Chapter 13
G host jerked back his head. “What?”
She smirked wryly. “Usually when children are kidnapped it’s by someone close to them and their family. Did you know that?”
Saying the words made her want to spit them out. The evil lurking in the world, the grooming of children—it was sick. As a dancer, she’d never once felt unsafe near Irinia. Wouldn’t have believed the truth about her until she’d been taken.
Ghost leaned forward, disbelief etched in his face. “Holy shit. I can’t believe they got away with it.”
“I can.”
His long, brawny fingers reached for her hand. “What do you mean?”
She’d told him so much. Probably more than she was ready for. How could she tell him that she’d been a child spy? That they’d taught her to kill? He looked at her with pity now. What would he think if he knew she’d murdered a man when she was only thirteen years old?
He’d think exactly what he should. That she was a monster. Soulless.
Tears misted her eyes. She pulled her hand out from beneath his and picked up her tea. Using the spoon sitting in the mug, she stirred. “I should call Neo now,” she said, ignoring his question.
She glanced toward the window that overlooked the side of the yard. The snow was coming down fast and hard. “Maybe I can call him in the car. If we leave too late, we might get stranded.”
Ghost moved into her space, his elbow on his knee and his face so close to hers she had no choice but to look into his bottomless gray eyes. “We’re not going anywhere.”
Her eyes widened. “You said you’d take me home.”
“That’s right,” he said, nodding. “I will. But we’re getting a huge storm, and it’s already started. There’s no way we’ll make it through the mountains.”
A panicky sensation made her skin prickle. Earlier, she’d wanted to stay in this blissful piece of paradise so far from reality and the choices she’d soon have to make. Now, she felt as though the walls were closing in.
Ghost had been nothing but kind and gentle since asking about her kidnapping, but that didn’t mean he’d be satisfied with ending the conversation here. “Will it let up by morning?”
He lifted a shoulder. “We’re pretty remote. Even if it does, we might not have a clear path down the mountain.”
Her pulse kicked up. The idea of being alone with him here, sleeping under the same roof, maybe even the same bed...
The prospect made her panties wet.
“Look, if you don’t want to talk about this anymore, that’s fine. I’m not going to force anything on you. But I’m here to listen.”
She gave him a tight smile. “Thank you.”
“Can you tell me one thing, though?”
“What?”
“What’s your dance teacher’s name?”
Mila inhaled a slow, controlled breath then compressed her lips. Talking about Irinia, saying her name, was too close for comfort. “I don’t think I should go there. It—it could be dangerous.”
“She’s still around?”
Mila chortled. “You could say that.”
“Well, save me the legwork. I’m sure there’re news articles naming where you danced. It won’t be hard to find out.”
She sighed, exasperated. “Fine. Irinia and Alexei Sokolov. Why do you want to know?”
He gave her a smile that revealed his teeth, and his eyes flashed with mischief. “Because I’m going to kill them.”
She didn’t even jolt. She’d dreamed of killing Irinia ever since she was nine years old. “Well, don’t take your time about it.” The fact she could have a sense of humor right now showed she was as messed up as she feared.
He reached for his coffee.
Anxiety circulated through her. She either needed to change the course of the conversation or go for a run to blow off steam.
“How about I call Neo now? I’d like to hold up my end of the bargain in case the roads are all clear tomorrow.”
“Sure. Let me grab my burner phone, though.” He got to his feet and went upstairs.
She picked at the food, her mind churning. What would she say to Neo? He’d known her since she was seventeen, when she’d moved to the U.S. and started taking jobs more independently.
He’d flip his lid when she asked who’d issued the contract.
Ghost came down the stairs and fell back into his seat on the couch beside her. “Think he’ll tell you anything?”
She blew a breath through her lips. Ghost had already stated he’d pay Neo a visit. That wasn’t something she wanted. She wouldn’t put it past him to kill Neo to get the information he needed.
She took the phone from his fingers. “I’ll just tell him the truth: you caught me and won’t let me go until you have the name.”
He nodded.
