Chapter 12
KIT
I’d seen a lot of funny things in my short life, but this one took the cake. I’d never seen that look on War’s face, and I hadn’t thought he was capable of making it.
“Come on, they’re awesome.” I held the swim shorts higher, making his face twist deeper in disbelief.
“They are a lot of things, but awesome isn’t one of them.” He grunted in disapproval, eyes never leaving the offending piece of material. “If I wear those, I’ll be seen from space.”
I looked down at the bright pink swim shorts with the fuchsia flamingos dancing on them and shook the material at him. “I won’t lose you this way.”
He groaned but took the shorts from me anyway. He held them between his thumb and pointer finger like they’d bite him if he touched them any other way.
“Will you wear them?” I gave him an overly sweet smile. “Please? I’ll wear a similar pair.”
He made a sound that told me I’d won, and I didn’t jump for joy like I wanted to because that would only convince him it was a bad idea. “I’m choosing for you, too, then.”
I didn’t argue. “Make sure they match yours, though. Let’s get couples swim shorts.”
“Is that a thing?” He gave me an incredulous stare over the hot pink material he was holding, and I laughed so hard my ribs ached.
I’d never seen this many hilarious expressions on War’s face.
He rarely did emotions, certainly not the kind where his nose scrunched up and mouth twisted with revulsion.
“Probably not, but we could totally make it a thing. I could get a matching pair.”
“You can get hot pink, too, then.” He picked up a pair of shorts identical to his own, in my size, and passed them to me with a smug expression. “Then, they can see us both from the International Space Station.”
I cackled and shrugged. “I’m game.”
War made a face that had me doubling over in laughter. I snatched the shorts from him and took them to the counter. To my surprise, he didn’t argue.
After I paid, we walked out of the mall, not interested in stopping anywhere else.
He slid his hand into mine. I glanced at him, and he smiled down at me.
My heart did a funny little hop-step, and I melted, tightening my fingers around his.
His palm was warm, heavy, and goddamned perfect.
This was the first time I’d held a guy’s hand, and the fact that it was War made everything better than I’d ever imagined.
Despite all the shit happening in my life, I was one lucky guy.
When we returned to the hotel, Cassian was waiting for us inside.
He offered us a huge grin, but something I didn’t particularly like lingered in his expression.
Especially now that I knew he was working directly for people like Scalia and Riccardo Sabbatini.
These were two men I’d never met, but it was already clear they had a lot of reach.
Did Dad have the same kind of power in New Gothenburg?
My stomach churned as the images Sky had sent me flashed through my mind.
How did he get them? I still had so many more questions.
Cassian stepped in front of us, his uniform as crisp as it had been earlier.
But now I knew something deeper lurked under his facade.
I didn’t know how I’d expected to do criminology when I hadn’t recognized him as a danger earlier.
But now he was an open book, laid out in front of me, and all I could do was read him.
He held himself upright, but his fingers lingered near the edges of his jacket, where I bet a gun was hidden.
His eyes were sharp and cold, and what I had mistaken as overly polite customer service was vigilance and preparation. He was ready to fight if needed.
War stepped half in front of me, his spine straight. He held out an arm, holding me back.
Cassian’s smile turned colder. “Good evening, sirs. I overheard you earlier saying that you were going for a swim. May I offer you our VIP pool for privacy?”
“Why?” War’s voice drew a fearful shiver from me. I’d never heard him so emotionless. He was a soldier ready for battle.
Cassian raised his eyebrows. “You are our very important guest. Mr. Scalia was clear to make sure you are taken care of.”
I opened my mouth, but War silenced me with a look over his shoulder. I trusted him, so I snapped my jaw shut.
“We’ll take it,” War grunted.
Cassian’s smile twisted into a smug grin as he held out a key card. “Level twenty. Please return the key when you’re done. You will have it for the entire duration of your stay.”
War gave a curt nod and took the key card. He turned, guiding me past him to position me on his opposite side away from Cassian. We walked in silence directly to the elevator. Once inside, War sighed.
“I fucking hate it here.”
“He’s not to be trusted, is he?” I leaned against him, resting my cheek on his shoulder. He wrapped his arms tight around my waist.
