Air Bound (Sea Haven/Sisters of the Heart 3)

Valentin took the war bag from his hand and led the way a short distance to another hatch. "It's as comfortable as we could make it. Quarters are small. We don't have much room."

"This is fine," Maxim said, and ducked a little to take Airiana inside. She hadn't lifted her head from where it was buried in his neck. He reached for the bag, blocking the hatch so Valentin couldn't step inside. "Thanks. If you could send us some hot drinks, Val, I'd really appreciate it."

Valentin nodded and turned to leave. Maxim closed the hatch and carried Airiana to the small bed. He only had to take three short steps. "Val wasn't kidding when he said there was little room. I hope you're not claustrophobic."

She sighed and lifted her head reluctantly. "If I am, I'll never admit it, not after you having to haul me through the water, with me forgetting how to use a tank every few minutes."

"You didn't forget, you panicked," he corrected.

"Yeah. Thanks for pointing that out. You don't have to be so literal." She scooted across the bed to the wall, drew up her knees and wrapped her arms around her legs, a position he was coming to know was comforting to her. She rested her chin on top of her knees and regarded him with her blue eyes.

"This can't be easy for you."

He shrugged. He didn't want her sympathy. He was the one who had kidnapped her from her home and taken her on a rather harrowing journey. He'd killed people in front of her and exposed her to a ruthless human trafficking ring. He'd even made her swim underwater when she was terrified.

"It's a job, Airiana. It's what I do."

"Quite frankly, Maxim, your job sucks." She kept her eyes glued to his. "Do you like what you do?"

"What the hell kind of question is that?" he snapped. He wanted to turn away, but it was impossible, he was already falling into all that blue.

"Aren't people supposed to like what they do?" She shrugged. "Is it so difficult to answer? You've obviously been doing this kind of work a long time, you're good at it, but is it what you want to do?"

"It's what I'm trained for. I'm more than good at it."

"That doesn't answer the question," she persisted.

"Damn it, Airiana, I don't have a choice. I'm not like other people, who can choose what they want to do. I was taken from my home as a child and trained to be a covert operative. I assassinate drug lords, heads of state, anyone my government wants out of their way. I kill people for a living. I seduce women and torture men. I climb into bed with the worst kind of depraved human beings in order to get close to my target. I turn a blind eye to victims, and when set on a path I don't stop until the job is done. That's my job, it's what I do, and it's who I am."

"Actually, it's not," Airiana said.

She didn't look in the least bit disturbed by his outburst. His voice had been low, but it was a whiplash, designed to stop all conversation. He couldn't believe he'd even admitted such things to her. By rights he should kill her and throw her in the sea to protect himself, his identity and his remaining brothers, who were still at risk.

She patted the spot on the bed beside her, those clear blue eyes beckoning him. "You're tired, Maxim. You may not recognize that you are, but I can see it. Come sit down and stop prowling like a caged tiger."

"You do realize that I kill people, Airiana. Being in the same room with me and baiting me isn't a very smart move."

She patted the bed again. "You're no danger to me and we both know it. Now you're the one being silly. Come sit down." She flashed a small, wan smile. "I won't bite you."

No, but she could see right through him, and that was far more dangerous than a bite. Fortunately someone banged on the hatch. He sent her one quelling look and pulled a pistol from his war bag. Standing to one side, he slowly opened the hatch, ready for anything.

"Don't shoot me, Max," Valentin said, and slowly stuck his head inside the cabin.

They had a code they always used. If they were alone and all was well, Maxim was "Max" and Valentin was "Val." Still, Maxim always remained cautious--and suspicious--it was what kept him alive.

Get the coffee, honey, and leave me a clear shot, just to be safe.

Airiana stood up without protest and took the two mugs of hot coffee from Valentin. "Thank you, I really need this," she said.

Valentin smiled at her and gave a small bow. "I'm Val, an old friend of Max's."

"Airiana," she said, and offered her hand.

Maxim's breath hissed out between his teeth. Never let someone touch you like that. He could pull you into him and use you as a shield, he reprimanded, his voice harsher than he intended. He'd forgotten how charming Valentin could be around women.

Valentin merely took Airiana's hand and raised it to his mouth. Maxim resisted pulling the trigger.

"You can leave any time, old friend," he snapped at Valentin.

The man grinned at him and held Airiana's hand a little bit too long--deliberately now that he knew he was getting to Maxim.

"I've got a gun," he felt compelled to point out.

Valentin burst out laughing, but he let go of Airiana and backed out of the room. Maxim resisted the urge to kick the hatch closed after him. Shoving the pistol in his belt at the small of his back, he took both coffee mugs from her and yanked her into his arms. She gave a startled little yelp. He didn't care. He bunched her thick hair in his fist and forced her to look up at him. Already his mouth was descending.

He kissed her long. Thoroughly. Over and over. Demanding compliance. He felt a bit like a drowning man going under for the last time, but it didn't matter. Nothing mattered but the feel of her slender body tight against him and the taste of her on his tongue, filling his body and soul with . . . her. Just her.

When he lifted his head, she blinked at him, her eyes a little glazed, her mouth swollen from his kisses, her breathing ragged. Both of her hands had found his shirt, clutching there for stability.

"What was that for?" she asked, touching her lips.

"For driving me mad. Get on the damn bed and drink your coffee."

She blinked again, those long feathery lashes that tempted him to start all over again, but she complied with his order, scooting back to the original position she favored. He handed her the coffee mug and sank down beside her, his back to the wall, his thigh pressed tight against hers.

She sipped at the hot liquid and leaned her head against his shoulder. "It's not who you are, Maxim, no matter what you say. Saying it doesn't make it so."

He turned his head to glare at her. She had her eyes closed, and she looked small and vulnerable, nestling into him for protection, if not comfort. He couldn't yell at her for wanting to save him. He could tell her it wasn't possible, but the truth was, he couldn't help the small thrill Airiana fighting for him gave him.

He took a drink of coffee to keep from kissing her. If he kissed her again, he wasn't going to stop and it wouldn't be fair to her. He would see this thing through and then he'd disappear.

"When you talk to me, mind to mind, I can see inside you. I also see the things you do and how those children affected you. You're not a killer, Maxim. Not at all. You kill, but that isn't who you are."

Her voice sounded drowsy, sexy. His body tightened. He wondered if he could be a rapist on top of all his other sins. "You're falling asleep."

"I don't want to. I have nightmares. Really bad nightmares. Do you?" She took another sip of coffee, more for warmth than the stimulant.

He wished he had nightmares. Maybe he'd feel more human. As it was he felt he'd lost all humanity years earlier and all that was left of him was a machine programmed to kill. "No." But he didn't sleep. And never with another person in the room with him. That would be far too dangerous.

"Just stop."

His eyebrow shot up. He looked down at her again. She hadn't opened her eyes. "Excuse me?"

"Your job. Just walk away from it. Levi and Thomas did. You could too. You don't need to do what they tell you if you don't like it--and clearly you don't. Everyone has a choice, Maxim, even yo

u."

"Levi and Thomas disappeared because everyone believes them to be dead. If anyone realized they were still alive and living under an alias, ten hit men would show up and wipe out everyone on that farm. I can't very well add to the danger to everyone there, now can I?" And what would be the use of retiring if he didn't have a place to retire to--or someone to retire for?

As if she read his mind she turned her head and looked up at him. "You can do anything you want to do, Maxim." Her lashes fluttered again.

He took the mug from her hands and set it aside. At least she wasn't shaking anymore. "Lie down. You don't have to go to sleep, and I'll be here with you."