“The part where you showed up on my island at three in the morning and kissed my woman.”He steps toe to toe with me, the knife spinning fast enough to whistle.“Start with how you got here.”
“I paid a fisherman for a ride across the sound.”
Dove crosses her arms.Wolf gestures with the knife for me to continue.
“I slipped onto the shore before your security team saw me.The fisherman fed them a story about his dog falling overboard and swimming in this direction.So right about now, your men are fanning out along the shoreline and shoutingBuddyinto the dark.”
Wolf’s lips twitch.Dove actually looks offended on behalf of the nonexistent dog.
“Relax,” I say.“Buddy is apparently very strong, very brave, and very good at the backstroke.”
“What’s your escape plan?”He ends the knife spin by snapping it into a perfect grip, the point angled at the floor.
“You tell me.”
All his sharp, restless energy funnels inward, churning through the gears in his head as he regards me.He’s smart.Smarter than most.It takes him two seconds to figure it out.
“I’m your escape plan.”His eyes flicker.“You counted on me catching you.Knew I would hear you out before I killed you.You assumed I would approve of your plan to disappear and leave Dove with me.If all went well, maybe I’d even take you back to Sitka myself.How am I doing?”
“Good so far.”
“Wolf…” Dove steps to his side.“He’s manipulating you.”
“Copy that, boss.”He drapes an arm around her and returns to me.“Since there’s no dog, the GI Joe squad will be here any minute.Better start talking.”
“There’s nothing left to say.”My head pounds.
“Sure there is.Why are you here?”
“To say goodbye.”I catch Dove’s stare and hold it.
“You chartered a ride across the sound, risked getting shot by our security guards, and climbed the guest house balcony like Romeo.”He looks around.“That’s how you got in here, right?”
“Yes.”My jaw ticks.
“You did all that to say goodbye?”
“Yes.”
“Wrong.”He shifts, putting himself between Dove and me, his hard body pressing into my space, as he rests the blade under my chin.“Try again.”
I counted on him being territorial.I counted on him seeing me as a threat, one he would tolerate long enough to do what’s best for her.But I didn’t count on his infuriating perceptiveness.
“I needed to see her.”My voice scratches, thick in a way I hate.“One last time.Even if she didn’t want to see me.”
“You kissed her.”
“We kissed each other.”
She flinches.
Wolf notices.He notices everything.“I’ll ask you again.Why are you here?”
Goddamn, he’s frustrating.
“What do you want me to say, pup?”I release a heavy breath.“I’m desperate to do the right thing and finding it extremely difficult.”
“Better.”He steps back, lowering the knife.“Vague but honest.”
