Beware of Me Cynthia Eden Read Online

  Walk on the wild side with New York Times and USA Today acknowledged author Cynthia Eden's dark new romantic suspense, BEWARE OF ME.

Criminal. Killer. Monster. Ethan Barclay has been called many things in life, and he commonly doesn't care what people say near him. He's tough, hard, and cruel when he needs to exist. But even the most dangerous of men can take a weakness. Ethan's weakness has—and e'er will be—Carly Shay.

Their pasts are tied together—twisted and melded by claret and death. Walking away from Carly was the hardest thing that Ethan ever did, merely it was too his one good deed. He knew Carly deserved far better than him, and he wanted her to have a perfect life, a life that didn't involve paying for Ethan'south sins.

Simply now the secrets from their past accept been revealed, and Carly'southward life is on the line. Ethan'south enemies, Carly'south enemies—the predators are closing in on them. Only Ethan isn't going to let Carly exist threatened. He volition move heaven and hell to protect her. He won't lose Carly, not again, and for those foolish enough to endeavour and take her from him…they are almost to see just how deadly Ethan truly tin can exist.

By Cynthia Eden

This book is a piece of work of fiction. Any similarities to real people, places, or events are not intentional and are purely the result of coincidence. The characters, places, and events in this story are fictional.

Copyright ©2015 past Cindy Roussos

Encompass art and design by: Sweet 'N Spicy Designs

Copy-editing past: JRT Editing

Tabular array of Contents

Championship/Copyright Page

Beware Of Me

Prologue

Chapter One

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Affiliate Four

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Affiliate Eight

Affiliate Nine

Chapter 10

Affiliate Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Writer'south Note

About The Author

For my lovely editor Joan—thanks for all your support.

Prologue

Carly Shay heaved against the ropes that held her prisoner. The rough hemp cut into her wrists, making her bleed even more and the wooden chair that she was tied to shuddered as she jerked and twisted. Her hair fell into her face as she screamed, "Don't! Stop!" Tears streaked downwardly her cheeks. "Please, I am begging y'all, don't hurt him anymore!"

Merely the men kept up their attack. Non on her, not at present. She wasn't the target right and then.

Ethan was.

Ethan Barclay. The man who'd been her only friend on almost days—and the human being she'd secretly loved for the terminal 2 years.

But Ethan was on the floor, and four of Quincy'southward goons—Quincy Atkins, a man who truly had to be the devil—were chirapsia him.

Was Ethan still moving? Nevertheless alive?

"Please!" Her cry was both a plea and a scream. "Stop pain him!"

Quincy stepped forrad. A big, hulking human. He injure me. So much. But…she slammed the door on that thought. She couldn't become there, not right then. She couldn't remember all that he'd taken from her. The memories would come up after, she knew that.

Right then…she just had to help Ethan. He'd come to salvage her, just if she didn't do something, shortly, he'd be the one to wind upwardly dying.

Quincy Atkins was a offense boss who pretty much ran D.C. Terrifying. Psychotic. And he wanted her.

What Quincy wanted, he took.

Don't call back. Don't. Focus on Ethan.

Because Ethan's gilded eyes had but met hers. She could meet that he was gathering his forcefulness. Preparing for an attack.

Ethan. Twenty-i years old. A fixture on the D.C. streets. He'd always watched her back. Always looked out for her. She knew the whispers—the stories that said Ethan was turning into just as much of a criminal as Quincy. That Ethan was even gunning for Quincy but…

Those stories were incorrect. Ethan was practiced. He was her friend. He'd risked his life for her. She didn't intendance what anyone else thought of him.

Ethan is skillful…

But if she didn't cease Quincy, Ethan would be a expressionless man.

As she watched, Quincy motioned for his men to go out the room. Relief made her a little dizzy. Maybe he'll end now. Maybe…

Only as presently every bit the others were gone, Quincy took a knife from the sheath at his hip. 'I'm gonna cut Loverboy open," Quincy announced, his voice cold and barbarous. "And then you'll be mine. Torso and soul. I'll own every inch of you…and no 1 will ever exist able to help you again."

