Levi by N.J. Walters

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SKU 978-0-3695-1560-5
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Seven Deadly Sins, 3

Bounty hunter, bodyguard, and werewolf Levi Sin takes a temporary protection detail in New York for reclusive singer and songwriter, Etta Storm. She refuses all public appearances and disguises her appearance for online events. The attraction between them is explosive, but past trauma and a present threat have her keeping her distance. All Etta wants is to write songs, make music, and live a quiet life with her dogs.

Captivated by her music and by the woman herself, Levi knows she’s hiding something, but even he has no idea just how explosive it is or how it will change his life forever. When the past threatens, secrets are revealed that jeopardize their relationship. Needing to protect her, Levi takes her to home to Sin Mountain to face the final battle.

Excerpt:

Soft and sweet, the piano notes drifted down the stairs, their haunting melody luring him like a siren’s call. Leaving his brother to talk with the man who’d hired them, Levi Sin headed up to the second floor and down the short hallway, following the sound. Standing in the open doorway, he watched the woman play. Her head was bowed, her concentration absolute. Her fingers flew lightly across the keys creating something that whispered to his soul.

The wolf that lived inside him went still and silent. The fine hairs on the back of his neck stirred. He wasn’t sure who she was. She looked nothing like the picture he’d seen of the client. Etta Storm had long, luxurious red curls while this woman had short, shaggy hair in a unique combination of brown and black.

The German shepherd dogs—one pure white, the other black—that’d been lying beside her stood and put themselves between her and Levi. Not only gorgeous animals but also protective.

Catching their movement, the woman stopped. “What is it, boys?” She reached out to ruffle the head of the black one when she noticed him. She didn’t scream, didn’t demand an explanation as to why he was there. No, she reached beneath the piano seat, withdrew a Mossberg 500, and aimed the pump-action shotgun at him.

It wasn’t often someone caught him off guard. Impressed, he grinned. When her finger twitched slightly on the trigger, he held up his hands in the universal sign of surrender. Ending up with holes in him wasn’t on his list of things to do for the day.

“I come in peace.”

“Who the hell are you? How’d you get in my house?” Her voice was deep for a woman. It wasn’t harsh but melodious. Like the song she’d been playing, it reached inside him and gripped his heart. The dogs, taking their cue from her, flanked her on either side. He pegged her at an extremely fit five nine or ten, determined, and pissed off.

“If you’re Etta Storm, your agent, Sheffield Barnes, hired me and my brother to escort you to some interview.” Personally, he thought it overkill, but since they were being handsomely paid for the time, he had no problem with it.

“He what?”

“You mind lowering that?” He motioned to the weapon.

“I do.” But she adjusted her aim, dropping it slightly. Levi shifted uncomfortably. He might be a werewolf, but he was also a man, and no man liked the idea of taking a shot to the groin. “Where’s Sheffield?”

Levi motioned with his head. “Downstairs talking with my brother.”

“Sheffield! Get up here!” Her voice carried a note of authority. Levi whistled under his breath. Seemed this protection detail wasn’t her idea. It raised his opinion of her.

Sheffield Barnes was in his late fifties and wore an Armani suit as though he’d been born in one. Italian leather shoes, a subtle tan, and styled black hair with hints of gray gave him a sophisticated air. The exasperation in his eyes reflected a man short on patience.

“For God’s sake, Etta, put down the weapon.”

So, this was Etta Storm. She looked nothing like she did on any of her online videos. Levi had watched plenty since he’d agreed to take the job. That woman was polished and professional. This jean-clad, barefoot dynamo holding a shotgun with her dogs on either side of her would be more at home in the countryside, yet she somehow fit in this upscale New York brownstone.

She kept the shotgun in her hands but finally point the barrel toward the floor. His brother had followed Barnes and cocked an eyebrow in question. Levi gave a quick shake of his head, curious to see how this was going to unfold.

“What have you done, Sheffield?” When her agent stepped toward her, both dogs bared their teeth and growled.

“Sam. Dean. Settle.” Both dogs went silent but remained on alert.

“Supernatural,” Levi said with a grin. He was a big fan of the television show, and so, apparently, was she. “I’m guessing Sam is the white one, Dean the dark.”

Etta shot him a glare before arrowing in on Barnes. “I told you I wasn’t doing the interview if Morrison wouldn’t do it online.”

“And I told you that you’re holding back your career. You have to get out there and promote your music, Etta. This whole ‘woman of mystery’ thing only goes so far.” Barnes threw his arms in the air before crossing them. “As your agent, it’s my job to guide you and get you the best promotional opportunities. Morrison has the top entertainment show in the country and he wants you.”

“He can’t have me.” Movements fluid and precise, she returned the shotgun to the hidden holder under the piano bench. Having the weapon there went beyond caution into paranoid … unless she was afraid for her life.

His wolf growled inside him, not liking the idea of her being in danger. The sound was inaudible to the human ear, but both dogs looked at him, their ears perking up.

“Etta.” Barnes softened his tone. “I know you don’t like to put yourself out in the public eye, but if you want your career to progress you have no choice.”

“Then maybe I’ll take a step back.”

Barnes paled and shook his head. “You can’t mean that. You’re on the verge of becoming the biggest name in music.”

She sat down on the piano bench and rubbed a hand over her face. “I don’t care about being the biggest name. I just want to make music.” Sensing her distress, both dogs laid their heads in her lap. She rubbed their fur and scratched behind their ears.

What would it be like to have her hands on me?

Levi’s jeans became too tight, forcing him to angle his body to hide his sudden erection. What the hell? He loved woman, found them endlessly fascinating, from their moods to their different shapes and sizes and features, but not once had he had such a visceral response to one.

Series:
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