
    “Yeah, that was weird,” Logan said. “He showed up at the firm yesterday afternoon, said he was looking for a friend of his, a client of mine. We can’t just give out addresses, but he seemed legit so I said I sometimes saw the guy at this restaurant. Next thing I knew, he was there when I walked in with Tom. Invited