The Accidental Assassin (31 page)

PACING WAS NOT making the waiting any easier. Stakeouts had never been a problem in the past; I enjoyed the solitude, the peace, gleaning information from my mark. But this was not peaceful. Worry ate at my stomach and my nerves were shot.

“Are they here yet?” Kenny looked up from his plate. A very solemn looking maid had placed food for us at the kitchen island before returning to wherever she had appeared from. When Mavis told me she had a safe place in Edinburgh, I hadn’t thought there would be a household staff. It made me itchy to know there were people skulking around the house with feather dusters and brooms. A butler had opened the door for us when we arrived. A butler.

What was the woman thinking?

“No.” The word came out in a growl and I stopped to scrub my chin with my fingers. “Have you seen anything online?”

“No, but I don’t expect to. Aunt Mavis knows what she’s doing.” Kenny shrugged and took another bite of his food.

I’d fed the boy an hour before we arrived at the house because he was starving. He’d wolfed down every bit of the food, even asking if I was planning on finishing mine. Now he was tearing into the sandwich as if he’d not eaten in years.

“You should slow down or you could choke.” I leaned over and braced my arms on the marble top of the island.

“I’m not a baby.” The boy rolled his eyes and I fought that urge to smack him upside his head.

That impulse had become more frequent the longer I was stuck with Kenny. It wasn’t that I didn’t get where he was coming from, but taking care of a teenager was turning out to be similar to taking care of a toddler, only the teenager was certain they knew what they were doing, even as they drove off a cliff. And he would need absolutely zero help retrieving his car from the bottom of a ravine as he complained about strong winds and an unstable road.

Hormones did that to people. Thankfully age smoothed most of that out.

“I’m frustrated,” I explained as way of apology. It wasn’t his fault that I was all twisted up inside.

“I get it.” He took a long pull of his bottled drink. “Your girl’s out there without you. Freaks you out.”

My girl. Huh.

“I don’t like not being in control.” I looked down at the counter. I didn’t like not having Ava by my side. “So, this Laura that you and Mavis are looking for. Is she your girl?”

“Nah.” That one word spoke volumes in the quiet kitchen. She might not be his girl, but he would have liked it that way. Suddenly I had more patience for his behavior. A little more. Not a ton.

“Women.” I frowned. “They’re a lot of trouble.”

“Worth it.” He looked over at me with dark eyes. “At least you know she wants to be with you.”

“Maybe.” I stood up and walked to the window over the sink. I wasn’t really in the mood to discuss my relationship with Ava. It was still too new, too confusing. If I’d been a stronger man I would have kept her at arm’s length. She didn’t belong with someone like me.

“She’s the real thing, man.” Kenny’s eyes glazed over a bit and the urge to smack the back of his head returned. “She’s hot, but with a brain. And funny. You shouldn’t let her get away.”

“Life isn’t that simple.” I frowned. Where were they? It was almost midnight.

“Yeah, sometimes it really is that simple.” He looked at me with eyes that were much older than his sixteen years.

I looked at him, really thinking about what he was saying. I wanted to hold on to Ava; wanted to wake up next to her every morning that I possibly could. But was that a real possibility? With her I didn’t despise myself, I didn’t hide away from the world, and she didn’t look at me as if I was broken. I felt whole with her around. Or I would…if we weren’t constantly running for our lives.

That had to stop. I couldn’t see all of the possibilities while dodging bullets, only focused on keeping us alive.

“I suppose simple doesn’t mean easy.” I raised one eyebrow.

“You wouldn’t want it if it was easy,” he replied.

Out of the mouths of babes…

“Besides, her rack is so worth fighting for. I mean, damn.” He dragged out the last word and I didn’t fight the impulse this time. Reaching out I boxed his ear, sending him leaning in the opposite direction.

“Have some respect, boy.” I leveled my gaze at him, letting him see the anger simmering just under the surface. “Next time you’ll hit the floor. I don’t care who you’re related to.”

“Ow. Damnit! That hurt!” He covered his ear and ducked away from me. “I’m sorry. It was just a compliment.”

“If you think that was a compliment, then it’s no wonder Laura doesn’t want to date you.” I pointed at him. “Being in this business doesn’t give you a right to be a perv. In fact, if you follow in your aunt’s footsteps the way you intend, you need to walk the straight and narrow in every other way. Otherwise you’ll get yourself killed.”

