Nix. (Den of Mercenaries Book 3)(35)

Aidra noticed where Luna’s gaze had drawn with a slight smile. “I’m afraid it’s just me this time.”

Clearing her throat, trying to keep her face clear of any emotion, Luna asked, “Is he looking for me? Do I need to go back to the gym?”

“I’m sure he knows where you are, and in regard to your last question … well, that’s entirely up to you, isn’t it? It is your choice, after all.”

“Right.”

But it didn’t feel like a choice, not really.

It felt inevitable.

She wouldn’t be able to avoid him forever, especially not when he was in charge of her training. Besides, this was his home, not to mention that he lived a floor above her.

Aidra was quiet a moment before she said, “It’s never easy the first time—or any time after, really. The fear is always there, ready to drown you should the slightest touch evoke memories that are better left forgotten.”

Since she had arrived at the chateau, Luna didn’t think Aidra had ever said something quite so personal. At first, she had thought it was because the other woman didn’t care to get to know her, but she soon realized that was just who she was.

“But don’t let it defeat you,” Aidra continued. “Someone once told me that the war isn’t over until it’s over—don’t throw in the towel.”

“Thank you,” Luna said, meaning it.

Aidra stood. “Don’t thank me just yet. Kit won’t go easy on you because you’re afraid. Trust me, I know.”

Luna figured it was safe to assume that Aidra had studied under Kit once.

Aidra didn’t stay much longer, drifting back out of the room and leaving Luna to her thoughts—which ultimately turned to Kit.

Or Nix, since it felt like he had been a different person down in that gym.

For a long while she sat there, thinking of the past, of the girl that had always wanted to fight back against her captors though she knew her efforts would be futile.

Before that place, she had never been in a fight, and that coupled with her lacking strength, there was no way she could have gone up against Lawrence and won.

Kit was giving her a chance to change that.

She wouldn’t f*ck that up.

Taking a breath, Luna exited the room once more, following the same route they had taken earlier to get back to the gym. Before she got close, she heard someone’s fists hitting hard against the heavy sand bag.

She hesitated in the doorway, watching Kit as he sent his fists flying into the bag. There was power behind his hits, so much that she wondered how he was able to look so unassuming in a suit.

Kit looked distinguished when he was fully dressed—nothing like any killer she had ever seen.

But he was.

“Come to try again?” he asked, looking back at her, his hands going out to steady the swinging bag.

She toed her shoes off before stepping back on the mat.

A curious expression crossed his face as he watched her draw near. Maybe, in the short time she had been gone, he had thought she wasn’t capable—that she was quitting well before she started.

Was he already regretting his choice?

“Don’t go easy on me,” she said once she was in front of him, then held her hands out for him to tape.

She was ready to fight.





Chapter Ten





“If I recall, you were the one telling the Kingmaker not to start a war with Lawrence Kendall. I’m eager to know when you changed your mind since you decided to execute his closest associates.”

There were days when Kit questioned whether it was he working for her as opposed to the other way around considering the way she lectured him.

Aidra, in most instances, was like his own personal checks and balances—though he usually didn’t need one.

Whereas his brother was known for reckless decisions, Kit was always careful about the moves he made, ensuring that before he ever raised a hand, everything was in place and there would be no potential blowback.

With Lawrence’s associates, as Aidra had put it, he hadn’t considered the ramification of his actions, merely sent Fang and his crew to round the men up and bring them back to the chateau.

If he were to be honest, he had known for some time now that he was going to find the men that had raped Luna of her innocence—it felt right.

Though she wasn’t supposed to matter—she was merely there as a favor to a brother who often exasperated him—talking to her had caused a familiar itch to settle beneath the surface of his skin.

When she spoke of them, everything about her changed. He didn’t think she was aware of it, else she would have masked it, but as soon as she was made to mention them, her gaze would sink to the floor, her hands twisting in her lap.

Luna tried to hide it, but they still had a hold over her, though Kit didn’t doubt why. They were still out there, free to come after her again if they so chose.

Kit didn’t begin to think he could heal whatever memories she had of the place, but he thought he could offer a helping hand in leading her toward recovery.

“Lawrence wouldn’t have gone to my brother if he wanted a war,” Kit said as he dragged on a shirt. “He would have killed Emmett himself and shown everyone what he was capable of—instead, he contracted it out and made it look like it was one of his girls that had done it.”