Hesitation seized her muscles. Once she made the call, there was no turning back. Irinia would find out that she’d caved to the man she’d been hired to hit—that all the years of training for a scenario like this hadn’t worked.
That she was weak.
It rattled her that she cared what that heinous woman thought. But soon she’d be free. Before she could lose her nerve, she dialed the number she’d had memorized for almost half her life.
The call connected, but Neo didn’t speak. He was always careful. An unknown caller would be a major red flag. He wouldn’t risk using his voice until he was given the code word.
“Massachusetts,” she said.
“Mila?” Neo hissed. “What the hell happened?”
She stood, wrapping her free hand around her waist. Nerves coiled in her stomach, making her wish she hadn’t eaten the snacks. “A lot.”
“Where are you? I’ll come get you.”
She closed her eyes. Part of her hated herself for what she was about to do. “You can’t. I need your help.”
“Mila, what’s going on?” His voice was low, concerned. “Did you get caught?”
“Yes.”
He cursed under his breath.
“Listen, I know this goes against everything you stand for—all the work you’ve done to put layers between yourself and danger. But I need to know who ordered the hit on my target. Ghost.”
Silence.
She chewed the inside of her cheek as she turned her back to Ghost. The man who’d brought her here. The man whose unlikely friendship might pivot her in a clean direction for the first time in her life.
“Mila, you know I can’t do that. There’s one code we live by in this business. The line between hirer and target doesn’t blur.”
She glanced over her shoulder, her bottom lip between her teeth, and met Ghost’s gaze. His expression darkened. She shook her head.
He got to his feet and tension rattled up her spine. She needed to protect Neo but also needed to give Ghost what he wanted. “I’m leaving the business,” she said flatly.
Ghost rested his hand on the middle of her back, silently offering to take over if needed.
Neo’s sharp inhale made her wince. “What? You can’t be serious.”
“I am.” Neo didn’t know everything about her past, but he knew Irinia well enough and had always been curious about Mila’s connection to the diabolical older woman.
A beat passed. “How’d you manage to get a phone if he caught you?”
She lowered her gaze. “We struck a deal.”
Neo muttered something, then raised his voice. “Mila, listen. Whatever bullshit he’s fed you, it’s lies. He’s going to kill you the second—”
Ghost snatched the phone from her hand and punched the speaker button. “You know nothing about me, cocksucker.” He enunciated each syllable with force. “But I will find you and pull the name of the man you’re protecting from your mouth.”
Mila yanked the phone from Ghost, shooting him daggers. “Okay, I understand you don’t want to say who it was. Ghost”—she turned toward him—“who would be a likely suspect?” She held out the phone.
Ghost rocked his jaw. Hunter’s brother was the first that came to mind. “Asher Emmette.”
Neo didn’t respond.
“I’m going to take that as a no,” Mila said. “Next?” she asked Ghost.
“Dax Jennings.”
Again, silence on the other end of the line. This wasn’t the most reliable method, but given Neo’s lack of protest, it seemed he was playing along.
“One more,” she urged Ghost.
He dragged his hand through his hair, his brow furrowed. “I can only think of one other suspect. But it’s almost impossible.”
“It’s worth a shot,” she pressed.
His lips firmed. “Hunter Emmett from Trident Securities.”
A long, low breath huffed through the speaker. Mila’s heart skidded to a halt. She locked her wide eyes on Ghost.
His expression was ice cold. Deadly.
***
Ghost reeled. What the actual fuck? He’d killed Hunter Emmett. Shot him in the goddamn head.
How is he alive?
He stood at the kitchen window staring at the shop, where he’d held Mila just hours ago—something he couldn’t imagine doing now. No wonder he’d had such a hard fucking time interrogating her. Instinct had warned him. She wasn’t what she seemed.
A killer, yes. But not an enemy.
He didn’t want to think about how that didn’t make sense. Nothing made sense right now. As soon as he wrapped his head around shit, he’d call Rami and have him find Hunter.