This was her fault. All her error. She'd taken the job dancing at his club. She'd lied virtually her historic period to become the gig, but she'd needed the coin then badly—her dad, he wasn't well. If she hadn't gotten that money, she and her dad would have been bandage out on the street.

Her gaze slid back to Ethan. His handsome face was dilapidated, but his golden eyes glittered. He wouldn't stop fighting. Giving up wasn't in his blood. He'd battle Quincy and Quincy'due south men until—until Ethan died.

And so what would she practice? Her hands kept jerking at the ropes backside her. Her whole trunk injure. She had then many bruises. And then much pain. But she wouldn't let Quincy take Ethan away from her. Almost distantly, she heard herself say… "Delight. Don't hurt him anymore. Don't. I'll do anything—just don't!"

But even earlier those words were fully out of her rima oris, Quincy had lunged toward Ethan. Equally she yanked against her ropes, Quincy kicked Ethan in the ribs, again and again. Then Quincy rolled Ethan onto his dorsum and put the knife right over Ethan'south eye.

This can't happen! I won't let information technology!

Her fear faded as rage burned through her. Quincy had taken too much from her already. He wasn't going to take Ethan, likewise.

Quincy's back was to her. And in that moment, as she saw him with that knife over Ethan's heart, something broke inside of Carly—even as the ropes that bound her finally gave way. Carly shot out of the chair and lunged for Quincy. "Don't hurt him!" It wasn't a plea this time. Her words were a roar.

She slammed into Quincy'due south back. They both brutal down, tangling over Ethan's body. She heard Quincy requite a choked gasp and she scrambled back equally he heaved upward—

Only to immediately sag back to the ground.

That was when she saw that the knife wasn't in Ethan'south chest. When she'd slammed into Quincy, she had saved Ethan. She started to grinning and so she saw—

The pocketknife is in Quincy'due south chest. She hadn't meant to stab him, had she? No, no, she'd just wanted to stop him and he'd savage—gotten all tangled upwards and somehow the knife had gone into him. The handle stuck out, but at least half of the blade was in his breast. In his heart?

Quincy opened his mouth, and she realized that the guards were just outside of that door. If they heard their dominate telephone call for them, if they rushed in and saw what she'd done…

I'thou dead. Ethan'southward expressionless.

Carly put her manus over Quincy'southward mouth. The tears kept pouring from her eyes. Shudders racked her body. She could feel Quincy's lips moving beneath her palm. Nausea rolled in her stomach, and Carly thought she might vomit.

Ethan crawled toward her. He left a trail of blood in his path. His hand lifted—

Ethan?

And he shoved the knife even deeper into Quincy'due south chest. Quincy's lips stopped moving beneath her palm.

She kept her hand over his mouth. She couldn't move. Couldn't hear anything but the scream—a scream echoing just in her mind.

She'd done this. She'd killed a man. Killed the human who'd attacked her, raped her, who'd tried to kill Ethan.

And at present…now his men were just outside the door. She wasn't going to get abroad. There would never be an escape for her.

Ethan's fingers curled effectually her wrist. "Information technology'southward okay, baby," he told her, his voice a rough rasp.

No, it was so far from okay that it wasn't even funny, but Carly couldn't manage to speak.

"I'm…going to take intendance of everything," Ethan said, his words piddling more than a whisper. "All you lot have to do…is trust me."

His hand lifted—the mitt that had just driven that pocketknife deeper into Quincy's chest, and his fingers curled around her wrist. Slowly, he moved her hand away from Quincy'due south mouth.

I did that. I killed him.

For Ethan, for her own survival…I'd practice information technology once more.

Darkness stretched inside of her, threatening to eat her. She clamped her lips together to concur back the scream that wanted to pause free.

"Trust me," Ethan said again.

Just she was afraid she'd never trust anyone once again.

Especially…not herself.

