Lies That Bind Read Online Free PDF

his heart when he’d seen her boyfriend had nearly brought him to his knees. It still hadn’t stopped him from wrapping his arms around her, though. One part of him begged her lover to fight him, even now, just so he could have the pleasure of taking his frustration out on someone.
    He watched her standoff with Carmen. Tessa had developed some lethal claws over the last year. Having your world turned upside down did that to a person. He couldn’t wait to see her take a piece out of Carmen and her worthless son, but the last thing Tyler wanted was to have those claws turned on him.
    The woman could definitely play with the big guns. Hell, she probably owned big guns of her own now—like the man standing behind her. Tyler would play nice, make friendly—he glanced at Nate—for now.
    Tyler looked at Kevin, waiting for the attorney’s next move, waiting for the ax to fall and all manner of hell to break loose. Kevin’s gaze was on Tessa, and there was a gleam in his eyes that Tyler couldn’t decipher. Pride? Humor? Lust? Tyler could sure understand the last. He’d been lusting after Tessa since the second her feet touched the ground—he bet he’d find each toenail buffed to perfection just like her fingernails. One look at her midnight-blue eyes further enslaved his aching hard-on. When she’d slipped her hand in his, she might as well have been wrapping her strong fingers around his cock. The effect was the same. Even at this moment, with their business on the line and those shrewd eyes of hers tearing into the hapless twosome on the love seat, scaring Tyler more than a little, Tyler still wanted to push the boundaries a tad and let Tessa have her way with him.
    “You little bitch!” Carmen spit out.
    Again with the insult. It pissed him off and brought Tyler to his feet. But since Tessa didn’t rise to the bait and Nate didn’t blink, Tyler left her undefended. But he remained standing. He could play guard just as well as Nate Bridger.
    Carmen turned a mottled shade of purple at Tessa’s calm facade. She wriggled her bulk to the edge of the love seat, thanks to an extra push from her loser son.
    “And if we don’t, you’ll get your men to throw us out?”
    Tessa steepled her fingers before her. Regal. Deadly beautiful.
    “First of all, none of the gentlemen here are my men. Secondly, I can do my own dirty work. Would you like a demonstration?”
    She edged forward, looking damned formidable even in jeans and T-shirt.
    “Trust me, it would be my pleasure,” she added with deadly precision.
    Heath looked ready to piss himself. Carmen heaved a breath through her flared nostrils. Tessa never blinked.
    Tyler’s heart raced. His cock thrummed. He wanted to be the man standing behind her, silently ready to back her up in whatever she ordered. He would have if things hadn’t gone all wrong.
    “Come on, Mama.” Heath stood and hoisted Carmen to her feet.
    “You haven’t heard the last of this,” she spat at Tessa.
    “Oh, I think we have.” Rex stood and hiked his thumb toward the front door. “I can assure you that the No Trespassing signs around the property will be aggressively enforced.”
    Carmen tried to shove her face into his. She reached only as far as his chest. “This isn’t your property to protect.”
    One side of Rex’s mouth lifted. “But my business sits on it, and I will do anything to protect that and the land it occupies. Like any good cowboy, I will defend this ranch to my last breath.”
    Heath looked like he was going to be stupid enough to take a swing…until Tyler edged closer. Heath flinched and ducked away.
    “Now, Mama.” He steered Carmen toward and then out the door.
    “They arrived after me,” Kevin said over the thunder of steps as they traipsed across the porch and stepped off. “The house was still secure. I talked with a few of the hands, and they hadn’t seen anyone earlier. I doubt Carmen and Heath got in the house. They parked their truck around