Predator's Claim Read Online Free Page A

“Bartholomew.”
    “Charles.” He grinned, his heart pounding. “How’s it hanging?”
    “If I’ve told you once, Bartholomew, I’ve told you a hundred times. It’s Charlotte, not Charles.” She smiled, her lids lowering. “Do I look like a boy?”
    Fuck, no, but he loved getting her to say that. He walked into the room and leaned against the doorjamb. “Some things never change. Even our banter.”
    “That’s because you persist in calling me stupid names, cumwad.”
    “Oh, and cumwad isn’t stupid? I would have expected better from such an educated woman.” He stepped closer, chuckling, bringing him fully into the realm of her trance-inducing perfume. “So, a lecturer. Congratulations. I guess you have a lot of initials after your name now, huh?”
    She rolled her eyes. “Oh, yeah. Such an impressive degree. A master’s in religious education. I’m only qualified to be two things: a lecturer and…hmm, let’s see. A fucking maid.” She giggled.
    He watched how her chest rose and fell with her laughs but met her gaze again quickly. After a quiet moment, he spoke. “It’s good to see you again, Charles.”
    “Yeah, you too,” she whispered, looking intently at the bottle of Windex in her hand, almost as if it were a life preserver in a stormy sea.
    “You know, there’s nothing wrong with being a maid, but I’m glad to hear you got something good in your field. You worked hard to get where you are. I’m proud of you. I guess all those late nights studying in the pub paid off?”
    “Yeah. Remember the time the bartender was called away for a family emergency and you and I filled in at the last minute? We didn’t know how to make any fancy drinks so everyone got beer, all night long. They asked for Cosmopolitans, we gave them beer. They asked for Tequila Sunrises, we gave them beer. I’ll never forget the look on that one prissy woman’s face. She said she only drank brandy as a tonic and you handed her a Heineken.”
    “Fun night.”
    “Right.” She fiddled with the screw top on the Windex, seemingly fascinated by it. She finally looked up. “Hey, I heard it’s time for the annual Cairo family reunion. When does your pack descend?”
    “Any minute now.” Despite his best efforts, his gaze strayed to her lips, so naturally pouty they’d cause Angelina Jolie to holler for a plastic surgeon. Her pale lip stuff made them shimmer, and he could smell its fruit punch flavor, so tasty it made his head swim a little. He reached for the dresser and leaned on it to steady himself. “You should come to the welcome party tomorrow night. We’re taking over the resort pub. Ryland let us have it for the night. Maybe you and I could serve up some Heineken again. My mom would be happy to see you, too.”
    She grinned. “I like your mom. Sure, I’ll come.” Her eyes seemed to sparkle a little more in that moment. “But only if you research the recipe for a Long Island Iced Tea for me.”
    He bit his bottom lip as an unsavory memory hit him. “Are you sure you should be drinking those? They go right to your head. I’ve seen what they do to you.”
    Her laugh carried a slight bitterness to it. “Okay, Dad . Make it a milk on the rocks then. Boy, Bart, you still get off on playing fun police, don’t you?”
    “There’s a reason for it. Remember the last time you drank those things here? Marv and Jay in Facilities still aren’t talking to each other because each one thinks he’s your boy toy of choice.” As he frowned, his scar pained him. He gave the old blemish a rub. “You don’t realize the effect you have on men, Charles. You need to be more careful.”
    Her eyes widened. “So it’s my fault Marv and Jay suffer from delusional thinking?”
    “Yes. No. Okay, maybe. A little.”
    “Well, that logic is right out of the middle ages.” She touched her belly with a dramatic flourish. “Let me check to see if I brought my chastity belt with me. Fuck, you sure do love a lecture. Maybe you