“Right. I’m sorry.” He pulled his hand away from his ear before tracing it delicately with his fingertips. “Damn, that hurt. Can you show me how to do that to someone?”

“Sure, turn your head and pay attention.”

“Never mind. I’ll figure it out myself.” He took a step further away from me.

“You need to learn how to fight.” I shook my head. “You’re going to be slaughtered if you can’t protect yourself.”

“My aunt won’t let me take classes. She thinks I’ll get myself in trouble.”

I looked pointedly at his ear.

“Okay, she’s probably right.” He frowned. “Or I would have been quick enough to avoid you. You caught me off guard.”

I reached out and cuffed his other ear. Keeping my face blank I waited for his reaction. Part of me was willing to fight, not that I’d really hurt him. The other part of me wanted to see if he would be dumb enough to try it.

“Jesus Christ! What is
wrong
with you?” He hopped out of my way and glared at me. “You’re a sadistic fuck! I need my ears!”

I just stood there with my arms by my sides. “I am a sadistic fuck, but I wasn’t being one to you. I merely pointed out that you are really not ready to take anyone on. If I’d had a knife, you’d be bleeding to death on your aunt’s floor.”

“That’s why I need to learn to fight.” He stood there covering both of his ears. “I want to be able to take care of Aunt Mavis and myself.”

“And Laura.” I kept my face blank.

“Yes, and Laura. She barely knows I’m alive! I’d just left her house after our tutoring session when they took her. If I’d stayed I might have been able to stop them. Especially if I knew how to fight.” He glared at me with so much defiance I actually felt a twinge of pity.

“If you can find time to stop eating, I could teach you some things.” I shrugged. “But if your aunt finds out and says no, I’m going to back off.”

“You’ll teach me?” His expression was skeptical.

“I have some ground rules.” I held up my hand. “One, you do what I say without question, without arguing. Two, you don’t use what I teach you until I say you’re ready.”

He started to open his mouth and I just looked at him until he snapped it shut.

“Good. Three, even if I’m not around, you practice what I teach you. If you don’t then it’s all pointless.” I waited for a response but he didn’t say anything. “If you can abide by that, then I will teach you what I can. I’m not going to promise that you’ll make an amazing boxer or win medals at a tournament, but I promise to try and make you the best fighter you can be.”

I fought the urge to suck in a breath at my words. I’d just offered a string to tie me to this boy. I didn’t do things like this. I could have told him to find a gym or martial arts studio, but instead had offered to teach him myself. I’d basically bound myself to him. If he took me up on my offer and ended up dead, I’d be the one responsible.

“Agreed.” Kenny held his hand out and I shook it. There it went. I’d tied myself to him now. First Ava and now the gangly computer whiz. Life had turned fucking upside down.

“And you need to learn some respect.” I pulled him a little closer, not letting go of his hand. “I’m not your aunt. I won’t put up with your smart ass mouth. If you cop an attitude or insult your aunt or Ava in my hearing, I’m going to take it out of your ass. Understood?”

“Yes sir.” His smile grew. “When do we start?”

“Tomorrow.” I let go of his hand and pushed him toward the kitchen door. “Go shower and get some sleep. You stink.”

“Let me know when they get back?” His eyes focused on mine. The nonchalant teenage shrug didn’t hide his need to know his aunt was safe.

“Yes.”

He nodded before leaving. I could hear him taking the stairs two at a time. I sat down on the stool he had vacated and ate some of the chips he’d left on his plate. Agreeing to take care of Ava had been thought-free. It was an immediate knee-jerk reaction to the fear on her face. Offering to tie myself to Kenny had felt similar. I’d offered without thinking about what it would mean for me.

I didn’t do things without thinking. What was wrong with me? It was as if someone had flipped a switch in my head and I suddenly had protective instincts.

And I was pretty sure I knew who was to blame.

If anyone else had seen me, I would have denied it, but the thought of how Ava had influenced me made me smile. Everything felt a little more real, a little more survivable. Since I’d met her, I hadn’t felt like I’d sold pieces of my soul to be alive.

The sound of tires outside of the house had me on my feet. I moved close to the door and looked out the side of the curtain. The driver opened the door and I felt like I’d been punched in the gut.

