The Wolf and His Wife (Wolf 2)

He could offer me a billion dollars, and I still wouldn’t be tempted. “You could make me king of the world, and I still would turn you down.”

He shook his head slightly, like he was disappointed. “The butcher should never get too close to the livestock. Rule number one, Maverick.”

“I promised her father I would keep her safe in exchange for the information. I have to fulfill that promise.”

“But he has to fulfill his promise to me.” Now that the conversation had deepened, his mood soured. He poked his finger to his chest as he stepped closer and leered down at me. “He made me that promise first. I get priority.”

“She had nothing to do with that.”

“Boo-hoo.” He finished his drink then left the glass on the end table like an asshole. “Her father is dead, so what does it matter?”

“It matters because I keep my word.”

He studied me as his features softened. “That has nothing to do with this, and we both know it. You have to ask yourself if you’re willing to deal with this headache for a piece of ass. Don’t forget that’s all she is—just a piece of ass.”

She’d never been that to me. “Let this go, Kamikaze. You have a million ways to make money.”

“But I shouldn’t have to. She should make the money for me.”

She may be my sheep, but she was no animal. “I don’t want men to die for this war. I don’t want to use my ammo for this stupidity. But I’ll do it if you force me. I’ll do whatever it takes to protect her. If that’s how it has to be, that’s how it has to be.” Now, the conflict had been established, and there was nothing left to do but fight. We were officially enemies. The crowded room didn’t make me feel any safer than if we were alone in a dark field.

Kamikaze shook his head slightly. “That’s unfortunate, Maverick. That means one of us will live—and one of us will die.”

“Doesn’t have to be that way. Just let it go.”

“I won’t let it go just as much as you won’t,” he said bitterly. “But I want to minimize my losses. I’ve got a lot of other shit to worry about. So, this is my proposal.”

I already knew what was coming.

“Russian roulette—you and me.”

My eyes glanced higher and noticed the scar on that was visible through his hair. A bullet had torn through his skull and became buried in his brain. Somehow, the motherfucker had survived. But he wouldn’t survive it again.

If we played the game and I got the bullet, I hoped I would be as lucky.

But probably not.

“You’re a man of your word, Maverick. So, should we agree on a time and a place? Or would you rather do this the old-fashioned way?”

He had just as many resources as I did. It would be a battle resulting in many casualties. I was equally likely to die from a stray bullet. When it came to clashes like that, there was always one victor and one loser.

This option minimized the bullshit.

I glanced at Arwen on the other side of the room. Oblivious to the conversation we were having, she laughed with her companion and continued to enjoy the fresh glass of champagne that had been placed in her hand. Was this woman really worth my own life? I could hand her over right now, and the whole thing would be over. I turned my gaze back to him once my mind was made up. “Let’s do it tomorrow.”

15

Arwen

Maverick was quiet for the rest of the night. He only said a few words to his acquaintances. With a glass always pressed to his lips, he spent the evening drinking. He ditched the flutes of champagne and went straight for the liquor.

Just like last time, everyone asked me to sing a song. I sat at the piano and played a new song I’d written just weeks ago. When I looked at Maverick, he wasn’t paying attention. He stood at the window and looked out at the street, indifferent to my song.

A switch had flipped in his head.

We said goodbye to everyone and then got inside the car waiting at the curb. The driver pulled away and took us to the estate in Florence. I wanted to ask what was bothering him, but since we had no privacy, I stayed quiet.

He stuck to his side of the car and didn’t blanket me with affection. He was so cold, it didn’t seem like I was there at all. His thoughts plagued him and dragged him to the bottom of the deepest lake.

Twenty minutes later, we entered the house. It was late and Abigail was already asleep. This place had felt like a prison when I first arrived here, but now it was the most beautiful home I’d ever been in. Just the entryway alone was marvelous, with ceilings so high I could barely make out the chandelier at the top when the lights were off.