Contract Killer

Neeka felt something for him, something intense and powerful. It was something she didn’t want to forget.

Does he feel the same?

He drove up the paved driveway, past the guards that had been by the gate, and finally pulling around the circular courtyard. He turned the vehicle off, and they sat there in silence.

“I thought you would have jumped out before I even stopped it.”

She faced him, wringing her hands together, wanting to talk about them, but knowing talking about it probably wasn’t something he’d be comfortable with. “What if they come back for me, Gage? Rye knows where I live, knows every aspect of my life. I know he won’t let this go.”

“As long as he’s still alive, he will always be a threat. This world isn’t safe, but I promise you, Neeka, Rye Vincent will not hurt you again. I’ll find him, hunt him down, and take him out. That’s what I’m good at.” Gage grabbed a small bag from under the driver’s seat and unzipped it, pulling out a quarter-sized piece of metal. He handed it to her, and she held the cool metal in her hand.

“What is this?”

“It’s a tracking device, a panic button. Although I will do everything in my power to keep you safe, if something were to happen you could press this,” he said, pointing to the piece of metal. “It’ll transmit your location immediately to my compound.”

“That sounds pretty high-tech.”

“It’s not as elaborate as some of the things we have, but it’ll make sure I can find you anywhere. Our engineering department created these, and it won’t matter where you are. If you push that I’ll know where you are.”

“That makes me feel better,” she said and smiled.

“I’ll be able to find you no matter where you are, Neeka. Don’t worry.”

There was such conviction and determination in his voice that she did feel monumentally better. Just a few days ago, she was Rye’s prisoner, and then Gage came along. He was her rescuer and protector. All it took was a few short days for her heart to realize what it wanted, but now she was faced with the reality of never having it.

Some would call her crazy and a fool, but she knew the truth. Gage had given her something that no other man would be able to do. He’d given her protection and safety when the world around her had been dark and dangerous.

She turned her attention to the front doors, saw them open, and felt her tears start to crest. Her father was in there, waiting for her. She ripped the door open and raced forward, not seeing him, and assuming he was so very weak. But there was her father, in his wheelchair, looking frail but happy.

“I thought I would die before I saw you again, sweetheart.”

She dropped to her knees by her father’s chair, laying her head in his blanket-covered lap and feeling his thin legs beneath them. His voice sounded weak and strained, like he was using too much effort to speak to her.

She looked up into his dark eyes, tears slowly making tracks down both of their cheeks as they stared at each other. His fingers were loose skin over bone as he brushed his knuckles over her cheek, wiping away the tears like he used to do when she was a child.

“I missed you so much, Dad.”

“I missed you, too, darling.”

She looked to the side and saw her father’s personal assistant, Charles, give her a wide grin. Neeka stood and wrapped her arms around him, not bothering to stop the flow of tears. He was an older man and could have retired by now, but he was loyal to them and that made him a member of the family.

Behind her father’s wheelchair was Theo, Edward’s personal advisor. He wore an impeccable black suit, his dark hair brushed sophisticatedly over his forehead. Although Theo had been with their family for as long as she could remember, she’d never grown close to him like she had with the other staff members.

Theo held his arms open, and she stepped into them.

“I’m so glad you’re back, Neeka. You have no idea how worried I was about you.” He pulled her slightly back and looked down at her, brushing her cheek with his finger before he pulled her into another fierce hug.

Charles took her father back to his room to rest, but she planned on spending every possible minute with her dad. Too much time had passed.

Chapter

Twenty-Four

Gage had to do everything in his power to keep his control as he watched Theo Millian touch Neeka. He had to remind himself that his job was done, that she was now where she needed to be. He wanted to be wrapping his arms around her. He wanted to be the one to run the pad of his thumb over her cheek.