Neil (The Uncompromising Series Book 2) Read Online Free PDF Page A

are on me.”
    “What did he do to you?”
    Besides give me a baby and a complex? Nothing. Shame set in and two years of celibacy crawled up my conscience and bit me in the ass. “Was this your plan? Get me half-undressed and interrogate me? Let go.” I tried to step away.
    His grip tightened like shackles. “Tell me what happened and I will.”
    After years of stripping and having to protect myself, it was instinctual—I brought my leg up, fully intending to slam my heel down anywhere I could connect.
    Quicker than I could blink, I was spun around and on my tiptoes as his giant hand caught my jaw. Fierce gray eyes penetrated my rebellious stare and destroyed my defiance. “I said I would not hurt you but if you kick me, I make no promises.”
    “Is that what gets you off?” My words were biting but my voice shook. “Inflicting pain on women?”
    His grip loosened and my feet went flat on the worn carpet. “You are tired and you are defensive.” He reached around me and pushed my bedroom door wide open. “Go to bed.” He released me and stepped back.
    My dress hanging open, my pride in the fucking toilet, I fought back stupid tears and lifted my chin in defiance. “You’re an asshole.”
    His jaw ticked as his chest rose with an inhale. “Good night, Ariella.”
    Viking turned and walked out.

F OR THE FIRST TIME IN as long as I could remember, I wasn’t woken by Conner. My cell quietly chirped and I pried my eyes open. Pitch dark, I glanced at the alarm clock. It wasn’t even six a.m. yet. The phone buzzed again and I reached for it.
    Unable to see who it was because of the shattered screen, I grabbed it off the nightstand and answered anyway. “Whoever this is, it’s too early.”
    “Come to the front door.” Viking’s deep voice sank to my stomach in a flurry of unwanted anticipation.
    In thong underwear and nothing else, I sat up. “I’m not dressed.” Taken off guard by not only his early morning call but his request after not hearing a single word from him in over a week, it was the best response I could come up with.
    “Now,” he ordered.
    “No.” Asshole. I hung up and lay back down, pulling the covers over my head. I was turning on my side and telling myself I wasn’t curious as shit when his quiet voice filled the room a second before my bed dipped.
    “Where is your phone?” Viking turned my lamp on low.
    I pulled the covers off my head and blinked against the light, acutely aware of the fact that I was almost naked. “What the fuck?” I whisper-hissed. “You broke in ?” In a T-shirt and jeans, smelling like he’d just showered, not only did he look a thousand times hotter than I remembered, but he looked too damn awake for this hour of the morning.
    “Give me your phone,” he demanded.
    “Nah-uh.” I scooted back until I hit the headboard and wished like hell I’d taken his call more seriously. I could’ve at least run my fingers through my hair or brushed my teeth before answering the door. “You don’t get to break in to my apartment and get away with it.” His T-shirt stretched across his shoulders then went loose at his waist. His jeans strained around his huge thigh muscles and I swore he was even more ripped than last week.
    “I did not come here intent on getting away with anything.”
    Right. “The way you look, I bet you get away with a whole lot.”
    Expression like stone, he held his hand out. “Phone.”
    In a remarkable show of restraint, I didn’t roll my eyes. I didn’t even blink. I gave him his blank stare right back.
    “I am not here so you can waste my time.”
    Not that I was counting, but that was twice he’d accused me of wasting his precious time. “Pretty sure I didn’t invite you, so we’re even.”
    “Test me,” he warned. “I will find the phone.” His gaze strayed to my covers.
    I sighed and my hand rooted around under the comforter until it closed over my broken phone. I tossed it at him then pulled the covers back up to my