Page 44 of Hard Ruck

Daze snorted. “I don’t need any more boyfriends. Rugby players are known for being smart as well as muscular. That’s a good combination when it comes to our operations.”

“That’s accurate,” Storm said. “We’re both.” Grudgingly he added, “Some of the other guys on the team are too.”

“I know they are,” Daze said. “Some of them already work for us.”

I almost choked on air. “They do?”

She turned to me and smiled. “Absolutely.”

I gaped at her when she started to name names.

Chapter Eighteen

Chelsea

I should absolutely not have been surprisedby any of it.

Okay, I wasn’t too surprised by how quickly Frost and Storm threw their hats into the proverbial ring. I wasn’t even surprised Dallas went along without a fight. I certainly shouldn’t have been surprised when Daze started giving the names of members of the team. Of course some of them would have been recruited already.

The guys were more shocked than I was, but it didn’t last for long. Like everything else, they took the ball and ran with it.

It wasn’t discussed, but I was sure they all knew if they rejected anything they heard, they risked not walking out of there alive. That was why Daze, Gianni and Mina were so forthcoming. If the guys tried to betray them, they’d have them killed. It was that simple. Until they proved themselves, they’d be watched closely. By me and by members of the team.

Specifically, Atlas Underwood, whose gaze was on them when I stepped into the locker room.

I made my way over to him, moving through the throng of half naked men, while try not to trip over footy boots that lay on the floor.

I peered over his shoulder. “Do you have a minute?”

“I was wondering when you’d come and find me.” He didn’t take his eyes off Storm, Frost and Dallas. The three of them sat in the corner, talking in low voices. “I understand we have some mutual acquaintances.”

“That’s my understanding too,” I agreed. “Did you know?”

He turned his head slightly. “I suspected. There’s a resemblance to your brother, plus you have the same surname.”

“Miller is a common name,” I pointed out. “Any resemblance might be a coincidence.”

“It isn’t,” he said. Now he turned to look at me. “Your eyes are almost exactly the same colour. Your hair too.”

“How long have you suspected?” I asked.

He shrugged. “As soon as I heard your name. Miller might be common, but Dusk Bay is a small place. It was a reasonable assumption.”

“So that date?—”

He took a couple of steps forward, forcing me to step back until I was pressed against one of the lockers. He was close enough to breathe in my exhalation.

“That was real. Nothing to do with who you’re related to. I wanted to get to know you. I still do.” His firm chest was pressed against mine, hard muscle robbing me of breath and making it harder to think.

“I know you feel the same way. Is your heart racing as fast as mine?” He raised two fingers and pressed them against the pulse point in my neck. “Faster.” In a whisper he added, “How wet are you?”

Before I could answer, he stepped back. Out of reach of Storm, who was about to lunge at him.

“What do you think you’re fucking doing?” Storm growled.

Frost and Dallas were right behind him, both looking cautious.

“What does it fucking look like?” Atlas sneered.

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