“No, he wasn’t letting Dez MacDermot get away. He’d take her down like his ancestors took down full-grown zebra.”

“You sure are good with cats—for a canine.” Dez sat down on the couch opposite Smitty, her son asleep in her arms. “Not as good as you, my sweet Dez.” “Well, darlin’, you lack the equipment for that.”

“This conversation" - Dez rapped her knuckles against the Formica table- "is over.""Be careful, Dez," Jimmy stated earnestly."And don't sleep with him the first night," Vinny warned. "We know what a slut you can be."Dez turned to Sal. "Do you have anything to add to this bullshit?""Yeah." Sal looked down from the ceiling he'd been staring at. "Based on the structure of this building, if we removed that pillar back there, we could take out this whole block."Dez sighed.”

“Dez turned those gorgeous gray-green eyes on the wolf, and Mace watched Smitty do what any sensible predator would do in a situation like this… Plot to run away.”

“It wasn’t until someone kicked his legs that Nik woke up. Alek, snoring beside him, his head resting on his shoulder. Ban snoring on the other couch, the noise rivaled only by the dog. He looked into the impossibly cranky face of Zach Sheridan. “Y’all get food?” “We had a full refrigerator before you three got here.” “Where I come from, we don’t let the refrigerator get empty.” “Where you come from, you marry your sister.”

“He’d just poured himself a hot cup of coffee, his mouth already watering as he brought the mug to hislips.“Oh, thanks, sweetie.” And like that, the cup was gone.He glared down at the female who dared take his coffee. The life-giving elixir was his! Then he noticedshe was fully dressed.“You’re leaving?” Damn. And he really did have plans for that adorable little ass.“Oh, yeah.” She sipped the coffee and grimaced. “Geez. Battery acid.” It suddenly occurred tohim…She was perky. Who was perky at five-thirty in the morning?Good Lord!Morning people were perky at five-thirty in the morning!”

“Smiled at Smitty. Leered at Dez. And practically spit at Mace. Man, the staff at this restaurant really didn’t like him.”