Broken Silence
Lucien’s latest assignment had taken him two states away from Montana. But even so, he’d found himself swiping through his phone. Thoroughly expecting another ping to alert him that someone had tripped the alarm. Maybe even a call, telling him the house had been lit on fire.
If he knew Kate at all, it was a solid possibility.
But all had been quiet. Suspiciously so.
Ever since their tense argument in the car, Kate had been acting… different. He’d tried to get a conversation going. Asked her if she wanted something to eat. He’d even gone as far as to invite her out on a walk. The answer, a curt no.
Almost as if she had given up and retreated into a shell of silence. Almost, because he wouldn’t put it past her to lower his defences. Acting the part. If anything, he expected it.
Nonetheless, it had been difficult. Saddening even. Witnessing the resignation set in after telling her there was no plan in place where he would let her go. Filling her with a false sense of hope would achieve nothing. Still, it gnawed on his insides.
Set him on edge.
He thoroughly missed the moments where she had been challenging him. The defiant set of her chin, eyes ablaze. That had been interesting.
This strange silence hanging in every room of the house… yes, being gone for a couple of days had at least given him the opportunity to unwind a bit.
If only he had been able to keep his mind from circling back to the woman in his house.
It should not mean that much to him.
He rolled up to the house. Eyebrows joining together into a frown. There was music… blasting from the speakers. Now, that was a first.
Lucien walked up the creaking steps, twisted the keys into the lock, and stepped into the house that had apparently become a place of karaoke.
Katherine’s voice carried over the music. With the ease of a practiced singer, she sang along to the lyrics with a passion many would envy.
With a smirk he leaned against the wall. Either she had been acting, or she had enjoyed the days without him.
It didn’t matter. At least the silence had been broken.
He ought to check the cameras more often. Who knew how often she held these solo concerts.
The song, Alicia Keys with ‘Girl On Fire’, came to an end. How befitting.
A laugh split the seconds of silence. Curious, he peeked behind the wall. Ghost had his huge front paws in Kate’s hands. With the laugh of a child, she pulled him into… a dance, hobbling across the living room together.
His lips split into a grin. Catching glimpses of her in this state. It lightened the load that had been weighing on his heart for days.
Prancing over to the kitchen, she kept singing along with the lyrics of the next song. Katy Perry’s ‘Roar.’ Yep, she definitely put on some feel good vibes with these tracks.
He made no move to push away from the wall. Instead, he kept a pleased eye on her as she rummaged through the cupboards.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Ghost pad over to him, tongue lolling out of his huge mouth. Not quite yet. He lowered a flat hand, murmuring softly. “Stay.”
With a satisfied nod, Kate found what she was looking for.
Holding a glass jar of tomato sauce. A frown took over her joyous face as she twisted and turned on the iron lid of the jar.
She took a towel, and pulled, and pulled.
But it wouldn’t budge. With a sigh of exasperation, she put it on the counter, staring at it, as if her angry scowl itself would force it open.
Time to take her out of her misery.
“You’ve been keeping those singing skills under a tight lid. Almost as tight as that jar, I’d say.”
Kate leapt in the air, her squeal making him wince. She whipped around to find him staring at her in the doorway. “Oh, by the Gods, Lucien!” Hand on her heart, she sighed heavily. “Don’t scare me like that. Unless you want me to die of a heart attack.”
He couldn’t stop the sly smile from forming on his face. “You look pretty alive.”
“Not thanks to you.” Her glare turned sour. “Or maybe it is. Whatever.” Another sigh. “I guess you know the difference between the living and the dead.”
Putting his hands in his pockets, he said. “You’re changing the subject.”
“Oh yeah, what subject was that?”
“That angelic voice of yours of course.”
She rolled her eyes. “I wasn’t about to serenade you, no.”
He chuckled while detangling himself off the wall.
Kate put her hands on her hips. “How long were you standing there for?”
“Long enough.”
Her cheeks went bright red. Recovering herself, she slid the jar over the counter, until it ended up right in front of him. “Well, don’t just stand there. Make yourself useful.” She turned away to pick two red onions from the bowl.
He raised an eyebrow. “Bossy.” But the challenge tightened his stomach. Better. Way better. Opening the jar with a plop, he noted the way she glanced his way. With her full focus on his forearms. Interesting.
Lucien leaned in next to her, planting the jar down on the counter with a clank. Lean in closer. See what she does.
To her credit, she didn’t step back. Didn’t even lean back. Many had cowered this close to him. But not her. Never her. Kate’s eyes trailed up to his. He closed the lingering space between them. His voice dropping to a whisper near her ear. “Don’t ever order me around again, sweetheart.”
