Rocket (Hell's Handlers MC 5)

“My last mission, something didn’t add up. When I looked into it, I found my mark was basically nothing more than a fucking mob hit. Some asshole wanted someone who’d pissed him off taken out. Esposito was the highest bidder, so we got the job. I was seconds away from wasting the guy when my gut started ranting at me. I bailed and dug into the situation. What I found made me sick. Some family man with a gambling problem owed the mob a boatload. He couldn’t pay and the boss wanted to make an example of him. I walked on the spot and Esposito let me go. Think he knew he’d lose me if I ever found out what he’d been up to. But there was a catch, of course. I owe them because I had years left on my contract. So far, I’ve staved off all their attempts to collect. Doesn’t seem to be working this time.”

“Hmm.” She said, cocking her head as she rested her hands on those curvy hips. Where her eyes had a dull, shocked glaze to them a few moments ago, they shot fire now. “So, the second you found out the company you worked for was less than honorable, you left. Pardon me, Logan, but I’m not seeing the problem here. Sure, you had an atypical job that required you to do something most couldn’t imagine doing, but, come on, I’m not naive. I recognize that type of work is necessary to prevent acts of terror, wars, and other horrible atrocities.”

Rocket snorted. What the hell was she playing at? She was way too understanding. Why wasn’t she walking away? Seeing him for the monster he was? Chloe was supposed to make this easy on him because fuck if he was strong enough to tear himself away from her.

He stormed toward her. As he breached her personal space, towering over her, Chloe’s eyes widened. Fear flashed. Just for a fraction of a second before it gave way to concern once again, but it was there.

Rocket deserved to be shot for this. Even if the ends justified the means. “That’s the thing, babe, I didn’t walk because they violated my moral code. I don’t have one. There’s not a goddamn thing I wouldn’t do under the right circumstances. I walked because I won’t be used.”

Chloe’s mouth dropped open and her eyes flared so wide he almost laughed despite the sickness in his gut. Let her chew on that while she’s thinking about what kind of man she wanted in her life.

“Master’s at the top of the stairs. It’s all yours,” he said as he brushed past her. He had to get the hell out of there before her shocked gaze turned to one of disgust.

“Logan,” she called out as he was halfway up the open staircase. He didn’t answer. Just trudged on, ignoring both the plea in her voice and the sharp pain behind his ribs.

WHAT THE HELL had happened?

Chloe had asked herself that question at least a hundred times in the past—she rolled over and glanced at the bedside clock—eight hours. It wasn’t even that late, only ten p.m., but Rocket had disappeared shortly before four, leaving Chloe on her own and confused as hell. After the kiss at the clubhouse, and Rocket taking her to his gorgeous and apparently secret home, she’d been sure their relationship was taking a step forward. Where exactly that step would have led, she didn’t have a clue, but she’d been ready and excited for it. Turned out they took a step all right. Two of them. Two giant strides backward.

“Argh!” She rolled over, planted her face in the pillow and let out what would have been an ear-piercing scream had the feathers not absorbed the sound. For good measure, she threw in a few fist pounds and kicks to the mattress.

It didn’t help. She was still frustrated beyond words. Both emotionally and physically.

With a huff, Chloe sat up. Trying to sleep was a giant waste of time. After puttering around the first level for a while, she’d scrounged up something to eat, watched a movie on Netflix, then had given up around eight-thirty. Ninety minutes of ceiling-staring and obsessing later, she’d had enough.

What bothered her most, was the line of bullshit Logan fed her at the end. That nonsense about not having a moral code. Serious bull. The man had a very strict moral code. Sure, it might not be in line with everyone else’s or even with the law, but she didn’t believe for one second he only quit DarkOps because he felt used. No, that man walked away from a dangerous job with a deadly company because he discovered his employers were evil. And Logan vanquished evil, he didn’t condone it.

He’d not only rescued her from hell, but he accepted her idiosyncrasies—if you could call tying random men up and screwing them nothing but an idiosyncrasy—and reminded her not all men were out to harm her.