A Worthy Opponent (Wicked Villains 3)

Instead, I walk away.

Chapter 14

Tink

I’m not cut out for captivity. Hades discovered that early on and loosened my leash, saying I was no good to him if I fought him every second of every day. Hook apparently hasn’t gotten the memo. Or he flat out doesn’t care about my mental health.

Not that I blame him. Not after the scene I caused earlier.

If I’d been thinking clearly, I wouldn’t have tried for the front door. I sure as hell wouldn’t have pulled a knife on a guy who was big enough to make even Gaeton look like a normal sized person.

But when I finally worked up the courage to leave the bathroom, all I could see was evidence of Hook everywhere I looked. I mean, I’m in his bedroom. Of course he’s put his stamp on every single surface. But it was too much and my brain short-circuited.

The elevator doors open, and my heart leaps for a moment before I recognize Colin striding into the suite. He’s like a cute younger version of Nigel. Where Nigel has the sort of poise that his name brings to mind—even if I’ve seen him beat a man bloody more than once—when Colin isn’t trying to project badass, he’s as bouncy as a puppy.

Or he used to be. I don’t know this new version of him with the hardness in his dark eyes and the scar marring the light brown skin of his left cheekbone. He stops short when he sees me, and the way his gaze flicks over me isn’t sexual in the least.

More like he’s checking to ensure I don’t have any weapons handy.

Colin holds up a phone. “Hook’s orders.” He steps just close enough to hand it to me before retreating again.

I look at the carefully curated space between us. “Are you scared I’m going to pull a knife or afraid that Hook will gut you if he thinks you touched me?”

Colin coughs out a laugh. “I’m being perfectly respectful of my cousin’s wife, who apparently has a deep and abiding love of knives.”

I don’t have a good response to that, so I examine the phone. It’s already got a number of contacts keyed into it. I raise my brows as I read through them. Hook. Meg. Hercules. Aurora. Even Nigel is in here.

A text comes through, and I snort. Hook’s already put a selfie of himself in his contact information and, damn, it’s a good one. He really has the smolder thing down. I click through to read the text.

We talk tonight.

No telling if that’s a threat or a promise, so I send him a gif of a cartoon flipping the bird and slip the phone into the back pocket of my jeans. “Why are you still standing there?”

“I’m your protection detail for the day.” Colin looks like he’d rather be anywhere but here, and I can’t really blame him.

I laugh. “You drew the short straw, huh?”

“You have no idea.”

I want to snarl and snap, but Hook’s earlier words still linger in the back of my mind. I am not like Peter. He knows that. He only said it to give me a verbal slap I more than deserved. It’s not Colin’s fault I’m in this situation. Hell, it’s not even Hook’s. He took advantage of my misfortune, but he didn’t orchestrate it.

Finally, I exhale the tension threatening to creep up my shoulders to my ears. “What are the parameters that Hook set?”

Colin’s looking at me like I might try to bite. “You have free range of the house, provided that you don’t pull a repeat of the earlier attack.”

“But no limits on guests?”

“No,” he says slowly. “He didn’t mention anything like that, though I’ll have to get anyone you want vetted.”

I wave that away. I expect nothing less, though I’ll be damned before I invite someone over simply to spite Hook. No matter how tempting the thought. “He said my stuff will be here soon.”

“That’s the plan.”

“When?”

Colin shrugs. “I don’t know.”

Yeah, that’s what I thought. I can appreciate Hook ensuring I get my possessions quickly, but ultimately he’s got other things on his mind. Other priorities. I’ve already lost too much work time in the last two days. I have a dress due to Isabelle Belmonte in a week, and I’ve only begun to sketch it. She’s got a particular style, and while I normally enjoy the challenge of working with her, it’s not something best left for last minute.

“Well, thanks for this.”

He picks up the clear dismissal and sighs. “I’ll be at the elevator doors downstairs if you need anything.”

More like to ensure I don’t do anything impulsive. I nod. “Thanks.” This time, it actually sounds like I mean it. I barely wait for him to leave before I find Meg’s contact and call her.

Despite the relatively early hour—most people who live in the Underworld are on a mostly nocturnal schedule—Meg answers rather quickly. “You know, if I’d realized you were desperate enough to marry Hook, I would have fought Hades harder on letting you stay.”