Mystic Militia Read Online Free PDF

present. “He called me. Why would he blow me off now?”
    As if to prove her point, Ryan came ambling into the lounge. His wavy blond hair was longer than the last time she’d seen him, but the shaggy style only added to his surfer-boy charm. Faded jeans hugged his lean hips and a brown bomber jacket hung from his shoulders, making him appear almost skinny. A secret smile bowed her lips. Ryan hadn’t seemed skinny until she compared him with the buff stranger in the casino. Now that was a man.
    Ryan looked at her as he crossed the room, obviously gauging her level of hostility. Apparently deciding he needed to ease into the situation, he approached Jillian first. He flashed a blinding smile and bent down to give her his best Hollywood kiss on each cheek.
    “Damn, girl, you get better looking every time I see you.” He laughed as he pulled out a chair and sat across the table from them. “You should make a point to see me more.”
    Tori rolled her eyes at the tired line. She’d heard him recite it countless times before. “Do you have my money or not? I’m really not in the mood for your bullshit.”
    His devil-may-care façade dissolved as he looked at her. “Nice to see you, Tori. It’s been too long.”
    She decided not to be a bitch and ask him about the money again. She’d already made it clear that the money was her only reason for being here.
    The side door to the lounge swung open and she automatically turned her head. She didn’t care who was entering the lounge. She was just tired of looking at Ryan’s insincere face. The dark-haired Adonis from the casino crossed the threshold, followed immediately by his blond friend. Her heart fluttered and her stomach did a little flip. What the hell was wrong with her? She’d never gone all weak and tingly over a man before.
    “I think he followed you,” Jillian leaned in and whispered, but her giddy expression was enough to make Ryan turn his head to see who had caused the fuss.
    “Who is that?” He growled the question as if he had the right to be pissed off by her reaction.
    “No one,” Tori stressed.
    The strangers walked over to the bar and the dark-haired one unfolded a piece of paper and handed it to Jeff. Jeff looked at the paper then shook his head and handed it back to the hunky stranger. Were they cops? More like private investigators. Neither one of them had flashed a badge.
    “They haven’t officially met, but they had ‘a moment’ in the casino.” Jillian lightly elbowed Tori in the side. “Want me to ask them to join us?”
    “No.” Ryan scooted closer to the table. “I have the money.” He pulled an envelope out of the inside pocket of his jacket and tossed it onto the table. The flap opened enough for Tori to see the stack of bills inside and the strangers were forgotten. “I’m a man of my word. Sometimes it just takes longer than I’d planned to keep my promises.”
    She reached for the envelope, thrilled to have the confrontation finished, but he covered it with his hand and formed his famous half-smile. She’d fallen for that practiced expression once too often not to see through its appeal. Ryan was a self-absorbed, irresponsible jerk and no amount of superficial charm would make her trust him again.
    She firmly grasped the envelope and tugged. “Let go. This is what I came for. The conversation is over.”
    “I understand your frustration and I won’t stop you from leaving once you’ve heard me out.”
    “I’m not interested in anything you have to say.”
    “You’re a shrewd business woman.” Ryan paused for another smile. Didn’t he realize that she ground her teeth every time his lips parted? “I know you’re in-between projects and I have an idea that is sure to be a hit.”
    None of his other ideas had been hits, so she couldn’t imagine why he persisted. “Not. Interested.” She pulled on the envelope, but his fingers were stronger.
    “Five minutes. Give me five minutes to explain.”
    “Let go of