Nowadays Solar day…

Chapter One

Carly Shay hurried up the subway steps, her high heels making the climb feel far more difficult than information technology should. People jostled around her, moving quickly, simply she kept step with them. After all, she'd been living in New York for years. She knew this town. Knew this place inside and out.

The crowds—the wonderful energy—she could disappear in this city. Blend in hands. And no one gave her a second glance.

That was why she'd first come to New York. To vanish in the crowd. To stop alluring attending. The manner Carly figured information technology, she'd done a damn skilful chore of vanishing.

One hand kept a firm grip on her bag as she marched forwards and beyond the street. A few more than minutes, and she'd exist home free.

"Carly."

She nigh slammed into him. She'd been focused on the crowd. On the guy in the fancy suit who was yelling into his phone. On the mother trying to comfort her crying toddler.

She hadn't even seen him.

But now, she couldn't look anywhere else.

Because in the centre of the sidewalk, continuing less than three feet from her, was the man who haunted far too many of her dreams. Well, her nightmares really.

Ethan Barclay.

Tall, nighttime, and far as well dangerous to know…Ethan Barclay.

The dying sunlight roughshod on his dark hair. Hair that was a picayune besides long. Dark stubble covered his jaw and his golden eyes—tiger eyes—were locked on her with the full intensity of a predator who'd just found the perfect prey.

I won't exist his casualty. Not this time.

"You left D.C. without proverb good-bye," Ethan told her. His hands were shoved securely into the pockets of his coat, and that coat stretched across his broad shoulders. Powerful. Yep, she knew Ethan was incredibly strong. He wasn't the twenty-one-year-old boy she'd known so long ago.

He was a man now. A stranger. I who was reputed to exist far more unsafe than Quincy Atkins had ever been.

When Quincy vanished, Ethan took over D.C.

And…

Carly had tried to selection up the pieces of her life.

Even though it was warm for New York at that fourth dimension of the twelvemonth, a shiver slid over Carly. "I…I was only back in D.C. to check on my step-sister."

"Um…" His vocalization was a low, deep rumble and he was closing in on her. Eliminating that space between them as he stalked closer. Someone jostled her from backside, but before Carly could stumble, Ethan'south hands—big, strong, but oddly gentle as they held her—curled around her shoulders. "Dorsum in D.C. long enough to salve Julianna's life…and go shot."

She'd been shot twice, really. But it had been worth it. Julianna had been put at hazard because she'd been trying to protect Carly—and the crimes from Carly'south past. Quincy'south murder. "I wasn't going to allow Julianna exist hurt over again because of me."

His eyelashes flickered. Long eyelashes. They should have looked ridiculous on a man similar him, only they didn't. They just made his intense eyes appear all the…sexier. Dammit. She shouldn't notice him sexy. Not at all. She should have moved manner, way beyond him by this indicate.

The way he'd moved across her.

"I thought y'all were going to die." His vocalisation was rough every bit he fabricated that confession. Ragged around the edges. Very much not Ethan.

You don't know him any longer. Y'all probably never knew him—not the real guy.

"You lot were bleeding out on the flooring of that apartment," Ethan said, as his concord tightened on her. "And during the ambulance ride to the hospital, shit, you left me."

She stilled. "I didn't know you were in the ambulance with me." And I left him? What does that mean? No one had said anything about her paying some visit to the afterlife. Peradventure the EMTs didn't share that info with her though because they might take realized…it freaks me out.

"I was in the ambulance," he told her grimly. "And at your hospital bedside, until I realized that I was a threat to you."

Carly had to swallow to ease the growing lump in her throat. You're always a threat to me.

"Only I left too tardily, and now others know…"

"Okay, Ethan, I really don't get why you're in New York, but we don't have anything to discuss." Did her voice sound absurd? Dismissive? Probably not, but she'd really been aiming for that tone. "Now let me go considering I want to become home." It had been her starting time mean solar day back at her job since she'd been shot and she was exhausted. It took all of her force non to show that weakness to him, but she knew that if he realized how shut to trembling she was…the guy would pounce.

