Before I can ask him anything else, he says, “So this is how you disarmed Lutz Logan.”
My cheeks heat up. “Not quite like this. It was more of a roundhouse kick. In fact … he disarmed himself when he stabbed me with his knife.”
A confused frown descends over Cain’s features. “When he nicked your chin?”
“No … he stabbed my side.”
Alarm shoots across Cain’s face. He places both hands on my hips, easily lifting me up and away from him, rising up beneath me so fast it makes my head spin. Within seconds, I’m back on my feet and he’s bending over me, tugging at the base of my shirt.
His demand is urgent. “Which side? Where are you hurt?”
I’m frozen, gasping as his fingertips brush across the bare skin above my right hip.
Not finding a wound there, he turns to the other side.
I clamp my hand over his, forcing him to look at me while I try to find my voice. “I … he … I’m okay. He didn’t hurt me. The knife lodged in my book.”
He pauses. “The book you were carrying in your pocket?”
I scowl. “That thug stabbed through all the pages.”
He nearly smiles. But not quite. “So the book took the death blow.”
When I nod, he murmurs, more to himself than to me: “Could that be the end of it? A failed kill?” He shakes his head. “It was all a continuance of the act of interference. Damn. They still have the right to come after you.”
I can’t seem to let go of his hand. None of what he said makes sense to me. “You need to explain what’s going on.”
He runs his free hand through his hair, straightening, allowing me to keep his other hand pressed against my side. I feel foolish, holding on to his hand like this, but the fact that he disappeared right before my eyes has shaken me. I’m worried he’ll disappear again. Everything Briar was trying to warn me about is suddenly a very real possibility.
He says, “Briar told you the truth. Lutz Logan is a brutal assassin. He’s part of the Assassin’s Legion. The Master of the Legion is Slade Baines. When you saved Briar’s life, you broke a major rule in the Assassin’s Code.”
I can’t breathe. I tell myself it has nothing to do with the warmth of his hand resting against my side or the way his fingertips flex against my too-thin shirt. I also don’t want to admit that I’m a little shaken. “What rule?”
“The fifth rule: A bystander who prevents an assassination forfeits their own life.”
I stare at him. “Which means?”
“Slade Baines has the right to kill you.”
I burst out, “On what planet does that make sense? Any good person could try to stop someone getting killed. You can’t kill them for trying to help!”
A dangerous smile lights his eyes. “Anyone can try. But nobody has ever succeeded. Only someone who is a true threat can stop a fully-trained assassin. You kicked Lutz sideways. There aren’t many assassins who would dare to take him on, let alone beat him.”
I narrow my eyes at Cain. Something tells me he’s one of the few who would.
He shakes his head. “What’s more, you saw through his blur. I didn’t believe it when my people reported that Archer Ryan had resurfaced, stopped Briar’s assassination, and defeated Lutz Logan by seeing through his blur…”
“What’s a ‘blur?’”
He refocuses on me. “It’s what assassins call becoming invisible. We blur into our surroundings so we can’t be seen. It’s very unusual for someone to see through it.”
I lick my suddenly dry lips. I’ve taken on a lot of thugs. Fought a lot of battles. But assassins … there’s a reason they belong in the category of nightmares and demons that live in the shadows. There’s a reason I don’t want to believe they exist. There were whispers that Dad’s protector, the Glass Fox, was an assassin, but I always closed my ears to those stories. I never saw her and I never wanted to. I had enough violence in my life.
Cain’s hand flexes against my ribcage. “Slade Baines will come for you whether he wants to or not. You are a threat. He is duty bound to follow the code and end your life. He is also one of the most ruthless assassins in our history. If he finds you…”
Cain’s grip tightens and a chill runs down my spine.
I whisper, “You’re one of them. I’m not safe with you either.”
I can’t help glancing at the door. He doesn’t miss it. I’m pretty sure he doesn’t miss the desperation growing on my face either. I may have put him on the floor momentarily, but he’s already proved how easily he can beat me in a fight. This man is like no one I’ve ever fought. And that was before he put that damn ring on.
