Circle of Fire (Damask Circle 1)

He didn’t reply immediately, though the tension rose by several degrees.

“He’s dead. No great loss, really.”

So Hank was no longer a threat. It should have been a relief, but it wasn’t. She had a bad feeling that Eleanor would make them all pay for his death.

But what scared her more than anything was the callousness in Jon’s voice. It was almost as if he had killed so often that it just didn’t matter to him.

And yet, deep down, he seemed to be in more than just physical pain.

“Want to talk about it?” she asked softly. “Sometimes it helps if you do.”

He snorted. The quickly fading light that washed through the windows highlighted the derision on his face. “He got a knife in the back. He died. There’s nothing much more to say, Maddie.”

There was the issue of him thinking himself a coward. And while she understood that Jon had had every intention of killing Hank, he wouldn’t have intentionally knifed him in the back. It wasn’t his way.

She touched his leg. His skin twitched slightly beneath her fingers, and a sudden shock of awareness ran warmth through her body. It was a hard sensation to ignore, and yet she would have to if she wanted to get any answers. She had a feeling Jon would reject a physical approach a whole lot faster than he was rejecting the emotional ones.

She softly cleared her throat. “Except that you’re lying here filled with anger and self-loathing.”

He glared at her. “If I’m angry, it’s because you won’t leave the subject alone.”

She stared back at him steadily. His anger was nothing compared to the anger she’d faced during her marriage. She might have known him only a few days, but it was long enough to understand that he would never hit her. He might break her heart, but he would never physically hurt her, as Brian so often had. “Did Hank say anything before he died?”

Something flickered in his eyes before the shutters came back down. It wasn’t hard to guess that Hank’s departing words had been aimed in her direction.

“Did he say anything else besides sullying my reputation?”

Just for an instant, the hint of a smile tugged at his full lips. Then he ran a hand through his disheveled hair and frowned at her. “If he did, it’s none of your business.”

His voice held an edge that cut her to the quick. She bit her lip and glanced at the window. The wind was beginning to pick up outside, rattling the old windows in their frames. Maybe it was something of an omen, a sign that trouble was brewing. But if she was to have any hope of fulfilling her promise to Evan, she had to keep pushing for information. Whether Jon liked it or not, she had every intention of staying until she found Teresa.

But maybe it was time to try a change of tactics. “How bad is the leg?”

He shrugged, a gesture that could have meant anything. “It’s fairly deep and required several stitches. The doc reckons I’ll have to stay off it for several days.”

She raised an eyebrow and wondered how he’d gotten around the problem of the doctor reporting the wound to the police. Or maybe he hadn’t—maybe he’d literally flown the coop before the police arrived to question him. “And will you?”

He smiled, though no amusement touched the coldness in his eyes. “No. Quick healing is a gift of my heritage. I’ll be able to move around in the morning.” He hesitated and studied her for a long moment. “When are you leaving?”

That was the reason for his behavior. He wanted her out of his way—it was evident not only in what he said, but in the way he said it. Even in the way he looked at her. Ignoring the deep thrust of hurt, she shook her head. “I’m not going anywhere.”

He quirked an eyebrow. “Up until now, I thought you had some sense.”

She smiled grimly. “Then you really don’t know me, do you?”

“No, I don’t.” Just for a moment his voice was edged with a hint of regret that warmed her heart. “But you can’t stay here. Eleanor will come after me, and I don’t want you in the firing line.”

So Evan was right. Jon was going after Eleanor, not Teresa. “You can’t handle Eleanor alone when you’re injured.”

“I can, and I will. I don’t want you here, Maddie. Just face that fact and leave.”

Heat crept into her cheeks. “I really don’t care what you want. I made a promise to try to find Teresa, and that’s exactly what I intend to do.”

“Who the hell told you her name was Teresa?”

“Evan did.”

“And how will you achieve this miracle?” His voice was knife-edged, thrusting deep into her soul. “I’ll find her. I just don’t want you blundering around any more, putting everyone’s life in jeopardy.”