The blonde watches me with an amused expression on his face, one corner of his mouth is tilted in a crooked smirk. The color of his eyes is a deep, electric blue—for lack of a better term. It suits him.
I have ten seconds left before my hold on time wears off, and I make a split-second decision to stay. Something tells me that Jameson isn’t here to kill me. In fact, he’s about to take out my assailant in three, two…
As my power fades, the energy bolts straight into the unknown man and I watch as his body contracts. Falling face first into the ground, he writhes as though he’s been tased.
“That’ll keep him awhile.” Jameson nods, propping his hands on his hips in a carefree way I find alarming for an assassin—ex-assassin? I seriously need to learn more about these four marks of mine. I have a feeling I’ll be coming face to face with the fourth anytime now if my rapid introduction to the first three was any indication. “Where to now, cupcake?” He flashes the whites of his teeth at me in a Cheshire grin.
Cupcake.
“I had that handled.” I cross my arms, my shoulder resting on the dirty brick wall to my side as I nod to the now unconscious, twitching man lying prone on the ground.
“Of course, you did.” He nods, mimicking my posture as he crosses his own arms, stretching the fabric of his shirt over his broad, strong chest in the process. He looks like he works out every single day. Probably outside, if his sun-kissed skin is any indication. He’s good looking, but that doesn’t make me want to roll my eyes at him any less. I don’t appreciate his condescending tone.
Deciding dismissal is the best way to deal with him, I push off the wall and strut past him, adding a little extra sass to my walk.
“Nice to meet you, Jameson.” Without looking back, I throw the words over my shoulder.
“You too, Alexa.” He taunts me, making the hair on the back of my neck stand on end. Not because of how he says my name, but because of how close his voice sounds. He’s right behind me, moving soundlessly. I feel the heat of his body warm mine.
Ignoring him, I continue on my way. I weave in and out of different alleyways, avoiding the sketchy ones while I try to escape my golden shadow. No matter how hard I try, he follows me like a lost puppy dog looking for handouts. Relentless. I’m tired, irritable, and beyond frustrated.
“Are you lost?” I quip, spinning around to face him. I can’t help the small lift of my lips as he stumbles to a stop only inches in front of me. He stands so close I have to tip my head back to meet his gaze. I’m not short, but I barely come to his shoulder. “Are you just going to follow me all evening?” My eyebrows arch in challenge.
“That’s the plan. Orders.” He shrugs unapologetically. I want to knock the smirk off of his face. Unlike his friend, he seems to be permanently happy. I don’t know why it pisses me off so much.
I narrow my eyes. “Orders from who?” I have a guess, but want to make sure I’m right.
“Who else?”
“Tylin.” His name is a growl on my lips.
“You got it. So really, where to?” Suddenly he drops his guard, looking around the desolate area I led him to.
Sighing, I realize I’m not going to be able to shake Jameson, and it doesn’t seem like he’s under kill orders. If he was, he would have done the deed and disposed of my body in one of the large dumpsters that seem to decorate every damn alleyway we pass. At least, he could try.
“Come on, Goldilocks.” I start walking again, letting him keep pace right beside me. “It’s not far now.”
“You’re planning on holing up in one of these run-down warehouses?” He looks skeptical. I try to recall the file I had on him. His background is as golden as his hair. Living in one of the wealthy communities, he’s grown up privileged. It seemed to me that opportunity and good fortune fell at his feet in his formative years. Hell, he’d even been offered a full football scholarship to the best college in the city.
But then he just… disappeared from society. How he got hooked up with Armond is a mystery, and I won’t deny I’m curious.
“Yes.” I’m not in the mood for idle chatter.
“Won’t this be trespassing?” Like that would bother me. I kill people for a living. He knows this. Once upon a time, he did too, if the mark on his neck is any indication of his involvement with the Lifeless League. The ink slashes across his skin, drawing attention to the sharp angle of his jaw. I pull my gaze away from his features.
“Per se. Does that bother you?” He can’t seriously have any qualms about breaking and entering, can he?
“No, no. I’m good.” He holds his hands up, acting like he’s surrendering. “Whoever owns the building might mind, however.” We turn a corner, the building I’m aiming for in sight. The man is infuriating.
“He won’t mind.”
“Why’s that?” he presses.
“Because he’s dead,” and with that, I walk around the side of the building and jimmy up a window I know from a previous encounter doesn’t lock from the inside. I slip through, not waiting for him to follow.
Six
Joining the Team
