The Darkest Pleasure Read Online Free PDF

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    Every nighttime second spent with him caused her to crave more and more and more, until he was all she wanted, all she needed. He became more important to her than air. He was like a drug, the worst kind of addiction.
    What’s wrong with me? He’d kidnapped her for no reason, held her family hostage. He didn’t deserve her desire! Why did she crave him so desperately? He was handsome, dangerously so, but other men were handsome, too. He was strong, but he would use that strength against her. He was intelligent, but he didn’t exude any sort of humor. He never smiled. Yet she had never wanted a man the way she wanted Reyes.
    Like Gilly, he had dark hair, dark eyes and honey-kissed skin. Honey mixed with melted chocolate. He also possessed that same haunted sensuality, as if he’d seen the most painful side of love and was marked forevermore.
    The differences ended there, however. Reyes was tall andstacked with a warrior’s muscle. He wore more knives than he did clothing, strapping them behind his head, on his wrists, ankles and thighs and hanging them at his waist. Every time she’d seen him, he’d been covered in combat wounds, cuts up and down his arms and legs, bruises on his face. He was a soldier to the bone.
    They all were, those self-proclaimed “Lords of the Underworld.”
    Lords of Nightmares, she called them, for of all the frightening dreams she’d had in her life, none came close to the reality of these men.
    Aeron had black gossamer wings and could fly like a bird—or a malevolent dragon of lore. Lucien had multicolored eyes that swirled hypnotically just before he disappeared as if he’d never existed. The scent of roses always drifted from him, insidiously sweet.
    What magical ability Reyes possessed, she didn’t know.
    All she knew was that he’d saved her once. Had fought his fellow soldier for her. Why? she’d wondered so many times since. Why had he hurt his friend rather than her? Why had he looked at her as if she were his only reason for breathing? Why had he then set her free, again?
    Does it matter? He’s one of them. He’s a monster. Don’t forget.
    Another ding sounded, slicing through her thoughts. “Girls!” Enrique shouted.
    Gilly moaned.
    Danika massaged the back of her neck. Reprieve over. She straightened. From the corner of her eye, she saw one of her customers wave his arm in a bid for her attention. To Gilly, she said, “I’ll be at your place about…four-thirty tomorrow morning? Sound good?”
    “Make it five. Yep, I’ll be tired but ready.” Gilly turned and gathered the drinks.
    Danika moved off. Ten minutes of napkin and straw duty,coffee pouring and fetching for the Bird Brothers followed. Kept her mind off Reyes, at least.
    Twice, Bird One dropped his fork and needed her to fetch him a new one. Once, Bird Two needed a refill. Once he needed a clean napkin. When she tried to leave after the last delivery, Two grabbed her wrist to stop her, his touch sharpening her nerves to razor points.
    She didn’t rebuke him— every penny counts, every damn penny counts —but politely asked what he needed and tugged free.
    “We’d like to talk to you,” he said, reaching for her once more.
    She stepped backward. If he touched her again, she just might snap. No longer were strangers allowed to put their hands on her. Not for any reason. “About what?”
    A mother and young son strolled inside, the bell above the door tinkling to announce their arrival.
    “About what?” she repeated.
    “About a job. Money.”
    Her eyes widened. Dear God. They thought she was a hooker? So that was what they’d meant by “someone like her.” Funny that they looked at her with disdain and yet were willing to buy her services. “No, thank you. I’m happy where I am, doing what I do.” Well, not really happy, but they didn’t need to know that.
    “Danika,” Enrique called. “Got people waiting.”
    The men glanced at the entrance and frowned. “Later,” Two said.
    How