Are You Hooked? First Page #16

Genre: Urban Fantasy
Title: TIME IS HELL

Heckler threw a left hook into the punching bag, all hisnot-so-repressed anger behind it. He'd never had issues withsuppressed emotions. A couple of loaded Glocks and extra ammo werethe perfect therapy—especially if he had live targets. "I told younot to sneak up on me like that."

"Yes, you did," Baal said. The Hell lord lounged on the second handleather couch shoved up against the basement wall. "I chose to ignoreyour wishes."

Heckler hit the bag again, let it twist in a lazy circle, thenroundhouse kicked it with a cleated boot. Holes popped open in thevinyl. He dodged the crazed back swing and scowled. "Don't you haveto have a f***ing invitation to get in here?"

A hair thin smirk smudged Baal's face. "Not to your residence."

Heckler kept Baal in his peripheral vision and beat the crap out ofthe punching bag. "So what the hell do you want?"

"A favor," Baal said.

"I don't do favors."

"Fine." Baal tapped his fingers on the armrest. "Then I'll collectyour debts instead."

Crap. Heckler dodged the swinging bag too slow and it smacked him inthe side. He gritted his teeth and swung around to face the Helllord. This wasn't improving his day.

Baal sat with an arm draped over the back of the couch, a Bluetoothwireless earpiece visible under his slicked back gray hair.