Nix. (Den of Mercenaries Book 3)(58)

Even the shallow cuts on her hands didn’t bother her—if anything, she was glad to see them.

They were a reminder that in the end, she’d had the last laugh with Lawrence—she was no longer the victim.

“Luna.”

She startled at the sound of Kit’s voice outside the bathroom door, water splashing onto the floor as she sat up. But he didn’t come in, nor did she see the handle move.

But that didn’t make a difference when she knew she had locked the other door.

“Did you seriously break in here?” she asked, glaring at the door as though he could see her.

“Did you really think I wouldn’t?” he retorted, his voice strained.

She knew he was upset with her because she hadn’t followed his plan to the letter. It was supposed to be a simple in-and-out assignment that she had botched in favor of torturing the hell out of Lawrence.

Kit’s instructions had always been rather clear—you didn’t play with your victims.

He was precise that way.

She had fully intended to follow his rules, at least until she saw Cat and what the monster had done to her.

Rational thought had fled.

She’d wanted Lawrence to hurt, to feel the pain he had caused so many others, and the last thing she wanted to do was apologize for it.

“If you want to debrief,” she called, “let’s do it later.”

There was a moment of silence before Kit was opening the door and strolling inside, as though she wasn’t glaring daggers at him, and he’d been invited.

“Or we can do it now,” he said, going to lean against the sink counter. “What you did was reckless and stupid.”

“Considering I’m sitting right here listening to you, I disagree. I had it under control. You didn’t—”

“You're paid to do an assignment, nothing more.”

“And I did it. Uilleam only asked that he die, not how to kill him. I knew what time we needed to be out of there—I told you the second you came in that room with me. So why are you giving me shit?”

That was the wrong thing to say, she could tell from the way his eyes went hard and that muscle in his jaw worked. It wasn’t often that Kit was angry with her—she never gave him reason to be—but he was now.

But Luna was feeling a bit reckless, and she was more than happy to give Kit a fight if that’s what he wanted. “She was my best friend—the only friend I had. And you want me to pretend like she meant nothing? I can’t turn my feelings on and off like you can, Kit—I don’t work that way.”

That muscle was working faster, but he still didn’t react. “The job—”

“Fuck the job!”

Kit had had enough.

One second he was across the room, the next he was hauling her out of the water with a vengeance, but he didn’t hurt her. Even in her mind’s frenzy as she struggled to right herself, she knew he wouldn’t do that.

She could feel the barely restrained anger pulsating out of him, and the rational part of her knew that she should have been more afraid—that she should have heeded his unspoken warning—but it wasn’t fear she was feeling.

“Don’t make me put you over my knee,” Kit growled at her, his fingers dancing over the column of her throat until he had her face in his hand and forced her to look up at him.

It didn’t matter that she was completely naked and pressed against him dripping wet.

He didn’t care that she was soaking his clothes.

He wanted her attention—he had it.

“There is no f*ck the job, Luna. You either do it, or you die. That’s what happens when you sign a contract. If you merely wanted his head, I would have laid it at your feet.”

Her heart was hammering in her chest, her breaths panting. “I can take care of myself, Kit. You taught me how.”

“And you’ve shown me that, but you don’t have to do it alone, Luna. What about that are you not understanding? I’d put anyone in the ground for you, you only need ask. So the day you give me a name, I’ll show them what fear really is.”

“Because you’re better at it.”

“Because I love you, Luna. Don’t be daft.”

His words managed to suck all the air right out of her. Every bit of her anger and annoyance and agitation with him disappearing.

“Why is that surprising to you?” he asked, his tone gentling. “You had to have known how I felt.”

“But it’s different hearing you say it.”

Kit’s gaze darted over her face before it softened, and he offered a half smile that made her feel warm inside. “I love you, mi peque?a luna. More than I’ve ever loved anyone.”

Her fingers curled into the front of his shirt. “I love you too, Kit.”

More than the stars.

More than the moon.

More than she had ever thought possible.

She loved him with everything she was.

“I know you’re upset about your friend, and I’m sorry that it happened.” The tension in his shoulders eased. “Aidra is taking care of it.”

What else could she say other than, “Thank you.”

He nodded once. “You did good tonight—mistakes and all.”

But she should have done more, Luna thought.