“We go on your orders,” Lex says, cocking his gun. “It’s your vendetta.”
“How’d those words taste?”
“Like gasoline,” he mutters.
Gesturing to the men, I devise a plan to split up. Nico is slower, so he goes with the bigger group of men. Giving each of them a look, I make it known I will kill every single one of them if he ends up hurt again. I don’t care if he trips—their lives are forfeit.
Turning toward the front, Killian grabs my arm. Briar sits in the trunk, legs hanging as he clicks away at his computer, and Lex stalks to the front entrance, keeping hidden in the dark leaves of the bordering trees. Alone, he lowers his head.
“I need to say something.”
I pause, waiting a moment, before I wave my hands. “We don’t have time to fuck around?—”
“Iloveyou.”
My mouth snaps shut. Taking in his black eyes—the kind that could fill me with unimaginable dread or fiery passion—to the small smirk lingering on his lips, I tilt my head.
“I know.” I roll my eyes. Honestly, this right now? “We’re about to walk into a gunfight, and you decided you needed to tell me this?”
He blinks and then chuckles, shaking his head. “I thought it was appropriate to tell you before possibly dying.”
Stepping close, I pat his chest—right over my mark. A permanent reminder of who owns him. “Pup, we both know I’m not allowed to die. You won’t let me.”
Crushing my hips in his hands, he presses his forehead to mine. “No. Iwon’t.”
It’s a dark promise, and Hell, if I don’t love it. I want to sink into his words, melt into his touch, and forget about the Board—all our problems—until it’s just him and me. Until the outside world blurs, and the nightmares disappear. But that’s not our life—not our fate.
I know, when the dust clears and the bullets stop, Killian will still be here. He won’t leave me again—not unless the Grim Reaper himself calls us home, and even then, he’ll haunt me for eternity.
There’s a comfort in that. I’ll never be alone again–not with him here. Gently, I kiss his lips and inhale his unique scent.
“Ready?” he asks, licking my mouth. One final taste.
“Obviously.” Grinning, I pull back and lead the way through the small path, boots crunching in the now. Killian follows closely, with Lex further back, covering us. The static in my ear turns off, and Briar’s voice floats through.
“If you all are done playing grab ass,” he says, smooth words irritating me, “we have a patrol coming through.”
I take the tree closest to the property line, and Lex leans against me. I see the two soldiers, carrying guns larger than mythigh. Tall, broad shoulders, they look intimidating—but I know better.
Lex leans down. “Where’s the Reaper?”
“Watch.”
This must be new for Lex. He’s used to being the heir—training alone, taking over the books, being hand-selected by Nico to run the entire family. Killian and I were pitted against each other, then forced to work together and learn on our own. He heard a patrol coming, and we slipped into old patterns.
Dropping down behind them from the low overhanging porch, he kicks one forward, slicing the other’s neck. He gurgles, tossed into the snow, before Killian turns back to the fallen man. Hovering over him, he braces one forearm against his neck and places his hands on his skull.
The crack echoes across the deserted compound, and he lets the body plop to the ground without another thought.
The capo exhales harshly. “Jesus.”
“Not many people see the Reaper live in action,” I say, smirking. I have to admit—Killian kills like an art form. Moving fluidly, he’s what I assume true death looks like—skilled, quiet, and unremorseful. “Thoughts?”
“Just that I’m glad he’s on our side.”
Killian’s dark gaze cuts through the area, landing on without trying. He finds me—he’ll always find me. At one point, I hated that. Now, it’s a steady presence in a dark life, to know someone will always be there—whether I want him or not.
Whistling once, I shove Lex forward, and he hurries across the frozen ground. Over the coms, Briar informs us, “They’re at the back door. Three more soldiers are down.”