A cool, slim hand on the crook of his arm brought him back to the moment. He turned from the sink and stared down at Mila. Her eyes were small and wary, her stance unsure. He was visibly pissed—no, furious—but that had nothing to do with her.
He caught her elbows and held them so she didn’t drift away. “Thanks for doing that,” he finally managed to say.
She lifted a shoulder. “I held up my end of the deal.” Her gaze drifted over his shoulder to the snowy winter wonderland outside.
A fist lodged itself in his gut. She wanted out of here. Freedom. Away from him. Why that stung, he’d never figure out. “And I’ll hold up mine,” he said. “As soon as we’re in the clear to drive.”
She nodded. Her warm body hovered inches from his, stirring every manly desire he’d ever had. He wanted her. Christ, he wanted her.
A smile played at her lips, so pretty and full. He couldn’t look at her the same way now. No longer did he see a vengeful woman out for blood in exchange for money—a career he’d once lived by.
No, now he saw her soft edges. Her femininity. Her innocence.
And all that she’d been robbed of.
The image Rami had sent him popped up in his mind. The pink dress with yellow butterflies... all he wanted to do was go back in time and save her.
But he couldn’t do a damn thing to protect young Mila—just like he hadn’t been able to protect another little girl.
Mila’s body vibrated so close to his. He wanted to pull her in, to taste her. Because when tomorrow came and the snowstorm went, he’d be left with only a memory of her.
Once she was free of him, she’d run.
Just like she should.
“Well,” she said, her voice holding a singsong note. “We have time to kill. Got any games?”
His shoulders bunched. “What kind of games?”
“I don’t know. Cards?”
“Cards?”
“Yeah, you know, crazy eights, poker, go fish. You’ve never played cards?”
He lifted his gaze to the ceiling, but his mouth tugged up at the same time. “I know what cards are, honey. That’s just not my kinda game.”
She blinked. “What kind of games do you play?”
And damn if her voice didn’t turn sultry. Hell, maybe he was imagining it. His dick was so hard and full he’d surely lost blood volume in his brain.
He dropped his hands from her elbows, but she didn’t back away. She didn’t move closer either. Just stared at him as if she wouldn’t mind if he lost control.
“Not the kind you’d be down for,” he said, because he was an ass like that.
Awkwardness fell between them. She swished her lips to the side and turned away. Fuck, had he hurt her feelings?
He cupped her wrist. “Why don’t we finish that snack?”
A tentative smile touched her eyes. “Okay.”
He followed her to the living room and took the seat next to her on the couch.
She picked up some crackers and cheese and curled her legs under her again. “So, who’s that guy? What’d you say his name was? Hunter?”
Ghost grunted and grabbed some slices of meat. “Yeah. Hunter Emmett.” He popped the food in his mouth. He didn’t really want to talk about his ex-boss, but his brain had two speeds right now: figure out how Hunter was alive or get Mila naked.
Neither was good for his health.
“Why did you say it’s almost impossible he’s behind the hit on you?”
He curled his lip. She’d think he was out of his mind. “’Cause I killed him.”
She coughed, covering her mouth.
He grabbed her now-cold tea from the table and passed it to her.
She took a sip and held up her hand. “What do you mean?”
“He was a bastard. Tried to fuck me over during a big job, so I shot him in the head.” He locked his jaw, remembering his days working for Trident. How much he hated that bastard, Hunter. “Clearly didn’t do a good job if he came after me.”
“When did that happen?” she asked.
He pinched the bridge of his nose. “Three years ago, I guess.”
“Wow. And you never heard anything? Had no idea he’d survived?”
Ghost placed his hand on the back of the couch. That was the kicker. He hadn’t heard shit about Hunter. After working for Trident, Ghost had many mutual contacts with the guy. “The only explanation is he went underground until he was ready to come after me.”
“Do you think you can find him?”
He touched the strands of her hair, the action so simple, yet so intimate. Then he pulled his hand away and curled it into a fist. “I can find anyone.”
After he found Hunter, he’d find Irinia and Alexei.