Crimson Kiss (Onyx Assassins 5)

“I bet you say that to all the females,” she teased, a playful smile curving her soft lips.

“Only the ones I feed.” I kissed her one last time, then withdrew from her tight heat.

It took us a few minutes and a clean towel from the concession stand, but we put ourselves back together, cleaned up, and prepared to leave the theater.

I paused, my hand on the locked door. “This is hell.”

“Hawke,” Avi whispered from behind me.

“Being here. Watching you smile at him. Watching him court you…” I shook my head. “If I had to design a hell for myself, this would be it.”

“Hawthorne.” Her whisper was a plea.

For what? Silence? Because this would be so much easier to swallow if we just ignored what we were both giving up in the name of safety? I already knew this was a more logical match for her.

This match earned Alek’s safety…at least until Samuel decided he was done being married to the second in line for the throne.

This match earned Avianna the respectability of a highborn husband.

This match earned Avianna’s safety from the machinations of the Sons as long as I kept my fucking feelings to myself.

Logically, it was the kind of match princesses had been arranged into since the dawn of our species.

Logic could suck my dick.

Knowing more words would only hurt us both, I threw open the theater door and held it so Avianna could walk through.

Her cheeks were flushed, but she held her head high. So fucking regal. This was a female to drape in silks and jewels. A female who belonged on an estate just like this one, cosseted and protected.

She deserved way better than a cramped suite at the residence, waiting for a lowborn assassin to come home every dawn. She deserved to be mistress of her own home.

Lady Bianca came around the corner and glanced between us. “I was just coming to see if you wanted to meet with the chef to discuss next week’s dinner menu. You’ll be the lady of the house and as such, all of those choices will then be yours.”

“That sounds lovely.” Avianna’s smile was forced, but so practiced that only I could tell the difference between fake and real.

“If you’ll follow me?” Bianca motioned down the hall with an outstretched hand. The second Avianna passed her, Bianca gave me a once-over with a look that said I know what you’ve been doing.

I flashed a smile at her.

She caught up to Avianna and led her to the kitchens.

And as the dutiful bodyguard, I followed.

“This place gives me the creeps,” Ajax said as we met up in what James referred to as the “smoking room.”

This was the only room in the entire manor where the furniture didn’t look like it would collapse under my weight. I sank into one of the deep leather chairs by the fire.

Dagon and Ajax took the other two.

Samuel walked in, raising his hand in greeting.

Ajax did his thing, and the world froze around us, to include Samuel.

Dawn was only an hour away, and I knew Avianna was tucked away safely in her bedroom, as our bond confirmed, which was the only reason I wasn’t standing guard. Besides, if Samuel was in here, then I knew he wasn’t trying to break her door down and kidnap her again.

He doesn’t need to kidnap her. She chose to be here.

And I wasn’t afforded the choice to stay.

Mine!

There was no shutting Chad out. He was a constant, screaming presence in my head, but at least no one else could hear him.

Ajax’s little bubble protected our conversation, and I gave him a mental hat tip that his gift was always so damned useful. There were prying ears and eyes all around Deveraux Hall, but what could we expect when we camped out in the lair of our enemy?

“It’s somehow creepier than James’s old place,” Dagon agreed, folding his arms across his chest. “Remember that old castle?”

“France.” Ajax nodded.

“Talk to me about the guards.” I unsheathed a dagger and began to flip it end over end, fighting the urge to toss it at Samuel’s chest.

He was going to put his hands on Avi. His mouth. His—

Stop thinking about it.

“They all checked out,” Ajax offered. “They’re all at least two centuries old and either family of or loyal to the Deveraux line.”

“Trained well?” I clenched my jaw. While I’d been guarding Avi, Dagon and Ajax had been doing their best to subtly research not only her protective detail but the defenses of the estate.

“They’re not Assassins or Hunters.” Dagon shrugged.

“But I’d say they’re a distant second,” Ajax added, scratching the back of his neck. “I can’t believe he won’t allow Avianna to bring her own guards or at least her talem.”

“Isolating your victim is the first step toward abusing them,” I muttered.

Dagon’s eyebrows rose.

“What? It is. She has two more nights of knowing we’re here, knowing she can pull out of this arrangement. After that, she has no friends, no connections, no way of reaching out for help.” She’d be alone, and I couldn’t fucking stand it. How was I supposed to leave her here? To get in a car and drive away?