Dirty Dealers

“Nothing now,” she says in a broken voice. “I’m as good as dead.”

“Let’s back up to before now.” My voice is sharp. “Tell us why you accompanied him here. What was your assignment?”

Her eyes slide closed, and again, a tear slips down her cheek. “My assignment was to reconnect with you.”

Pain slices through me like a knife. Freddie’s eyes dart to mine, but I hold it together. “And once you’d done that?”

She takes a breath and continues. “Establish a relationship that would compromise your position. At an appointed time I would distract you so his men could kidnap the queen regent.”

“What the hell?” Freddie pushes off the wall. “This fucker has no idea. There’s no way anyone could compromise Logan…”

His voice trails off, and I feel his eyes on me. My eyes are on Kass’s wrists, and I can only imagine the pain her words inflicted is all over my face. My armor is down. It was a brilliant plan, and it would have worked perfectly.

“So what happened?” Freddie says, his voice lower. “What went wrong?”

Several seconds tick by. I count the drops of rain hitting the window, not sure I want to hear her response to his question.

“I couldn’t do it.” Her voice cracks. “When he told me it was time, my only choice was to kill him. I was determined to do it… But he’s too strong for me.”

Freddie walks to the door. “We have this threat neutralized. I’ll call Rowan while you finish up here.”

He’s gone, and it’s only her, me, and the storm raging outside. I stand and pull the chain on the small lamp on the desk then I go to the door and switch off the stark white light. We’re bathed in a soft, yellow glow.

I pause before leaving. “Freddie will let you know what the king decides, whether you’ll be detained or… something else.”

My hand is on the doorknob when she speaks, her voice high and shaky. “I’m so sorry, Logan.”

The things she said before I left her apartment earlier this evening are in my mind as she finishes.

“I never wanted to hurt you.”

At that, something in me clicks. I’m not hurt. I’m destroyed, and I want her to feel the pain she’s caused me. Pushing the door closed, I turn and cross the room to where she sits. Grasping her upper arms, I jerk her off the cot.

She gasps, and her lips part. Small hands clutch my biceps, and I give her a shake. “Your only choice wasn’t killing him.” Rage seethes through my tone. “Your choice was to trust me.” I give her another shake. “Your choice was to tell me what was happening.”

Tears streak her cheeks, and she blinks rapidly. “I couldn’t take that chance, not with you.” She hiccups a breath and closes her eyes. “I’ve listened to him with his prisoners. I’ve been outside the door when he tortures them. It’s horrible. I would never let him do that to you. I couldn’t let him hurt you like that.”

“So you did it yourself.” It’s a statement of fact.

Her head moves side to side and more tears fall. “No, Logan.”

My jaw is clenched and my words are a low growl. “Yes, Kass.” I’m still gripping her arms, but she bends her elbows, reaching for me.

I’m

furious. I’m doing my best to hold a protective shield between her and my heart, and the sight of her pale hand reaching for me splinters it. My hold on her falters, and she moves forward, burying her face in my chest, small hands clutching my shirt. For the space of a heartbeat, I keep my defenses strong. Until I feel her body shudder, and my arms go around her.

“I’m so sorry.” Her voice is soft, muffled against me, and my arms tighten around her slim body.

I hold her through the tears. I hold her, allowing the depth of the pain she has inflicted to be soothed momentarily. I drop my face to her hair and inhale deeply the clean, sweet scent of her fragrance. God help me, I’m being torn apart.

“I can’t let this go.” Forcing my resolve in place, I move her back so I can see her face. “Blix is evil. You worked with him. You were in his inner circle. Are you still?”

She shakes her head no. “He’ll never trust me again.”

“How can I ever trust you again?”

“You can’t.” No irony is in her tone. She’s not pleading or crying. It’s a simple acknowledgment of fact.