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Without answering, Echo grabbed up a knife and started chopping and Ice studied the curve of the man’s cheek and long dark lashes.
“I thought we were growing closer,” he whispered, unable to keep the hurt from his voice. “We have something good, don’t we?”
The knife slammed down to the wood and Echo whirled around.
“We can’t grow close! I’m broken!” Echo shouted, tears pooling in his eyes.
Ice slid off the stool and rounded the counter to take Echo in his arms. When Echo tried to tear away, Ice held him tighter. The pain in his side was worth holding Echo even if it wouldn’t last.
He was wrong. It did last after that first initial struggle, and instead of pushing him away, Echo suddenly burrowed closer.
“I’m here for you,” Ice whispered against the top of Echo’s head, cradling him close.
“Nobody ever stays for long.”
“I’m not going anywhere. I think I’ve proven that by now.”
“You didn’t come find me when you got back from Greece.” Echo’s voice sounded clogged.
“I was giving you space.” Ice smoothed his hands down Echo’s back, keeping him close and locked together.
“Oh.”
“Yeah.” He smiled at the croaked word. “Oh.”
Standing there with Echo in his arms, Ice kept an eye on the knife sitting on the cutting board.
They still had hurdles to go through. He’d been stabbed too many times by Echo to completely trust the assassin.
And after getting shot, he was going to be very careful, but someday he would get to the bottom of Echo thinking he was broken.
“What are you making?” he said lightly, easing Echo away.
“Chili. It’s the quickest thing.”
“Sounds good.” It should go perfect with the fries he’d eaten earlier. And if not? He could just take some antacids.
Twenty minutes later, they carried their bowls outside to eat and Echo lowered the mosquito netting around the back porch area before he sat down.
They didn’t talk much, but it was a start as far as Ice was concerned. They both still had trust issues, but he was hopeful for the future.
Well, as much of a future two assassins could have.
“How long have you known that guy?” Ice said.
“Justice? He’s Wrath’s little brother.”
“That Justice? Was that him? Damn, he’s grown up.” Ice had met both of Wrath’s brothers a long time ago during military leave, but Justice and Rip had both been scrawny teenagers at the time. He hadn’t connected the teenage Justice to the man he’d become.
“You know him?” Echo asked.
“Yeah, Wrath and I served in the military together. How’d you meet Justice?”
“On a job. He’s a medic like Wrath.”
“I imagine Wrath is proud of him,” Ice said. Although, he knew Wrath had been at odds with his brothers for years. It was the job. Being an assassin did shit to people.
“Wait…does Wrath know Justice quit the Army?”
