Ricochet Read Online Free PDF

fluttered with unease.
    Grayson smelled of the ocean. Not soap, or cologne. Just sexy, salty potent male. His dark hair, short-cropped, and as shiny as seal’s pelt, clung to his well-shaped head. The sheen of dark beard stubble reminded her of nights in his bed, and the morning after when he’d left pink marks all over her. That soft prickle against her skin excited her, and she’d begged him never to shave again.
    His face looked leaner than the last time she’d seen him. Two years ago, and for all of ninety seconds before she turned her back and walked away. Gray eyes, which used to look gentle and loving, were as cold as fog.
    A thin white scar at the corner of his mouth, and another on his tanned forehead showed he’d been in trouble before.
    He’d aged. Looked harder.
    He was a dangerous stranger now.
    She had a flash of memory of her pale fingers stroking down the crisp hair on his broad chest, her mouth trailing down the smooth skin of his abs. He was just-damn it, he was too male. Too damned appealing for his own good. And now he was just irritating as hell.
    “Of course I don’t buy everything they’re selling up there. I’m not the idiot,” she said with conflicting emotions. Everything Grayson was telling her resonated. Now she didn’t know if she should trust him or not. When the chips were down—and God only knew they were—would Grayson help? Or would he stick to his nefarious agenda? Because, by the look of him he’d come ready for a fight, and she had no idea whose side he was on.
    This whole situation was scary as hell.
    That she could debate this with a straight face just showed Hannah she still had an ounce of loyalty left for her friend. And that she was a great freaking actress, because as Gray spoke, she realized what he said made perfect sense, and that was the vibe she’d been picking up all along.
    “Where did they say they were taking you?” his voice was hard. Everything about him was hard. His pumice-gray eyes were shrewd and penetrating, missing nothing as he watched her like a wolf watched a fox.
    She could do without that freaking patronizing tone of voice, but Hannah met his gaze unwaveringly. “Apparently to see the progress of construction on their private island.” Hating him, she smiled sweetly, because whatever Grayson’s agenda here, and God only knew that could be anything, she had to get Colton and herself off the ship as quickly as possible. How, she wasn’t sure. But it would come to her.
    Soon, she hoped.
    His brow went up again. Irritating man. “Visiting a construction site? At eight at night, in the pitch dark?”
    Nobody could cock an eyebrow like Grayson Burke. It said many things, most of them rude and insulting. She’d been trying to master the skill for years.
    “Don’t be an ass.” She wanted to stay angry, she wanted to maintain the same level of hurt and disappointment, because if she started believing anything he said right now, it could be very, very dangerous. A lot of things could change in three years. She’d known him once, but she didn’t know this inscrutable, dangerous, enigma at all. “We’re seeing it in the morning.” Unless we’re all dead by then .
    “There’s not a damn thing on that island but an old boathouse,” Grayson said tightly. “The investors have been duped. The ANLF will take the stones and disappear. And more than likely they’ll kill the ‘investors’ before they hightail it off the ship. Didn’t you find it suspicious that GQ had to pay in diamonds?”
    “I didn’t know about the form of payment until he showed me as we were boarding. He gave the pouch to some muscle-bound guy with a gun, a thick Spanish accent, dyed black hair, and a scowl.” She didn’t want to cry wolf, but perhaps now was a good time to mention the conversation she’d overheard.
    Unless Grayson was in on whatever was going on? His appearance here and now was way too freaking convenient as far as Hannah was concerned.
    Torn, she