Silver Blade Read Online Free PDF Page A

Remember?”
    She regarded the revolver pointed at Oz’s flat, yet scarred, stomach. “Sorry.”
    “No problem. Now, what were you asking?”
    “Won’t your neighbors be concerned about the gunfire?”
    “Well, there aren’t really too many neighbors around to worry, but out here the country folk only worry when a single shot is fired. Shots like ours and folks know we’re practicing or hunting. Only one, and people wonder if someone got caught with someone else’s wife or if some idiot accidently shot themselves.”
    “No neighbors.” She scanned around again at the empty solitude. “Isn’t that kind of…”
    “Lonely?” he finished.
    “Actually, I was thinking scary.”
    Oz raised an eyebrow, and she started to laugh. “I guess there isn’t much that scares you.”
    “Not much. What about you?”
    “Men with beards and things that go bump in the night.”
    “Sounds like a bad run-in with Santa.”
    “Stepfather, actually.”
    A muscle twitched at the corner of Oz’s mouth and his hands balled into fists. “What happened?”
    “To me? Nothing. Bobby was my protection. Vince seemed like a nice guy until he married my mom. Then he started drinking more and hitting my mom. Bobby and I were still just kids, maybe eight and ten. We just hid in my bedroom and Bobby would hold me while I cried. One night Vince came home, and I guess he was looking for a little variety, so he came into my room. I don’t think he was going to rape me or anything like that. I was too afraid to move, when suddenly Vince goes flying across the room, Bobby clinging to his back like a bat outta hell. Bobby started hitting him and punching him, and yelling at him to get out and never come back.”
    “And did he?”
    “Well, it was his house actually, but I guess either Vince coming after me or Bobby standing up to him was a wake-up call for my mom. We packed up and moved across three states the next day.” Angela didn’t realize she was crying until she felt a tear tickle the side of her nose.
    Oz took the gun from her dangling arm and put it on the makeshift table. He pulled her tight against his chest. “You won’t need to worry about anything like that again after we’re done today.”
    She relaxed into the resolute strength of his embrace.
    ****
    Angela woke with one of Oz’s arms hidden under her pillow while the other rested heavily over her hip. She was snuggled back into him, his morning hard-on pressed steadfast against her bottom.
    She had promised herself that she would leave after lunch, but lunch turned into shooting lessons, then into late night steak and beans for dinner, and then to more sex.
    Yes, he reminded her of Bobby. His eyes. His build. But the man curled up behind her walked with confidence and an air of experience beyond his years. Bobby never had that! Would a sister even notice that about her brother?
    Maybe she should slow down. She had no family left. Everyone she loved had been torn away from her. There was a hole in her life…and her heart. Maybe she was rushing to fill the latest void. And yet, Oz seemed to belong in that void.
    His hand began to explore from her hip to her breast; he gently twisted the nipple between his fingers. Angela arched in response, and pressed herself harder against his erection.
    “Nice tattoo for a blackjack dealer,” he said, as he kissed the black and red inked picture of the two playing cards.
    “Actually, I got the tattoo before I landed the job, so I guess becoming a dealer was kind of fated. Ace and King…AK…those are my initials. It’s Angela Knight, by the way.”
    “Oscar McAvoy. Pleasure to meet you,” he said as his mouth moved to her neck. His hand traced the curves of her body down over her hips, and his teeth nipped at the sensitive lobe of her ear. His fingers eased into her growing wetness, first one and then a second.
    All was silent but for the sucking moistness of her, when he suddenly stopped what he was doing. “Shhhh,” he