Ava took the driver’s hand as he assisted her out of the car, one long, bare leg at a time. The skirt she was wearing must’ve been painted on and the blouse showed off all that cleavage Kenny had thought was worth dying for. Her hair swung around her shoulders in long waves, her bangs pushed to the side, showcasing her giant blue eyes. She was sex and innocence rolled into one perfect package.

Most importantly she was here, safe, and didn’t look scared.

I took a deep breath and tried to remember that I was watching to make sure nothing was wrong, not to stare at the gorgeous American. Ava slipped a bag over her shoulder and shifted a coat to her free arm. Her eyes ran over the house, but she didn’t make any move to go up the steps.

Mavis slid out of the car next, her blond hair twisted at the base of her neck, her outfit just as revealing as the one Ava wore, but she didn’t hold a candle to my girl. Ava held out the jacket for Mavis who waved it away. Her eyes met mine through the edge of the curtain and she smiled.

They were safe.

I stepped away from the window and ran a hand through my hair. It took a lot of will power to not open the door and go swoop Ava into my arms.

Ava used a key to open the front door, moving to the side and holding it open for Mavis. Her eyes darted around the room, looking for something. I stepped out of the shadows and drank in the smile that curved her mouth.

Mavis shut the door behind them and took the coat out of Ava’s hands. She said something I couldn’t hear before disappearing into the kitchen after a small nod in my direction.

I tucked my hands in the pockets of my pants. The need to hold Ava against me was so intense I was worried I’d hurt her. What if she had decided that everything between us had been a mistake? She’d been left with Mavis and her own thoughts for most of a day.

“Did you guys have any trouble?” She tucked some of her hair behind her ear and licked her lips.

“Other than Kenny eating as much as his body weight, we’re fine.” I let my eyes roam over her curves, the way her hands twisted together in front of her. “Did you?”

“Eat my weight in food?” She raised an eyebrow and a half smile pulled at her mouth.

“Trouble. Did you have any trouble?” I took a step toward her, caught in the gravitational pull of her eyes.

“No. It was actually really easy, which worried me more than anything. I kept expecting something to go wrong.” She took a step closer to me. She was wearing heels that almost brought her eye to eye with me. “No one even looked at us.”

“I guarantee that people looked at you.”

A blush rushed up her neck and I felt my own smile grow.

“The clothes were Mavis’s idea.” She looked down at the skirt and leaned over to look at her shoes, giving me a hearty glimpse of her cleavage. “I feel awkward.”

“You shouldn’t.” I took another step in her direction and took my hands out of my pockets. “You look like sex in heels.”

“I think that was her idea, but I’m not really the sexy type.” She bit her lip and I couldn’t help myself.

It took five large strides to close the distance between us. I tangled my fingers in her hair and enjoyed the way her lips, slick with lip gloss, moved against mine. That was new and unexpected. Her hands weren’t gentle either as she pulled at me. Her breathing was fast, her body fitting perfectly against mine, and I knew I was lost. Being away from her had been like holding my breath for hours on end.

“You are definitely the sexy type.” I pressed my mouth to the pressure point just below her ear. “Very, very sexy.”

“You like the clothes.” If I hadn’t already been standing at attention, her throaty laugh would have pushed me there.

“Yes.” I slid my hand to the nape of her neck so I could look deep into her eyes. “Very much. Now you should take them off.”

“Mavis said we could have the room downstairs. She was going upstairs to check on Kenny.” She threaded her fingers with mine and pulled me through a formal parlor to the back of the house.

I followed her, my eyes glued to the way her ass swayed as she walked in those mile high heels. She opened one door, but it was just a toilet. She closed it and opened the door next to it. There was a large four poster bed and other furnishings, but the only thing that really mattered was the bed. She tugged me into the room before leaning against the door and making sure it was locked.

I pressed behind her and let my hands roam up her body. I started to pull at her shirt but she turned and pushed my hands away.

“Nuhuh. You can’t tear these.” Instead she moved out of reach and slipped the black sweater off that she was wearing and laid it on a chair in the corner. When she began to unbutton her blouse, coherent thoughts fled my mind leaving behind nothing but anticipation and greed. Underneath that satin was a black lace bra that perfectly cupped her breasts. She let the shirt fall to the floor behind her before reaching to undo the zipper on her skirt. After it floated to the ground, she was standing there in nothing but the black lingerie and heels. It took a second for my mind to register just what my body saw.