Chapter Ten

I wasn’t being menacing on purpose. Just the opposite in fact. I could tell from her face that she was still at least a little intimidated. I hadn’t truly sat and talked to someone outside of the business in what seemed like a very long time. And since the girl opened her eyes…I was confused.

I was unused to answering for anyone but myself. I wasn’t accustomed to being questioned, either. The girl did ask a lot of questions. I sat down on the bed and put my head in my hands. I had dismissed Billy and the doctor because I thought it would be safer. I’d assumed it would be easier to explain the situation to the girl if we were alone.

Then she had asked me if I had kidnapped her, and she’d asked about the gun, and my God, she really was beautiful. I’d caught myself flirting with her. Or trying to flirt with her. I wasn’t very good at it. I was out of practice.

It wasn’t what I was supposed to be doing anyway I reminded myself for the tenth time. I sent Billy a text, letting him know we were okay. It was funny to type the word “we” instead of just my usual “I”. Had Billy noticed it, too? Probably. He was observant because he was paid to be.

His reply was almost instantaneous and condescending in its paternal tone.

You kids have fun. Be careful.

I groaned at my phone, and stood up. I plastered a smile on my face, and went out to face her again. I resolved to keep my distance and to think of her as just another job.

“I’m starving. You hungry?” I asked brightly, and I was happy when she nodded almost imperceptibly, because it meant I could gather my thoughts while I cooked.

I knew without checking that she was looking at me as I worked. I wasn’t used to an audience, and I tried to ignore her. But I could feel her slate-gray eyes on my back.

A plan was forming in my mind, but I didn’t like where it was leading. I had a deep need to protect her, and there were only two ways I could think of doing it. The first option was to carry on the farce of my claim on her. It would mean exposing her to my business associates, and just the thought of bringing her any further into my world made me nervous.

The second option was far less intrusive, and it would keep her under the radar. It would be safer. But it would also mean holding her hostage. I didn’t think that would go over well.

She’d been curious and cautious so far, but not hostile.

I chopped the red pepper in front of me with entirely more fervour than was necessary.

If you choose the hostage route, not only will she not like it…She probably won’t like you much, either, said a small voice in my head.

I sliced through an onion angrily, annoyed that the thought had even crossed my mind.

With the exception of maybe Billy, most of the people who ran in my circle didn’t like me. But they respected me, and keeping it that way was my primary goal.

Secondary goal after finding Colin’s killer, I corrected mentally. And carting the girl around would interfere with my ability to pursue the tattoo artist—on a large scale.

My hand slipped as I realized I had almost forgotten about my big tip from Yun, and I was equally surprised that I had forgotten to factor it into my plans in the first place.

“You’re bleeding!”

I looked down. Cass was right. I had been so distracted that I hadn’t even felt the knife make the slice.

She was beside me then, wrapping a cloth around my thumb and putting pressure there. She was a little unsteady on her feet—probably from the combo of ether and anti-nauseant—and she steadied herself by gripping my arm as she held the wound shut. I inhaled sharply. I could smell the chemical odour of the ether, and the lingering scent of cigarette smoke from being in the car with Billy. But I could also smell her shampoo, and another, subtle perfume. She squeezed my wound firmly, and when she shifted slightly to keep the pressure even, her hip brushed my thigh.

I had a sudden vision of me, lifting her up onto the counter, pulling her top over her head and…I stopped myself before I could get any further. I yanked my hand away.

“I’m fine,” I told her curtly. “And I don’t want to burn the food.”

I kept my eyes off her as she went back to the couch. As much as I loathed the idea of dragging her into my seedy world, I was really hoping she would choose option number one.

She watched me as I finished preparing a meal in the tiny kitchen. Even though I wasn’t looking directly at her, I was conscious of her gaze on my back, burning into me.

I hadn’t said anything much since she’d helped me, and despite my angry-sounding words, my mind kept wandering back to her concerned face. In spite of the fact that she must still be feeling unwell, she hadn’t hesitated to jump in and administer first aid. The feel of her hands on mine, pressing down firmly, had been more than pleasant. I imagined them moving from there to my arms, and then snaking them around my waist.

“You moved me,” she said, interrupting my restless imagination. “From the car?”

I answered without turning toward her. “Yes.”

