Reckless Read Online Free PDF Page A

half-dozen people still on the dock and more on board.
    “Sam!” Madison stepped out of the crowd and waved. She jogged toward me, gorgeous as ever. “So good to see you, girlfriend!”  
    “Mads!” We hugged like long-lost BFFs. “I didn’t know you were going to be here! You look totally Hollywood tonight, girl! You’re all glammed out!”
    “Gotta dress up once in awhile,” she grinned. “Yeah, Jake made me keep it a secret.”
    Jake stepped up behind her. “What up, guys.” He bumped fists with Christos before they clapped backs. “How was D.C., bro?”
    “Cold as witch tits,” Christos replied.
    “I hear that, bro,” Jake said knowingly.
    “Why do guys always say things like that?” Madison frowned. “Have either of you ever been with a witch?”
    Christos and Jake looked back and forth between me and Madison, then back at each other.  
    I frowned at them. “Don’t answer that.”
    They both burst out laughing.
    “Such boys,” Madison said, putting her arm around Jake. “Sam, I brought leashes and muzzles for them both, just in case.”
    “So, Christos,” I asked, “whose boat is this?”
    He put his arm lovingly around me. “Didn’t I tell you?”
    Despite the festive atmosphere, I jumped as if someone had driven a dump-truck full of black cats and broken mirrors over my grave. I gasped with trepidation, “Tell me what?”
    “Uhhh…” Christos mumbled, caught off guard by my sudden change in tone.
    Fearing an unexpectedly ominous turn of events, I peered into Christos’ eyes. A quick flash blinked across them, then it was gone.
    Why did I have the sudden conviction that with every awesome surprise came an equally earthquaking catch?  
    What wasn’t he telling me?

    CHRISTOS

    THREE MONTHS EARLIER…
    Two uniformed deputies took me out of interrogation and led me to booking.
    When the guy behind the camera took my mug shot, I made sure to grin. I figured if I was going to be on the cover of one of those pulp WANTED magazines you could get at 7-Eleven for a buck, I may as well flash my pearlies. Get some lovelorn hunnies writing me on the block. Shit, who was I kidding? I couldn’t wait to get processed and get the fuck out of there.
    Samantha.
    The female officer who led me through fingerprint scanning, DNA swab, cataloging my personals, and fitting me for a prison jumper and paper slippers, was all business. I tried joking with her when I showered and lathered up with the lice shampoo, but Sergeant Stonewall kept her back to me and didn’t peek once. She’d probably seen it all before.  
    Oh well. I was just trying to lighten shit up while I could.
    After I toweled off and stepped into my orange jumper, Sergeant Stonewall led me through a series of bulletproof doors. She maintained the social barrier between us the entire time.
    I knew from experience to harden my face before I stepped through the final door into the awaiting dormitory. There would be a dozen or more aggressive criminals inside ready to size me up. With my tats, my height, and my impressive muscles, nobody fucked with me, and that was an order.
    Sergeant Stonewall signaled the guard at the far end of the hallway. The electric lock buzzed open and Stonewall opened the door for me.
    Time to play.
    All eyes were on me when I stood in the doorframe. They sniffed for fresh fish. I glared at them.
    No dice, fuckers. I’m the bull in this ring.
    Psychological intimidation beat out physical violence. There was enough ugliness in this place without me adding to it for real. The men went back to playing cards and doing pushups and wasting away.
    I dropped onto an unoccupied bottom bunk, which I preferred because it blocked out the overhead lights. You had to breathe through your mouth, otherwise the smell of human desperation was overpowering. I laced my fingers behind my head and did my best to relax.
    The first thing I saw when I closed my eyes was Samantha’s smiling face.  
    God, she was beautiful. Somewhere