Free Enemy Lover by Karin Harlow

street has it that isn’t the first girl to fall victim to your rough play.” Marcus dug his elbow in harder. “Now, before I toss your sick ass over this railing, tell me where Senator Rowland keeps the file with The Solution’s intel.”
    “The S-Solution? I don’t know what you’ re talking about!”
    Marcus tipped him forward. Blalock flayed and tried to grasp at the concrete patio wall to keep from falling.
    “Yes, you do. Tell me now, or I’m tossing you.”
    “Senator Rowland is tight-lipped when it comes to The Solution. He doesn’t tell me anything!”
    “Then how do you know it exists?”
    “I—I just do the necessary paperwork to keep it on the preferred contractor list. But he instructed me three weeks ago to remove it. He said The Solution went belly up.”
    Marcus laughed. “My dear Mr. Blalock, I assure you The Solution is alive and well. Who do you think sent me?”
    When Blalock shoved back, Marcus dug his elbow deeper into his back and tightened his choke hold. Blalock gagged and Marcus felt his body go limp. Like a pressure valve, he let up on his choke hold, and Blalock immediately revived. He coughed but hung limply over the railing. He gasped several breaths before he said, “The senator said The Solution went rogue. He was adamant we shut it down.”
    Marcus kept a firm hold on the naked man. “There you are very wrong. We still clean up what the CIA can’ t. It’s your boy Rowland who has gone rogue.” He dug his elbow deeper. “Now, tell me where I can find the file.”
    There was a long hesitation before Blalock said, “His district office. But—”
    “Where in his district office?”
    “If you let me go, I’ ll get it for you,” Blalock mewled.
    Marcus slowly shook his head. “I work alone. Now tell me exactly where the file is.”
    “Please! Let me go, I’ ll get it for you!” Blalock screamed as he struggled to free himself.
    “Last chance, Blalock.” Marcus tipped him forward so that he had to stretch his long arms to keep him from falling completely over the rail.
    “Fuck you and that crazy bastard you work for!” Blalock screeched.
    Marcus smiled and pulled the black mask from his head before standing back, bringing Blalock with him.
    He turned the naked press secretary around and with one hand clamped around his neck, lifted him a foot offthe patio floor. Blalock screamed harshly as he looked at Marcus. “What
are
you?”
    “Your worst nightmare.”
    With one harsh shove, he sent Blalock flying over the rail, the press secretary’s fading screams just more white noise. Marcus didn’t bother to see where he landed. He was dead. Mission accomplished.
    He pulled his mask back over his head, strode back into the apartment, and quickly took stock of the situation. There was nothing anyone could do for the girl in the corner. On the plus side, there was one less witness. He scowled, not liking the benefits tonight. He bent over the other girl, but as he did, she gasped, then coughed, fighting for air. Her eyes flew open and she hoarsely screamed.
    Marcus slammed his hand over her mouth and shook his head. With his free hand, he put his finger to his lips, hidden behind the mask. Immediately, the terrorized girl quieted.
    “I won’t hurt you,” Marcus roughly whispered and cursed himself for the words. Despite his personal code not to 86 children, he was a ghost, and if he was to remain a ghost, there could be no witnesses to his existence.
    Wide-eyed, she stared up at him. Her fear tugged at his gut. When the cops questioned her, the only detail she’d be able to give was an estimate of his six-foot-four-inch height and his two-hundred-and-forty-five-pound body. He was dressed completely in black, his skin was completely obscured by gloves and mask, and his unusual blue eyes were camouflaged behind brown contacts. He was sure she hadn’t heard anything that hadbeen said on the balcony, or even that Blalock was splatter. Hell, until this moment she hadn’t