“How?”

“I carried you.”

“Oh.”

I smiled and went back to cooking. She was embarrassed.

Imagine if she could read my mind. My smile became a wide grin.

“Will Monato find us here?” she asked. “He followed us before, right?”

“He did. And he could come again,” I admitted. “But this is one of my places, so he’s not as likely to. Besides that, no one knows we’re here.”

“No one?”

“I really didn’t mean that in a sinister way.” I met her eyes.

She didn’t look convinced.

“I’ll tell you exactly where we are, if you want to know,” I said with a sigh.

“You will?” she asked suspiciously.

“Sure. There’s no reason not to.”

I put a plate of food on her lap, and for a second, she seemed to completely forget about her situation. I handed her a fork, and she took an eager bite.

“Thank you,” she said.

“You’re welcome.”

She was working hard to eat the food slowly, and I watched her with mild amusement, which she pretended not to notice. I couldn’t remember the last time I had eaten, either, and I was starving. I took a bite and tried to make conversation, but the pressure of letting her know my plan was making me tenser by the second.

“You were out for four hours,” I told her as mildly as I could manage. “Maybe a little more. Definitely not less.”

“Okay.”

“Thought you’d want to know.”

“I was thinking about it.”

“Would you like to know where we are now, Cass?” I asked.

“Yes,” she admitted. “I was thinking about that, too.”

I laughed and pulled over one of the chairs from the table. I sat down and watched her face turn serious.

“Those men you were messing with…They’re dangerous.”

“You said that you were dangerous,” she reminded me.

“Yes, I did,” I agreed.

I tried to look as casual I could, but inside I was shaking a bit at the thought of Monato getting his hands on her.

“Words that come to mind when I think of that…creep,” I started.

I had been going to use a stronger descriptor, and I had stopped myself in the name of politeness. As Billy had put it…Chivalry’s not fucking dead. Not yet, anyway.

“Asshole-ic?” Cass filled in.

“Not too creative,” I said a little wryly.

“Lecherous,” she offered. “Immoral. Dirtbag. Licentious.”

“Better,” I agreed with a grin.

“Why did you kidnap me?” she asked.

I put my finger on my chin and tapped it thoughtfully.

“I thought you were pretty.”

She blushed, and I had to resist a sudden need to run my fingers along her pink-stained cheek.

I was teasing her as way of deflecting her more serious questions. She frowned, took another bite of her stir-fry, and then looked disappointed to realize the food was all gone.

“Sorry there isn’t any more,” I said. “I’m usually only feeding one person.”

“I’m full,” she lied.

I raised an eyebrow.

“Don’t ever get a job where you have to be anything less than honest,” I suggested.

“What do you do?” she asked. “I mean besides kidnapping damsels in distress?”

“So you know that you were in distress?” I was half-teasing, half-sincere.

I wanted her to know how dangerous Monato could be, even if I didn’t want to give her the details. She examined my face, and seemed to decide I was being serious.

“I assumed that you did, too. That’s why you came to my rescue in the first place, isn’t it?

“I’m not a hero.”

I couldn’t have her thinking I was. I’m more often in the business of endangering lives than I am in the business of saving them.

“I didn’t say you were a hero,” she replied slowly.

“And you don’t sound surprised by that.”

“You kidnapped me,” she reminded me once again, and though I hadn’t answered her question about what I did for a living, she seemed to have formed an idea. “You could’ve just…taken out Monato. Or whatever it is you would normally do.”

“That’s where your mind went? Taking out the enemy?” I smiled again.

“Why is he your enemy?”

“Let’s just say his business interferes with mine,” I replied evasively, hoping something in my face would tell her not to push too hard with that line of questioning.

“Okay.”

I sighed. “He’s nothing more than a manipulative scumbag. I don’t consider him an enemy. Just a pain in the ass.”

“Okay,” she said again.

“You know, I could’ve done something easier than taking him out, too,” I suggested. “Like calling the police.”

“And...I get the feeling you’re not crazy about law enforcement,” she stated.

“I’m sure not,” I admitted.

“Because you’re dangerous, too.”

“That’s right,” I replied, and got up to take our plates over to the sink.

I dropped them in, and steeled myself to steer the conversation toward what I needed—wanted—her to do for me.