“Why the bag if he’s giving information freely?” Willow mumbles, pointing to the bag on James’s head. She doesn’t step forward or get closer, and I’m grateful as my anger builds at the realization of just who this is. I guess I couldn’t forget after all. This fucker tried to kill Willow. My Willow. My Buttercup. Mine.
I tighten my grip on her hip, holding her firmly to me. I don’t trust James, and I sure as shit didn’t care if he was giving information freely. He’s a killer we don’t know, and I only trust the killers on my side, and James has proven he isn’t one of them.
Felix rips the bag off James’s head. Long black hair falls around his face and his brown eyes widen at the sight of Willow. He tilts his head as if in thought.
“What’s there to think about?” I snidely ask. No way was this piece of shit looking at Willow in surprise. He obviously didn’tdo his homework if he didn’t know the Enchanted Pack had ties to this woman. My woman.
“I’m glad to see you’re still here.” James’s voice is a harsh growl. Like he’s spent years yelling and now can only whisper. It hurts my fucking ears. “He was pretty pissed when I left.”
“Why? Why the stop at my apartment? Why try to kill me?” Willow’s voice comes out strained and hurt, and all I can do is press her closer to me. I can’t take away the hurt in her voice, in her eyes, and it pains me more than I’m sure it should.
“It’s simple, really. I was paid,” James says with a shrug. A damn shrug.
“By whom?” I ask, but he doesn’t look at me. His eyes are trained on Willow, and I lead Willow to stand more behind me than by my side. This man is led by greed, by money, and a fucker like that is dangerous.
“I don’t know.”
“And this is where the questioning truly begins,” Felix says, gripping a dagger tightly in his palm. I finally look at my Packmate, really look at him, and it’s only now I notice his eyes are different. Changed, and I can’t remember when the change occurred. Holy fuck, how long have I been wrapped up in Willow? Am I a horrible Pack brother to not have noticed this change?
“He doesn’t know, and you know this, Felix.” Dylan doesn’t move from his stance next to us.
“I know.” Felix shrugs with a half-lit smile. “I’m just ruffling feathers.”
“How do you know he doesn’t know who’s paying him?” Willow asks. Her fingers curl tightly around my right bicep, and I swear this is the best feeling in the world. In a room filled with way more qualified protectors, she chooses me. She holds my arm, she trusts me to protect her, and, Moon Goddess, pleasetell me why you’ve hurt me this way by not making this woman unquestioningly mine?
“I’ve dug into his phone while sleeping beauty and her prince charming took their darling little nap. The name, number, and bank routing information all track to a Doug Small. A.k.a, a man who doesn’t exist. But we now know that Doug Small is Milo.”
“So, the real question is, why did you stop trying to kill her? After the tea incident, nothing enticed you to keep trying to hurt her, even with the pay raises Milo offered. For a simple man who will do anything for money, why stop?”
“I found something more interesting.”
“Another job?” Felix asks.
“Not that it’s any of your fucking business, but no.”
“Then what?” Dylan pipes in, his brows furrowing in question, and I’m beyond confused about the motives of the stranger sitting before us.
James remains silent and still. The man doesn’t have a fearful bone in his body, not even when Felix steps into his view and makes a move to let the weapon fly in James’s direction. Willow tenses and goes to make a move towards James as if she’d stop Felix, but it wasn’t necessary.
I don’t have to tighten my hold, and Felix doesn’t let the dagger fly because Dylan’s words make us all pause.
“A girl.”
James’s body goes stock-still, and his eyes shoot to glare at the assassin. Maybe one man to another, Dylan knew. Dylan could’ve only been guessing, but James’s body language that’s been nonchalant this entire time, suddenly bursts to life.
“It’s always a fucking girl. Who?” Felix asks.
James keeps his lips sealed, but a damn smile is tugging at the corner of his lips, and all I fucking know is it better not be my Willow.
“You can stay here till you feel like sharing with the class,” Felix says, walking towards the door and leaving. I guess he’s done with this snooze fest.
“Why did you stop at my apartment that day?”
“I wasn’t paid to kill you, Willow. I was paid to scare you. It was an odd request, but cash is cash. I kill for no real rhyme or reason, but when you get tasked with killing someone as innocent as you, Willow, it makes you more concerned about who ordered the hit than the target. What did you, Willow, do that someone would kill you for it?” He leans forward, as much as he can, with his wrists bound to the chair. He’s curious, and maybe we can use this to our advantage.
“I have to know. Why did you break into my apartment?” Willow asks again, and I honestly forgot about that. This started before she moved into her house, but what would Ghost have to do in her apartment?
“I told you?”
