“Just shut up.” She snapped on the medscope. “You’re lucky you didn’t die back there. You should have fired the gun.”
“I told you, I don’t use guns. End of the fucking story. What’s your problem?”
She clicked the medscope off, even though his wound hadn’t finished healing yet. She shoved her hands on her hips. “It’s not your fault she died. It’s the Guild’s. You not firing a weapon just tells me you’re still fucked up about it. You’re letting the Guild win, and will probably get yourself killed in the process.” She turned the scope on again.
Zayn cocked his head. “Why are you so angry?”
“Because it could have gotten me killed.”And you, you stupid idiot.
“And that stunt you pulled at the treatment plant?” he snapped back. “Risking yourself instead of letting me go. Is that any different?”
She looked away from his penetrating gaze and turned off the scope. “All finished. Not even a scar.” Just smooth, warm flesh.
He gripped her hand. “Thank you. For saving me. Twice. And healing me.”
His fingers were warm on hers and, unable to stop herself, she let her fingers twine with his. “You’re welcome.” She shrugged a shoulder. “I guess we made a pretty good team down there.”
“Yeah, we did.” His fingers stroked over the skin of her wrist.
“In the Guild, we’re taught not to care for each other. That we should sacrifice another assassin if it means completing the mission.”
“That’s a crappy way to run a team.”
She shook her head. “Assassins operate solo, not as a team. We rarely work together and when we do…they tell us not to feel. They tell us we’re already dead. Just a weapon of the Guild.”
His face twisted. “You don’t belong there, and we’re going to get you out.”
Now she looked at his face, at his eyes. Those fascinating, wild, bright blue eyes that she’d seen in her dreams for so long. She felt the air around them still and her breath caught in her chest. He tugged her closer and with a final pull, overbalanced her into his lap.
Her mouth went dry. “I thought you had to concentrate on the asteroids?”
“We cleared the field about thirty seconds ago.”
She swallowed. She’d never been held on someone’s lap before. He was hard and firm beneath her. He tipped her face up with one finger under her chin.
“I’d have you on my team any day, Ria.”
A warmth spread in her chest. She’d been a member of the Guild all her life but had never truly felt any sense of belonging. Those quiet words from this man were enough to make her feel like she was a part of something.
His gaze dropped to her lips and her stomach knotted. Did she want this? Did he see her or Vik?
Ria decided not to think too hard about it. For once, she was going to take what she wanted. She closed the infinitesimal distance, her hands sliding into his thick hair. After what felt like an eternity, his mouth fused with hers.
God. Ria froze for a second, the taste of him flooding her senses. Then they were both moving closer, devouring each other. His tongue met hers and she urged him closer. She wanted more.
She shifted in his lap and felt the hard press of his erection against her hip.
“You taste good,” he murmured against her lips. One of his hands had slid down over her hip, and was toying with the waistband of her trousers. “I’ve wondered for a long time how you’d taste.”
Ria froze. “You’ve only known me one day.”
He blinked. “I…ah…”
He didn’t need to say anything else. She pushed to her feet and straightened her shirt. “I’m not her. I’m not going to be some poor substitute for your dead obsession.”
His jaw clenched hard, a muscle ticking. “That’s not…I don’t… Fuck!” He shoved a hand through his hair.
It was all she needed to hear. She needed this man’s help, nothing else. The guy was stuck in the past, and had nothing to offer except his skills in helping her snatch the derringer and gain her freedom.