He draws himself up to his full height, repositioning his hand against my side, but he doesn’t remove it from beneath mine. Instead, he moves closer. Despite my growing fear, I grip his hand more tightly. I tell myself it’s because I’m keeping him in that position so I can pull him off balance if I need to, not because I need the human connection right now. The foundations of my world have shifted and Cain’s touch is the pressure point keeping me focused.
His voice is quiet, unthreatening: “Grace, you have nothing to fear from me. I’m not part of Slade’s Legion. I belong to a Faction called the Horde, which is based in the South. I was given permission to stay in Boston so I could see my sister. Unfortunately, the situation with Lady Tirelli has become very dangerous and I need to take Parker south where she will be safe. I want you…”
He pauses, inhaling, exhaling, as if he’s choosing his words with care. “I want you to come with me, too.”
I consider him warily. I’m not sure if I heard him correctly. “If Slade Baines is as fierce as you say he is, then I’m not safe anywhere.”
A smile curves the corner of Cain’s mouth. “He isn’t allowed to follow us into Horde territory. I can keep you safe there.”
I search his eyes for any trace of deceit, any hint of deception or manipulation. I teeter on the edge of believing him.
He leans in closer than I would normally allow anyone to stand to me without retaliating.
His voice lowers. “Come with me, Grace.”
I suddenly realize that despite knowing my real name, he keeps calling me “Grace.”
I whisper, “If I ask you to let me walk out of this room right now and allow me to leave this house, will you let me go?”
A muscle in his jaw clenches. But he only hesitates for a moment.
He slides his hand out from under mine, prowls to the door, and curls his hand around the handle. The lock clicks at his touch. He swings it wide and leans against the doorframe, but not in a position that blocks the opening. He also removes his assassin’s ring, placing it back into his pocket.
He says, “I hope you won’t go.”
I rub my waist where his warmth is now absent, chewing my lip in thought. I retrieve my coat from the floor, my shoulder bag from the countertop, and keep both close to my chest as I proceed quietly past him.
He holds his breath.
I pause long enough to ask, “Does Parker know about any of this?”
He shakes his head. “Not yet. But the time is fast approaching when I’ll have to tell her.”
“And Sarah?”
“She knows.”
I don’t hesitate. I’ve already made my choice.
I step through the door. His forehead creases in a worried frown. He takes a small step toward me but stops himself, his arms tight at his sides.
He follows me while I make my way through the maze of his home. I sense his every breath, every twitch of his muscles. I know every moment that he reaches for me but stops himself. By the time I return to the entrance where Parker left us, his frustration with the situation is showing in all his tense edges.
He believes that if I leave this house, I’ll die.
But he also made it clear that he won’t make me stay. I’ve never met a man with this much self-control. Never a man who had this much respect for my right to decide my own fate.
I
pause in the entrance room, a little bit amazed. I consider the front door and then Cain. He might force himself to let me leave, but he hasn’t taken his stormy eyes off me.
I keep my tone even: “If I come with you… I will need my things brought too. I don’t own much, but I can’t afford to replace anything. Especially my books.”
He lets out his held breath. He doesn’t miss a beat. “Give me your address and your key, and I’ll have everything waiting for you when we arrive in Austin.”
“Thank you.” I exhale very carefully, shocked by my choice.
I may have made the worst decision of my life.
5
I need that hot chocolate Parker promised me. I wasn’t lying when I told them I have low blood pressure. I run cold, with bad circulation, and right now I need sugar. Pronto.
Before I can take a step in the direction of the lounge, the front door opens.
Spencer, Cain’s driver, pushes the door open and nods respectfully to Cain. “Someone to see you, sir.”
Spencer steps aside to reveal a man dressed in jeans and a t-shirt that accentuate all his muscles. The breath stops in my lungs. I would recognize his amber eyes anywhere. It turns out that he has a shock of light brown hair to go with those eyes. Along with two days of growth that shadows his jaw. He looks like he threw on his clothes without caring about them, but he still manages to look dangerous.