He saw the goosebumps race down her arms. Took in the way she swallowed.
Nervous… scared. Yet she conjured up the same burning glare she wore when revealing her little DNA adventure to him. She tilted her head. “Perhaps you should say such brave words…” She paused, letting the words sink in. “Before doing exactly as I say.”
Shivers ran down his spine. Having someone in front of him who wasn’t prone to backing down was simply… exhilarating.
Her focus fell on the knife she was holding, used to slice the onions. But capable of far more than domestic work. Lucien followed her train of thought. Taking in the way her hands clenched around the knife. “Think you’ll be fast enough?”
“Want to find out?”
He murmured lowly. “You ought to relax the tension in your hands. Else, you run the risk of injuring yourself.”
She huffed, dropping the knife to swipe stray hairs behind her ears. Hands shaking. “I’m surprised you let me handle these things.”
Aren’t we all? She had a bad rep in terms of injuring him. His ribs still stole his breath away every evening before sliding into bed. Even so, he shrugged. “Anything can be used as a weapon, wouldn’t be a lot of furniture left if I have to keep that in mind.”
“True, I guess. Still. You mentioned having to watch your back. I can kinda see why.”
A snort escaped him while he stepped back out of her personal space. Taking note of the near imperceptible sigh she released as the space was hers once again. “I can tell the difference between you wanting to knock me on my ass. And actually taking that knife to back up your brazen words.”
The stiffness in her shoulders, the fierce look, the way she kept side-eyeing the knife. Lucien knew she was closer to the last option. This would prove interesting.
“Is that why you’re taking a step back?”
Her situational awareness, sublime as always.
Lucien kept his hands loosely by his sides, ready at a moment’s notice. If the need arose.
“Not at all, but I don’t want you to pass out. You know, lack of breathing and all.”
Her lips thinned. Oh, he knew how it riled her up. The way he clocked her every reaction. But she wasn’t the only one with exceptional awareness.
She reached for the knife, resting it loosely in her hands. “Not much for me to lose is there?”
At least she was listening to his advice. “I guess not, maybe you should just go for it.”
Kate advanced on him, fingers twitching around the weapon. He bet she wanted to drop the knife. but pride wouldn’t allow her. The need to make a stand was embedded in her nerves. A survivor.
Choice made.
Don’t drop the knife with those sweat slick hands, sweetheart. Now that would be dangerous.
She swiped the knife toward his abdomen. In a flash, he sidestepped. Not responding, merely deflecting. Seeing what she was made of, perhaps an unwise decision. How ironic would it be if he found his death on the kitchen floor, simply by taunting her.
Another slash came for him. He watched as her eyes narrowed. Serious. It was becoming serious for her.
Time for it to end.
The third attack came. Only this time, he didn’t sidestep. He strode into her space, meeting the knife with his wrist, he turned it around and aimed it at her. The knife was inches away from digging into her exposed side. Her breath hitched at the realization.
He could end it then and there.
Lucien felt her fingers moving, trying to pry them open and drop the knife. Smart move. He reaffirmed his hold over her hand. “Nice try.”
Kate shook her head, the frustration rolling off of her in waves. “Why don’t you just do it?”
He hit a pressure point on her wrist, she winced, attempting to hold onto it. But her fingers opened, the blade falling straight into his waiting hand. “I told you, I’m not inclined to hurt you Kate.” He slid the knife across the counter. Only kill you… at one point or another.
He snaked his arms around her. Pulling her against him as he lowered his lips next to her ear. “Shouldn’t let me get this close.” She tensed against him. He felt the shiver run through her.
He wasn’t taunting her needlessly. He just needed to…
Kate dropped low. Bucking her hips, she twisted out of his hold a millisecond later. Unbalanced from her own move, she would have fallen face first to the floor. If it wasn’t for the hand still firmly clasped around her wrist. Lucien pulled her up in one smooth movement.
That. He needed exactly that.
“That was a good one!” He took a step back, shaking his head in wonder. “I guess I’ll have to stop underestimating you.”
Even though she’d lost. Her chin rose higher. “Maybe you should have thought of that before.”
“True. But.” He winked. “I’ll make sure I won’t forget this time.” Throwing another wink her way, he turned to leave the kitchen.
“Lucien.”
“Yes?” She felt it now. He knew she would.
“Teach me.”
He raised a hand beside his ear. “Come again?”
She didn’t back down. “I want you to teach me self-defense.”
“Consider me hired.” He bent into an elegant bow. Knowing it would rile her up even further. “First session starts tomorrow at ten. Don’t be late.”
Shock lit up in her eyes. She just stood there, mouth gaping like a fish.
With that he left her behind. Satisfied.
And so, the silence was broken.
What a woman.