Free Faster (Stark Ink, #3) by Dahlia West

of her. “And if you so much as touch my brother, I will end you. I promise you. I don’t care how big you are. There are ways. So many ways. And I won’t lose sleep over it. Not one night.”
    “Whoa!” said the blond. He ditched Hawk and surged forward toward Ava. “Now let’s not kick up a ruckus here in the garage. Too many potential weapons and I just hosed off the floor this morning.”
    Before Ava could react, he slipped the keys to the Olds out of her hand and winked at her. “I’m Tex, by the way.” He jingled the car keys at her. “And we’ll get your car fixed up. No problem. Service with a smile, right, Hawk?”
    Emilio took hold of her wrist and pulled. He led her away, across the garage, toward a door marked Employees Only.
    “Damn,” someone said behind her. She didn’t recognize the voice. “Emilio snagged a live one.”
    “Sassy,” someone concurred.
    Ava’s heart pounded in her chest as she allowed herself to be led away.
    The one voice she did recognize rumbled low and filled the bay with its deep timber. “I like her. He should keep that one.”
    The door slammed shut behind them and Ava realized they were in a small break room. There was a sink in the corner and a refrigerator against the wall.
    “Damn,” said Emilio as he looked her up and down. “Guess you take after your brothers, huh? You and Jonah, making friends wherever you go.” He laughed.
    Ava took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. She’d momentarily forgotten that Emilio had met Jonah, and that he’d apparently covered for her. She owed him for that.
    “Pretty much,” she replied. “Listen, I...” She took another breath to steady herself. “Thanks for not saying anything to Jonah about how we met. There wasn’t time last night to ask you to keep it to yourself.”
    Emilio nodded. “I figured he didn’t know. He seems... protective, to say the least. Breaking the rules, huh? You sure you’re eighteen?”
    Ava felt the hair on the back of her neck bristle again.
    Emilio held up his hands. “Oh, easy there, little mama. I’m just teasing you. Don’t take a swing at me, okay? I know you’re eighteen. Jonah told me.”
    Ava eyed him warily. “What else did he say?” She couldn’t even begin to guess what Jonah would say about her. She didn’t even know how Jonah felt about her, honestly. Even after all those years of growing up in the same house, both adopted Starks seemed to have that and only that in common.
    Emilio grinned at her. “He said you just graduated and that you’re a bit of a handful. I think you’re two handfuls, at least, but I kept it to myself. Your brother doesn’t look like an hermano I’d care to tango with, if you know what I mean. He seemed cool with me taking you out, though, once he found out who I was and my friends vouched for me.”
    Ava jutted out her chin defiantly. “What if I’m not cool with you taking me out?” She did, though, of course. Emilio was just too tempting to resist. But it was odd to be kept off balance like this, to not have the upper hand. 
    He grinned— insufferably— then he shrugged. “You want to play games, muñeca? We can play. I know some fun ones. But lying? It’s no good. There’s no point.”
    “I was in a bar ,” she reminded him.
    He held her gaze.
    Snake , Ava thought. She chewed the inside of her lip. “Sorry,” she finally told him.
    He nodded. “So, you came all the way across town just to see me. I’m flattered.”
    She scowled at him. “Maybe I changed my mind.”
    “No, you haven’t. Give me your number.”
    She cocked her head and looked up at him. “For what?”
    “So, I can call you when your car is done.”
    She felt somewhat deflated by his answer, but wouldn’t let it show. “Can’t you just do me now?” she teased.
    His eyes narrowed. “You don’t know how much I want to.”
    She watched him, waiting.
    He shook his head, though. “I shouldn’t touch you,” he told her. “I’m dirty,