Relentless Flame (Hell to Pay) Read Online Free PDF Page B

her arms. Still, the sensation of a million tiny insect feet marching up her body persisted.
    What the heck?
    When she’d helped clear his hangovers in the past, the transfer had never felt like this. More than simply alcohol, she sensed ... something else in his system. She tried to dislodge her grip, but he hung on, and with Hannah unable to focus and block her ability, the transfer continued its relentless erosion of her body and soul.
    She managed to choke out the words, “What the heck did you do?”
    As branches outside waved in the slight breeze, she flinched at the shadows thrown onto the walls.
    Muscle spasms ripped up her back, each twitch an explosion of agony. The effort to remain standing warred with her desire to curl into the fetal position.
    “What?” she yelled.
    He averted his gaze, which now shone guilty but free of pain. He shook his head.
    Sweat rolled down her face as she started to shake. “Seriously, what else is in your system? What did you do?”
    “Nothing, I swear.” He didn’t look at her.
    “You’re lying.” She yanked her hands away.
    He stared at the floor, shoulders hunched. No longer bloodshot, his eyes shone with vigor, like he’d had a fabulous night’s sleep. Even his greasy hair wasn’t as matted.
    Every joint in her body ached. Her stupid, normally numb foot hurt. Muscles burned like someone struck a million matches over every surface of her body, and she couldn’t stop rubbing and scratching her arms. Her head pounded. Light and sound were the enemy. Darting glances around the house, she suspected someone was lurking in the shadows, out to get her. Is this how someone with schizophrenia saw the world?
    She rubbed her temples. “What did you give me? What?”
    “I’m sorry. It was only once.”
    When another wave of nausea rose in her throat, she forced it back down.
    “Scott?” She blinked her watery, burning eyes and squinted against the harsh morning light.
    “Meth. I was messing around. It was just a little bit.”
    “What the heck? Damn it, what’s gotten into you?”
    She picked at her arms as she continued to tweak off his meth trip. Or was she coming down from it? Who the heck knew? Unable to stop the compulsion to look over her shoulder, at least she understood the source of her paranoia.
    “I’m sorry. I messed up.” He smiled winningly, smoothing out his wrinkled clothes and squaring his shoulders.
    Until this morning at this very moment, she didn’t believe it was possible for her life to get any worse.
    She had been wrong.
    “Forgive me?” He shrugged.
    When he squeezed her hand, she startled, hypervigilant, nerves on overdrive.
    He brushed his hair off his forehead. “Please?”
    “Just go to work. We’ll talk tonight.”
    Staggering into the bathroom, she unloaded the contents of her stomach into the toilet. She was going to be late for her job, but damn it, she wouldn’t call in sick. Although she refused to lose the income, today was going to hurt. She washed her mouth out and wiped imaginary cobwebs from her face. Grabbing her purse, she threw her brother a nasty glare and staggered out into the mercilessly bright sunshine.

Chapter 4
    Hannah felt like leftovers from hell, reheated.
    To make matters worse, that Dante guy had come back.
    She had no patience for the man who sat in the corner of the reading area, sipping an espresso, the tiny cup disappearing in his big paw of a hand. Even while taking a sip, he managed to look manly as his mussed blond hair bobbed. He didn’t react to the hidden and not-so-hidden glances from several other customers. Disgusting. All that attention, and he just ignored it. How rude.
    Didn’t the guy ever work? He dressed the part of a well-heeled, young, hip businessman who worked as a sports model on the side. Some people had all the luck. Pushing the glasses back up her nose and wincing as the movement hurt her face and her hand, she gave herself permission to feel sorry for five seconds.
    All right,