Cain stiffens beside me. He draws himself upright. “What are you doing here, Lutz?”
Unlike the blond guy on the street earlier, Cain’s glare isn’t sufficient to make Lutz Logan back down. He pauses for the driver to disappear down the front steps before he steps inside and closes the door behind him.
The fact that he invited himself into Cain’s home speaks volumes. Cain said he was given permission to stay in Boston. I wonder if that means Slade’s Legion can push Cain around as much as they like.
Either that or Lutz has a death wish.
I quickly consider both men. The way Cain’s expression darkens makes me think Lutz might be the one breaking the rules right now.
The sound of the door closing thuds in my ears and echoes around the suddenly charged space. The growing threat and aggression in Cain’s expression is a shock to me. When he fought me, he was cool and in control. Now, he angles his body slightly forward, releasing one clenched fist to curve gently around my left shoulder. He’s preparing to place himself between us if he has to.
I brace for Lutz to recognize me, waiting to find out whether my identity as Archer Ryan—the very male Archer Ryan—is still intact.
Lutz gives me a cursory glance before he dismisses me. All he sees is a woman. He’s looking for Archer, not Grace.
I resume breathing.
Lutz’s response is a forceful statement. “You know why I’m here.”
Cain growls back, “You’ll have to elaborate.”
If I were Lutz, I would run for the hills right now, but I guess Cain was right about Lutz’s ferocity. He meets Cain’s hard stare while taking up position several paces away, feet planted, shoulders squared. I recognize the fighting stance. It reminds me to relax my own body language. I’ve instinctively shifted my weight ready for an attack, but remaining in that position will only draw Lutz’s attention. My best defense right now is to blend in, pretend to be the woman that I appear to be.
Lutz’s response to Cain’s aggression is to narrow his eyes and flex his fists. I change my mind about the idea that the Legion is allowed to push Cain around. Lutz clearly has a death wish.
He asks, “Where is Archer Ryan?”
Cain snaps, “If the Legion wants information from me, then Slade can do me the respect of asking me himself.”
A muscle ticks in Lutz’s jaw, but for the first time his expression becomes disquieted, revealing more than hard lines and determination.
He says, “Slade is dealing with something else right now. Locating Archer is up to me.”
Cain considers Lutz’s response. Whatever the “something else” might be, it seems to give him pause. He changes tack, replying smoothly, “Archer Ryan is long gone. He bumped into me on the street but I let him go. I won’t interfere in your operations.”
Lutz suddenly focuses on me, his cool gaze dragging up and down me for a moment before he inclines his head at the stitches on my chin. “That looks nasty, sweetheart.”
I can’t risk speaking; he might recognize my voice. It’s bad enough that I’m clutching my coat in my arms that I was wearing when I fought him, but at least it’s rolled up. I lower my gaze to the floor as if I’m intimidated. It kills me, but it’s the best way to hide my eyes in case he recognizes them.
The silence stretches out a moment too long and my heart rate speeds up.
Cain shifts beside me, a new edge of tension entering his voice. “I’ve told you everything I know. It’s time for you to go—”
“Cain?” Parker appears in the doorway to the expansive lounge, a steaming mug cradled in her hands. She has let down her hair and changed into skinny jeans and a soft sweater that hugs her curves. Her feet are bare, colorful toenails a sharp contrast to the white marble floor. She is tall, graceful, and looks like she could have stepped out of a magazine.
Unlike the rest of us, she is completely relaxed.
Her gaze lands on Lutz. “Oh. Hi.”
She gives him a smile that lights up her eyes in a way that would melt the hardest heart.
He was clearly not expecting it.
He freezes. Then he glances at Cain.
If Lutz is remotely observant, he’ll identify the family resemblance as quickly as I did.
When he turns back to Parker, all of the aggression drains out of him in a rush, as if she shattered it with her shy smile.