"You lot know why I'm in New York." He didn't allow her go. In fact, he seemed to inch even closer. Because Ethan was a large guy, well over six anxiety, she had to tip back her caput as she gazed upwards at him. Even in heels, she didn't come close to his pinnacle. "I'g hither for you."

One time, she'd longed to hear him say those words. When she'd been a terrified teenager, when she hadn't been able to deal with the guilt and shame and horror of what had happened to her…she'd longed for him. She'd broken, her whole world imploding when her male parent had passed away so closely backside her attack by Quincy.

And a psych ward had become her habitation when she'd lost control.

I screamed for Ethan. Simply Ethan hadn't been in that location. "Allow'due south be clear on a few things." She kept her torso strong in his hold. "Our relationship is over. Long over." Every bit in…years over. "It ended one blood-soaked night when you put me in a cab and only walked away from me. Yous didn't contact me again…you didn't and then much as phone call me. You built up your life and you lot moved the hell on." Now she jerked back, vehement out of his hands considering she didn't want his impact. It made her recollect too much almost the past. "And now, so have I. Just because I returned to D.C. to help my sister, that did not hateful that I went back for yous."

His optics glittered with emotion.

"Now go out of my style, Ethan. Because we're done."

His blazing stare raked over her. "How many secrets do you carry?"

She wasn't going to keep talking to him in the middle of that crowded street. In fact, she wasn't going to keep talking to him at all. She had a life now. A good life. She wasn't going to throw it away. Her past—and the secrets there—were locked upward tightly inside of her. Carly took a deep breath, and she gave Ethan a wide booth every bit she headed effectually him. If he wouldn't move, she'd just keep going on her own.

Keep going…and keep in control. Carly knew maintaining control of her emotions was vital. She'd contained her pain and anger for years. Nothing got past her command these days.

But then she heard his footsteps, and Carly realized that Ethan was following her.

No, no, no.

"I permit you go one time before…" His words drifted to her. "Do you have whatsoever fucking idea but how hard that was for me?"

Impossible. "You sent me away." She kept walking.

"Because I'd already brought you blood and death and hell."

No, she'd done that…herself.

"I can't practice i

t once more," Ethan said. "I won't…"

The crosswalk light up ahead was red. She had to stop at the corner. He closed in behind her, and she could really experience the warmth of his trunk reaching out to her and then—his fingers brushed along her hip. Her eyes closed, but for a moment, as her control croaky, faint spider-webs of emotion breaking through the surface.

And so she made her optics open.

"I want something for myself," Ethan said. "I desire you lot."

Liar, liar. "Yous've got plenty of women, Ethan. Get dorsum to D.C. Get back to them." The crosswalk calorie-free inverse. Greenish. Yes! "Go out me the hell alone."

"Sorry, babe," his vox murmured later her. "But that only isn't going to be possible."

Her steps quickened. She didn't expect dorsum at him. Ethan had left her alone for years. No visits, no notes, nothing. Now he suddenly wanted back in her life? Like she was supposed to believe he'd missed her or some crazy crap like that?

No, she wasn't a fool. She also wasn't looking dorsum. Because she didn't want to see if he was following her or not. She didn't intendance.

Really.

Dammit.

She kept walking, heading toward her edifice. Information technology was a brownstone—ane that her company really owned. She'd been allowed to take 1 of the flat's there as part of one very sweet employment deal. Some days, Carly still couldn't believe her luck on that one. But she wasn't going to question fate as well much. Subsequently all the hard times she'd had, a little bit of good luck had been e'er-so-welcome.

A few minutes afterwards, she could see the difficult, heavy lines of the building. Old compages on the outside, but the place had been completely updated on the inside. She'd be dwelling gratis before long, locked inside her home. No fashion would Ethan become to her and so.

If he's still following me.

Maybe she should spare a glance over her shoulder. Just in instance. Just to exist sure—

"Ms. Shay?"

A human being in a fancy accommodate had straightened as she approached. Handsome, with close-cropped dark hair and bluish eyes. He flashed her a quick grin even as he approached her.

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