Retribution Read Online Free PDF Page B

about two hundred years, but he’s tasted my wrath before and isn’t letting his guard down.
    “You shouldn’t have interfered with my family,” I say.
    His expression remains cautious, his thoughts cloaked.
    “You had no right.”
    A tight smile. “That’s a matter of opinion.”
    “Whose? Yours? You continue to operate under the delusion that you know what’s best for me. For me. It didn’t work before, it’s not working now. It’s never going to work.”
    Williams’ cool gray eyes don’t flicker or look away. “That’s only because you continue to operate under the delusion that you can take care of yourself without—”
    Whatever he intended to say, he bites it off. “You are changing, Anna. You must feel it. Your power is increasing; your appetites will, too. It’s inevitable.”
    “Once again,” I reply, bitterness rising like bile, “you underestimate me. I’m doing just fine on my own. I come here when I need to. I have someone in my life. We’re developing a real relationship.”
    “Lance? He’s a model, for Christ’s sake,” Williams blurts, cutting me off. “He’s not strong enough or bright enough to hold your attention past the fifteen minutes it takes to make you come. A big cock—”
    The punch catches him square on the mouth. It spins him back and around and he trips on the corner of the bed. He wasn’t expecting the attack but a vampire’s reflexes are quick. He recovers his balance, whirls toward me and lunges.
    My reflexes are just as quick. I sidestep and he slams into the wall, knocking one of the chairs aside. The plaster crumbles where his fist makes contact.
    There’s a yelp from outside. “What are you two doing?” Sandra yells.
    Neither of us answers. Williams is angry, his mind a tornado of conflicting emotions he’s unable to conceal. He wants to kill me, but he can’t. He needs my help and it’s eating a hole in his gut. But there’s a promise and a warning jumbled in there, too. A promise that when I’m no longer needed, we’ll do this dance again.
    It’s that promise that calms him. His hands are still balled into fists, but his shoulders lose some of their rigidity. He knows I’m aware of his thoughts and he waits for my reaction.
    I have none. The feel of my fist connecting with his jaw gave me tremendous satisfaction. I’m not afraid of Williams, I’m not afraid to finish this anytime he wants.
    I return his stare. What are you doing here?
    I have come to warn you.
    He says it like he’s doing me a favor. After what happened a few minutes ago, it makes me laugh.
    This is serious, Anna.
    It always is. You weren’t surprised when I walked in. You and Culebra set this up?
    Williams is massaging his right hand—the one that hit the wall—with his left. I doubt he’s aware he’s doing it, but it gives me a great deal of pleasure to know he’s hurt. When he picks up on that, he drops his hands to his sides.
    I asked you if Culebra brought you here?
    He kicks one of the chairs away from the wall and drops into it. Culebra doesn’t bring me anywhere. I asked him to arrange a meeting with you. I told him it was important. I told him you wouldn’t return my calls. Yesterday he called me and said to be here this morning. That you’d show up to see Sandra.
    Son of a bitch. But why such an elaborate charade? Why not just tell me to meet him here?
    Williams’ smile is derisive, mocking, as he reads my reaction. He knows you, Anna. You’d walk in, take one look at me and walk back out. I don’t know what’s going on between you and Sandra, but obviously he used that to get you here. What did he say? Don’t come? And what did you do? You came anyway. Right on schedule. Right after he asked you to stay away. Jesus, Anna, you are so fucking predictable.
    Predictable? If I were so predictable, I’d give in to the anger scorching through the tissue of my control and have Williams’ head through the wall. Culebra tricked me. He sent me here to see