His line of sight doesn’t leave her face. He seems transfixed by her stunning eyes. His singular focus is a far cry from the offensive full-body once-over he gave me. In fact, he looks like someone just hit him over the head.
He manages a rough, “Hi.” Then he quickly frowns at himself. “Uh…”
A curious frown settles on Parker’s forehead. She is either oblivious to the testosterone in the room or she’s choosing to ignore it.
Hmm. I hide a smile as I quickly assess her carefully casual demeanor. She’s not stupid. I wonder how much of our conversation she heard before she decided to make a timely appearance to defuse the escalating situation.
She turns to Cain: “I just made Grace a hot chocolate. Should I make one for your friend?”
Cain’s response is firm. “No, thank you, Parker. Lutz won’t be staying.”
“Oh, okay.” Parker side-eyes Lutz as she speaks, a hint of caution appearing on her features.
What I know of Parker so far is that she’s quiet and kind-hearted. She might have thought she could intervene, but she obviously didn’t sneak a look at Lutz before she stepped into the doorway. There’s not much that could prepare a woman for all the grisly ferocity that is Lutz Logan, especially with that shadowy beard he has going on that makes him look like he needs someone to take care of him.
I have to admire how effortlessly she has floored him. It actually makes me a little envious. I never learned how to be feminine. By necessity, my behavior around men leans toward avoidance or defensive aggression.
Now that Lutz has lost his threatening stance, I’m a little bit thrown myself. He looks … lost. Like hatred is his fuel and now that it’s gone, he’s not sure where to turn.
He gives Parker a gruff but polite nod. “Thank you for the offer. I’ll be going now.”
He swings to Cain and his expression darkens again. Lutz’s anger is back. He says, “Don’t forget why it was me today and not you.”
He steps toward the door without taking his eyes off Cain. Then he pushes it wide and strides through it, powerful strides carrying him away as the door closes behind him, leaving cold air in his wake.
Cain is quiet beside me. He stares at the door, unmoving. Whatever Lutz meant by his final c
omment, it seems to have hit Cain hard.
My attention is drawn to Parker when she shivers. Her bare feet might not be a problem in front of the fireplace, but it’s cold in here.
She looks a little pale. “Who was that guy? I’ve never seen anyone like him.” She laughs, but it’s forced. “Well, other than my brother.”
I swivel and take her arm, careful not to upset the liquid in the mug she’s clinging to. With another glance at Cain, who is still in deep thought, I draw her into the lounge room. “It’s really nice of you to make that for me.”
She gives me a small smile. “I figure you mostly make food for other people, so you deserve some T.L.C. for a change.”
She hands me the mug as we reach the fireplace. I’m conscious that Cain hasn’t followed us yet and a small level of worry invades my stomach. My initial impression was that Lutz and Cain were enemies, but experience has shown me that relationships are complicated. There’s more going on here than I know about, and somehow Briar, Lutz, and Cain are all tied up in it.
It’s surprising to me that Parker is so accepting of my presence. Of course … I might not be the first woman Cain has brought home at a moment’s notice.
Regardless, she hasn’t questioned me and I’m grateful. I don’t want her trust to be misplaced.
I hug the hot chocolate as I sink into the nearest chair. “So … uh … I got into some trouble this morning and Cain is helping me out. That guy who was here … he’s mixed up in it too.” I run my hand over my chin. The anesthetic is wearing off and my stitches sting a little. “Sorry, I know that doesn’t really explain anything.”
Parker picks up her own cup and curls her feet under her bottom on the couch. She stares into her cup for a moment before she says, “Cain is super protective of me. He didn’t know about me until Dad died. I didn’t know about Cain either. You can imagine how fun it was at the reading of Dad’s will.”
She gives a short laugh. “This giant guy walks in and I’m like … who is this person? And why the hell has he paid off Dad’s debts?”
She levels her gaze with me. “My point is … don’t believe what you read about my brother in those magazines. Cain never brings people here. Ever. But he brought you. If he trusts you, then so do I. No questions asked.”
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