New York Crime Kings Box Set: Books 1-4 Read Online Free Page A

it storms, we’re dead.
    Sticking close to Stone, I follow him down another tunnel. In the distance, I can hear muffled cheering and chanting. He follows it and it gets louder and louder until the very concrete I stand on vibrates beneath my shoes. My heart begins to pick up speed, pumping blood around my body faster than it can accommodate and my head spins as a result. I reach out and press the palm of my hand against the concrete to stabilize myself.
    “Anxious?” Stone asks, peering over his shoulder with a hint of amusement on his lips.
    I swallow my anxiety and brush off my hands. “No.”
    In front of him, I notice another door. This one is makeshift. Pointless, really. Doors are supposed to keep things out—or in. This door, made of decaying driftwood, isn’t enough to keep out one of those gigantic cockroaches, let alone a person. I guess that’s why they have the brute upstairs, manning the entrance.
    Out of the corner of my eye, I spot a large cockroach. I gasp as it skitters over the orange light and pushes itself through a crack in the door. I shudder. I’m not a hater of insects; in fact, I’m certain lots of different kinds of creepy crawlies reside in my apartment. Nonetheless, cockroaches have always bothered me.
    Stone notices my distaste and shakes his head. “Get used to them. You’re going to be sharing the same space for a while.”
    “Courtesy of you,” I spit back.
    He angles his large body in my direction and towers over me. His intense, blue eyes zero in on mine and I can’t look away. He’s terrifying. “I saved your life.”
    “Temporarily. In case you haven’t noticed, we’re in an underground storm water system. All it takes is one large dump of water and we’re both dead.”
    Keeping his stare on my face, he thumps his fist against the door. “Afraid of a little water, Kitten? Drowning should be the least of your worries.”
    I purse my lips as he stares me down. Next to us, the door opens, but neither of us acknowledges it. I’ve never had a submissive personality. My entire life I’ve had to fight for the things I wanted and when I got them, I never let them go easily. That’s not about to change. I can sense the control in him too. He needs it like I do, but I believe I have the advantage. I deal with needy, spoilt patients, day in and day out. He can’t crack me.
    “I’m not afraid,” I challenge him, squaring my shoulders. “And stop calling me Kitten. My name is—”
    Beside us, a man clears his throat, startling me. I’m first to break eye contact and look at the man who opened the door. He seems normal enough—average height, lean build, no distinct facial scars and his brown hair is cropped just below his ears. As I analyze him, I can feel Stone watching me with his piercing eyes.
    “Jai?” the man states, confused. “I thought you were coming alone.”
    If Jai is his name, what’s Stone? His nickname?  Speaking of which, I need to clear up the nickname situation and fast, before everyone knows me as ‘Kitten.’ The thought turns my stomach.
    “He was,” I state, smoothing the palms of my hands down my shirt to rid them of a clammy sweat. “But then I happened.” I extend my hand to the man. “I’m Emily.”
    Cautiously, he watches my hand for a few awkward seconds before giving it a quick shake. His dark, green eyes survey me, taking in every detail. He’s unimpressed; I can tell. It’s not a foreign look; I get it all the time.
    “You don’t look like an Emily.”
    I frown. “No?” I ask, unable to hide my agitation.
    What the hell does that mean? Is there a certain way I’m supposed to look? Are other Emilys tall? Athletic? Blonde?
    “I don’t think she looks like an Emily either,” Jai chimes in, leaning against the concrete wall.
    There’s a grin on his face, one that both annoys and intrigues me.
    “Don’t you dare say it,” I warn him and his eyes flare.
    “She’s feisty, playful and scared of a little water.” Jai