He tilted his head upward, and I followed his gaze, noticing the camera in the top corner of the elevator. “No one in this city can be trusted. St. Loren is run by dangerous people.”
“Oh.” I eyed the camera again but remained silent.
We arrived at the private pool floor, and I let War take the lead. As soon as we were inside the room, he began a tour of the space, though it was more a check for threats. He opened every door, and I waited patiently. Finally, he made a sound of approval.
“Let’s get dressed.” He held out his hand, and I took it, allowing him to lead me into the dressing rooms.
We changed into our bright new shorts, and I laughed when he made a face of disgust once they were comfortably on his hips.
“I look like Barbie,” he grumbled.
“No, you’re definitely Ken with all these abs.
” I patted his sculpted stomach, my fingers dancing over the lines of muscles that teased me every time he took his shirt off.
Damn, how did I get so lucky to have a man this fit as mine?
“At least you’re not Ken down below, though.
” I waggled my eyebrows when he groaned.
He gently nudged me toward the pool. I snickered and raced toward the deep end.
“Careful—”
He didn’t get to finish because I’d already launched myself into a cannon ball, my backside hitting the water hard. The pool swallowed me before I kicked my feet and surfaced with a large breath. He stood at the edge, fondly exasperated, staring down at me.
“You’re going to kill me.”
“Not before you get into the pool with those sexy shorts.” I poked my tongue out at him as I treaded water.
Excitement surged through my veins. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d gone swimming.
We had Lake Ontario in New Gothenburg that people regularly swam in, but I’d been so busy with school I never took the time.
I took college classes during the summer. “Come in, big guy.”
War snorted and stood at the edge. I took a moment to appreciate the hard lines of his body and the thick trunks he called thighs.
He was pure masculine energy—all brawn, brains, and survival instincts.
Even as he lined up to dive, his gaze assessed his surroundings with caution.
I didn’t know this new world I’d been introduced to.
Maybe he had a good reason to keep watch.
He dived in with an elegance I didn’t possess. He cut through the water like a god, and when he surfaced, it was with grace that made my cheeks flush with heat. Holy shit, he was hot. So fucking hot. What would Cassian say if War and I had sex in the pool?
“Come here,” War growled, and my fingers tingled at the sound of his voice working its way into my bones.
He’d taken off his dog tags, and it was strange to see his upper chest bare of the silver chain, but I didn’t mind it.
They were a reminder of what he’d been through, and without them, it felt oddly like he was shedding some of his traumatic past.
I swam to him and wrapped my arms around his neck. He grabbed my ass, fingers squeezing, and I curled my legs around his waist, holding him completely. Our chests were pressed together, his skin warm against mine.
He swam toward the edge along a shallower part, and I held on like a monkey. When he reached the side, he spun us around so his back was against the tiles and settled, humming contentedly.
“This is nice,” he said. His shoulders relaxed, and the alertness I was used to calmed. It didn’t disappear—War’s gaze still wandered every so often—but some of the tension bled out of him.
“Do you like swimming because of your SEAL training?”
He grunted. “No. I chose the navy and then SEAL training because I’ve always liked swimming.
” He caressed the length of my spine, tracing the knobs up my back as if mapping every inch of my body into his memory.
“I’ve always enjoyed being in water. My mom took me and Eric to the lake a lot during the summers. ”
“You grew up in New Gothenburg?” I stroked a knuckle across his sharp, strong cheekbone, the hair on his jaw prickling my skin.
“Yes.” His hands went to my ass, gripping my cheeks tight. “I’ve lived there all my life.”
“And you were born on August . . . .” I drew out the words, but he didn’t take the bait. He just grinned, waiting. Asshole. “August thirtieth?” It wouldn’t hurt to guess. He’d made a point last night that I didn’t even know his birthday, so I was determined to learn it one way or another.
He laughed. “Close. The twentieth.”
“That makes you a . . . Virgo?” I didn’t know my star signs well.
“On the cusp. I’m a Leo. Virgo starts on the twenty-second.”
“See, I know my stuff,” I joked, running my hand over his head, fingernails dancing over his scalp. He groaned in pleasure, and the sound went straight to my dick. “Should we be afraid of this meeting with Riccardo Sabbatini?”