“How did it happen? Nico didn’t cut you.”
For a moment, he drops his gaze and hesitates. Dread settles in my stomach when I realize what he’s not saying. But when he opens his mouth and tells me, it’s even worse than I imagined.
“I had a job,” he explains. “I got cut there.”
“Who did you kill?”
“You really want to know?”
“Yes. I need to know what kind of man you are.” I need to remember that I can’t trust Will, despite how he saved me from Nico. He did it for selfish reasons. Not for me, I remind myself. I cannot forget that, no matter how I feel in Will’s presence.
“I was hired weeks ago to kill a politician. John Sanders. He likes to rape little girls.Likedto rape little girls,” he clarifies, telling me everything with that one change of a word.
“Really?” I gasp.
“I caught him in bed with one of those girls. She was just a teenager. It… distracted me,” he admits. “John cut my arm but then I ended him.”
“And the girl?”
“I didn’t kill her if that’s what you’re thinking. I told her to leave before I left myself.”
“You didn’t try to get her to safety?”
He frowns. “Why would I have done that? It would have put me at risk. I was already bleeding. I couldn’t get my blood anywhere at the scene of the crime. All she saw was a man in a ski mask who killed the man who was raping her. I called one of my men to clean up John’s body. All will be well. Hopefully the girl got to safety.”
“But you’re not sure if she did.”
“Not my problem.”
“I can see that,” I grumble.
“I saved that girl’s life. Most hitmen would have killed her too.”
“But not you.”
He inclines his head. “Not me.”
“You try to act like you’re better but you’re killing people.”
“I never said I was better. I’m just stating the facts. Most hitmen would have killed that girl but I spared her life. I do what’s necessary. Not more than I have to. Now, I need to deal with this cut. You need to go into your room.”
“It’s not my room,” I snap.
“You’re not as shy as I remember.”
“I guess I’m just tired of always hiding my voice away. It’s gotten me nowhere.”
“Come along.”
“I can help,” I offer. I nod at his arm. “Your cut.” The last thing I want is to go back into that room again. To be trapped again.
“You want to help me?” The incredulousness in his voice almost makes me laugh.
“I know how to sew. I can help stitch you up.”
“Where did you learn to sew?”
“My aunt. She thought a proper lady should know how to sew. So… I know how to sew.”
