Cross My Tigress Face the Wrath

Susanna had just slipped away from Hull's arms when they were two or three doors down from Dan's hospital room. She scampered straight back, tiptoeing right up to Dan's door and pressing her tiny, freckled face against it.

Her cheeks were already flushed pink from the earlier commotion, but now her eyes were sharp and sparkling with mischief as she eavesdropped, all business.

Hull just stared, speechless.

Barnaby and Silas, who'd followed along, couldn't help but snort with laughter.

Barnaby leaned in and whispered, "Is Susie seriously listening at the door? Isn't that, like, super inappropriate?"

Silas shot him a glare, slapped a hand over Barnaby's mouth, and dragged him a few yards away.

Seriously, if the boss isn't complaining, why would this fool start?

Susanna, meanwhile, was glued to the door, ear pressed tight, listening in with all her might.

Inside, things were getting heated.

Scar was speaking carefully, as if choosing his words might save his skin. "Miss Yvonne's gone to Ireland for now, so... she probably doesn't have the time."

What did he do in a past life to end up in this mess?

And what on earth had gotten into his boss?

Dan wasn't having it. "She has time to bash my head in, but not Xander's? Look at all the bruises she left on me! And the others, too!"

Just thinking about Yvonne's fierce side had Dan practically seething. No one who played poker with him that night had escaped unscathed.

Scar tried to reason with him, "Well, when she hit you, she was just back from Scotland. Wait till she returns. She'll go after Mr. Schultz for sure. At least she used to care about you, so she went easy. She won't show Mr. Schultz that mercy."

have brought

"Did she look like she gave a damn about me that night? That woman was colder than a January morning in Boston.

hesitated, then said quietly, "She knows about your little fake-your-own- death

like she'd just heard the juiciest plot twist in a

Whoa...

death? What a

went silent. The atmosphere in the room got even heavier, his face clouded with

contain himself, Dan grabbed his

believe Xander had slept with her. He could

came through, dry and mocking.

one in

Dan was speechless.

up with Xander's mouth? Did he borrow it from his

been getting chewed out by Yvonne for days, and now Xander

was the fact that Yvonne and Xander had gotten married right under his nose. Just thinking about

the truth to her face? If you do, I'll admit

was the guy from that night, she never believed him. Maybe that's why Xander

thought only made Dan

end. "How do you

eyes widened.

morning. Even told her

was stunned. "You told her... not to

he hear that right? That sounded

a little dread. He couldn't

"She said you're not worth it. Told me not to take the

"What?!"