Circle of Danger by Carla Swafford

you out of here in a flash.”
    â€œOver my dead body.” Ryker slammed the door closed and glowered at his second-in-command.
    â€œI wanted her to have a choice,” Jack said in a calm, even tone. He remained seated as he stared at his boss.
    â€œShe made her choice when she begged me to fuck her last night.” Ryker’s arrogant smile stretched the scars on his face. The image gave his countenance a menacing cast.
    â€œRyker!” She covered her hot cheeks.
    â€œDamn it, man, be a little sensitive.” Jack came to his feet, fists clenched at his sides.
    â€œYou can sniff around all you want, but she’s mine and I don’t share.” Ryker stalked across the room to stand between them. “Bryan said he needed to talk to you.”
    She’d never seen Ryker act this way before. He’d controlled his temper when others would lose their heads. To think of it, she’d heard he’d hit Bryan yesterday. What was going on with him?
    He stepped toward Jack when the other man didn’t move.
    â€œRyker,” she said, frustrated with his chest-thumping. “Listen to me.” She came to her feet while keeping her distance from the two men.
    â€œWhat?” he snapped without taking his attention off Jack.
    â€œHe was only being polite. You could take lessons from him.” She crossed her arms and dared him to say anything hateful again to his second-in-command.
    Ryker glanced her way for a second and then said to Jack, “Go. She’ll tell you her decision later.”
    Even Marie could tell Ryker believed there was no decision to be made, that he would see to her needs, and Jack could jump in a lake.
    Jack hesitated but thankfully left without another word.
    â€œWhy do you treat him that way?” she asked. By the scowl on his face, he didn’t like her question.
    â€œWhy? How can I trust that son of a bitch? He’s one of Mas— Theo’s creations.”
    R yker stood with his feet braced apart, like a captain on his ship, unmoving as he waited for her to answer. Theo had taught him that stillness often brought the best solution to a problem.
    Every time he talked with Jack he wanted to punch him out. He’d been promoted to second-in-command by their master a month before Ryker had taken over The Circle.
    Since the man did his job well and followed orders without question—more often than not—Ryker ignored his connection to the former regime. No need to change something that worked. But he didn’t trust him. For that matter he didn’t trust anyone. Noticing the soft green eyes watching him with concern, he amended, he trusted only one person.
    She shook her head. “We’re all Master’s creations. How can you blame him for that?”
    Ignoring her question—no need to upset her with his answer—he looked her over. “How are you feeling?”
    The blush spreading across her face showed she understood what he really asked. As she returned the once-over, her eyes flared with heated interest. Just knowing he would be touching her again hardened his whole body. Lust and fear roiled together.
    â€œI’m tolerable.” Her voice shook. “And quit askin’ me.”
    He liked how her southern accent thickened whenever she was turned on. Last night, she’d dropped her Gs on several of her requests and stretched several one-syllable words. Marie had a softness to her that hid the strong-willed woman she’d become. Even with the type of experiences she’d endured, she still radiated innocence.
    â€œTolerable, huh?” He moved closer.
    M arie gasped as the back of her knees hit the bed. “Yeah.” Oh, goodness, did he always smell so good?
    â€œAre you hungry?” he asked in a rumbling voice. With only a good, deep breath away from touching her, his body heat warmed her.
    She looked up as he towered over her, wrapping her in his spell. His tongue brushed his bottom