Free Hot-Blooded by Kendall Grey Page B

the straps on her shoulder. The scent of warm leather caressed her nose. “Northwest is no good for my tan.”
    A big, hairy hand grabbed her wrist and twisted. Hard. “Fuck your tan.”
    And here was where things went south. The muscle inside her chest pounded in a frenzied rhythm. She hadn’t planned on actually using the gun. She was a drug dealer, not a murderer. Her thoughts raced through a million frightening scenarios at once. He leaned close enough for her to smell the fading liquor on his breath.
    Keep calm, Keahilani. Show no fear. You’re Mahina’s daughter. She battled bigger bastards than this asswipe and always came out on top.
    She sucked in a long, slow breath she hoped concealed her terror under the guise of casual control, and jerked out of his grip. “Don’t touch me again. You won’t like how it ends.” Flexing her sweating fingers inside the glove, she forced a low and threatening tone.
    She straightened, ready to swing her coat and club him with the hidden gun if he tried anything else. He made no further moves. A long standoff full of unspoken threats ensued. Praying she’d made her point, she continued. “As I was saying, my Pāhoehoe strain is a new, very potent hybrid that recently hit the streets, and fans are already going wild for it. Demand is high. Supply is limited. Anyone with a vague understanding of economics knows what that means.
    “You have a wide net of contacts in Maui County. There’s great potential for a mutually beneficial relationship. I’m willing to reward you for giving me access to your buyers. I can put you on my payroll and let you service them yourself, or I can pay you a fee in exchange for names and contact information and let my people handle it. Your choice.”
    He swiped the underside of his nose and chuckled. “You think you can come in here and bully me into working with you? You got some balls of steel, lady.” He gestured to the empty apartment. “I don’t see no backup. Who’s gonna mop you up when I get finished with ya, huh?” He laughed in earnest.
    She smiled coldly. “I always have backup. Do what you like. The offer will remain on the table for twenty-four hours. After that, I’ll discuss the proposition with the next distributor on my very long list.” She withdrew a business card from her built-in bra, with nothing on it but a burner phone number, and pressed it into his palm. “I do hope you’ll call.”
    Stifling a relieved sigh that she’d soon be out of here, Keahilani turned toward the door.
    And was yanked backward by her dress straps.
    She lost her balance as Butch spun her and shoved the saddle of her back against the island. Her breath exploded in a hurried rush. She lifted her arms to fight him off, but he was too big. A swift knee to the groin only pissed him off more.
    Okay, this was definitely an emergency situation. Kind of like drowning. What would she do if she were rag-dolled by a wave and ate it hard? First and foremost, she wouldn’t panic. Freak-outs ended lives. With a couple of blinks and visualizations of the ocean, she settled into an alert but calm internal peace and searched her surroundings for a way out that didn’t involve the gun.
    Shit got real. Butch pressed a thigh to hers, pinning her in place as he unbuttoned his fly and lowered the zipper. This guy meant business, and she had no one to back up her bluff.
    Damn pride. She knew better than to come here alone. If Butch didn’t kill her, Kai certainly would.
    He leaned close to her mouth. “You may think you control Maui, bitch, but you got it all wrong. My boss will carve you up and stuff you into a tin of Spam when I finish with you.” He grinned. “And then he’ll take your product and make it his.”
    “Fat chance. I’m not telling you shit.”
    His grin widened. “I think you will.” Cunning, devious mayhem dressed in ugly, life-ending intentions danced behind his eyes.
    He tore the strap off her shoulder, exposing her breast, and he