Page 27 of Fighting Salvation

She let a small smile trip over her lips at how affronted he sounded on her behalf. How could she tell him it was because he refused to love her back or couldn’t let himself without turning this into something awkward? “It just isn’t.”

“Well, whoever the guy is, he’s an idiot.”

“Why assume its’s a guy?”

“When a woman gets that look on her face, it’s always a guy that’s fucked up.”

“Nah, he’s just been hurt.”

Bás brought the car to a stop at the front of the house they’d all share for the foreseeable future before turning in his seat toward her. “He’s an idiot.”

His voice was husky as if he knew it was himself he was speaking of and it took everything she had to hold back from crawling onto his lap and asking him to hold her.

“You’re the only woman I’ve ever been tempted to walk away from my vendetta for, Valentina, but I won’t risk your life for something as intangible as a future we can’t guarantee.”

It was the most honest thing he’d ever said to her and it made her want to cry but she straightened her shoulders and lifted her chin. “Let’s go kill a bad guy then.”

Chapter 8

“I tell you, man, if you could marry food, I’d be down on one knee for this babotie.”

Bás shook his head at Hurricane as he licked his plate clean and groaned. “You’re truly a strange human being, Hurricane.”

Hurricane only laughed and patted his stomach. “I’m a growing boy.”

“You will be if you keep putting food away like that,” Lotus quipped as she strolled into the room.

Val had gone to her room to lie down after their very deep conversation that afternoon. She’d hinted it was the effects of the medication still but he knew she was avoiding him.

Maybe he should have kept quiet about his feelings but he’d wanted to give her something and now, like always, he’d made it worse. He should have just kept his mouth shut.

“What’s that frown for, boss man?”

Lotus sidled up beside him as he pored over everything they knew about the case coupled with his own knowledge. He couldn’t help thinking he was missing something important and that Val was right. A personal grudge was the key, but he didn’t know what the grudge was.

“Just trying to see if I missed something.”

He closed the laptop and looked at the waspiest yet most vulnerable member of his team. She’d been through a lot, been forced to become something she was never destined for, and he saw some of himself in her. She kept barriers up with her cutting remarks to keep a distance.

“You dealing with Rykov being here okay?”

Rykov had saved her and nursed her back to health after an attack that had left her fighting for her life. He’d been her friend and mentor and Bás suspected much more than that. Rykov was a fair bit older but he would never judge. Lotus was an adult who could make up her own mind, but he knew the man also reminded Lotus of a dark period in her life and that made their relationship tricky.

Lotus rolled her eyes heavenward. “He’s a bossy prick, but I can handle him.”

“Good, just don’t maim him.”

She held her fingers an inch apart. “Maybe a lil bit?”

“Lotus!” he growled in warning.

“Fine. I won’t maim the Russian mobster.”

“My little flower, you wound me.”

Rykov strolled into the room, his suit exchanged for dress trousers and a black shirt. He still looked every inch what he was but this was relaxed for him.

“Do not wind her up, Rykov. I don’t have the time or the energy to play babysitter for you two.”