Right. The hit.
Which Kit specifically told Darius not to tell James about.
Calm shattered, Kit tensed under James’s arm—and James was far too attuned to Kit’s every movement. His grip on his phone tightened, then he set it aside before turning on the couch.
“What circumstances is he talking about, babe?”
Resentment and guilt burned through Kit’s adrenaline crash. Lips tightening, he avoided James’s eyes. “Darius, we’re not talking about that.”
Kit had been very clear—he didn’t want to tell James or Bishop about the contract on his life until he learned who it was from. He’d trusted Darius’s agreement to his terms.
Darius sighed, and his tone was sympathetic but firm. “I agreed at the time, but given what happened today, James needs to know. Either you tell him, or I will.”
“I don’t like the sound of this,” James said, tense at Kit’s side.
Kit exhaled sharply and scooted away to the corner of the couch. He needed space. Drawing his feet up on the cushion, he wrapped his arms around his knees. His hands itched, anxiousto claw into his arms beneath the baggy sweatshirt, but he restrained himself. Barely.
Because Darius was right, damn him.
“Fine. You tell him,” Kit said, without shame at taking the coward’s way out. Darius had offered, after all.
Darius nodded. “James, I’m not going to waste my breath telling you to stay calm. Just try to listen, all right?”
“I really don’t like the sound of this,” James said, jaw tight.
“I’m handling this, and everything is fine,” Darius started, which Kit thought was a good move. Way less unhinged than the way he had broken the news to Kit. “Someone put out a hit on Kit.”
James froze—and for just a moment, what crossed his face wasn’t anger, but pure scared hurt. So sharp it cut into Kit’s soul. Regret chilled his veins. Kit had never imagined James would be so upset.
Then James’s anger won out, and he launched to his feet. “What the fuck? Who is it? Who took the contract?”
“I’m still figuring out who’s behind it,” Darius said. “And of course, I took it. I’m drawing out the negotiations to get more information.”
James glared at both of them, then swung around to Darius. “When exactly did you accept a contract on my boyfriend?”
“About two weeks ago. I told Kit about it, and he asked me not to tell anyone else until we learned more.”
James whirled around on Kit. “Why the fuck would you do that? Did you suspect me?”
“No,” Kit protested, horrified that James would even think that. His nails dug into his palms.
James shook his head and turned back to Darius. While he’d restrained himself talking to Kit, his voice rose now. “Why the fuck would you agree to that? This is the stupidest fucking thing I’ve ever heard.”
Darius stood, his hands spread in a non-threatening pose. “Lower your voice, James.”
“Being quiet won’t make me less fucking pissed off.”
Part of Kit wanted to jump up too. Grab James’s hand and diffuse the situation. But Kit succumbed to the greater part of him, which read James’s hurt anger as a threat.
“I can explain,” Kit said quietly, curling tighter into the corner of the couch. But even as he said it, he knew it wasn’t true. All this, and he still didn’t want to explain.
“Go for it,” James snapped. “I can’t fucking wait to hear this.”
Fuck. This was all wrong. Even if Kit wanted to answer, he couldn’t. His entire chest hurt too much.
“James,” Darius said quietly. “Leave the room for a minute.”
“I’m not going anywhere,” James spat.
