Jim gives a solemn nod before answering the guy, "Now we're even, my friend. Thank you."
"No problem. You know where to find me and my Brothers should you ever need us."
The line goes dead and I can almost bet the guy on the roof is gone, which tells me he isn't one of Jim's regular guys who want to hang around talking to authorities. Interesting, there's a story there I can almost bet on it. The doors bang open and the light floods the open room. The first man through the opening is Roberts.
"Why do I feel like I am too late getting to the party?" Jim shakes his hand. When he looks over at me his shoulders slump a little and he rolls his eyes. "I should have known I would run into you here. Get what you needed?"
"Yes, I did."
He nods. Roberts knew I went after Kat, he understands I am going after the men hunting for her. He is smart enough and good enough at his job that he probably realizes I'm not finished yet. But we're not much for conversation so we say as little as possible. I like Roberts. I really do.
14
____________
Kat
Waiting sucks. Being the one left behind blows. I would literally rather be blowing shit up with Ivan than sitting here worrying about him not coming back. I think I must have paced the lacquer off the floors. And Ana has been great with my neurotic ass, so patient and kind. I don't understand how she sits and worries about her brother like this for long periods of time, days, weeks or even months at a time. I would go crazy.
Hell, I'm going crazy now and he's only been gone for four hours. I keep glancing at the clock and pacing. Every time I sit down to watch the television I'm sick like I should be up doing something but when I'm up all I can do is pace. From the window to the hallway and back again.
Until I hear the crunch of tires on the gravel outside. Ana and I look at one another. There’s no guarantee that the sound is a good one. She goes to the end table by the lamp and pulls a gun from the drawer. Ace told her to put it there before they left - just in case. Both of us sit in half dread, half anticipation hoping the guys have come back and not trouble. Not that the guys aren't trouble, there just the kind we hope come home soon.
A knock on the door followed by four more oddly timed pecks tells us who it is. Both of us go squealing to the door to be the first to open it for them. Ace is first through the door and I love him but he's not the one I am looking for. He's not the one I tilt my head to catch a glimpse of. He's standing in the shadows of the porch waiting to come in.
"I see how it is. You love me when it's fitting to you and cast me aside when my hot uncle comes through the door."
My heart feels like it has finally started beating again when he shoots Ace a go to hell smile and nudges him out of the way so he can go to me. He comes right for me too. No hesitation, no playing shy, or keeping us low key in front of his family. His lips are on mine before I can think of the next thing to say.
My arms go up and around his waist so I can pull him closer to me at the same time I sink into him. This kiss feels different - one of thanksgiving that he kept his promise and came back to me. Ace and Ana pretend to be very interested in the mail lying on the hall table. Well, Ana does. Ace starts to but then he looks back and I swear something that looks like longing is in his eyes. Not for me but I think he would like to have someone other than his sister to come home to sometime soon. Not that Ana isn't wonderful.
"So how did it go? Did you boys get your man?"
When we pull away and I step to the side to let Ana hug her uncle it only takes a heartbeat to realize my hands are streaked with blood.
"Oh my God! Your hurt!" I feel dizzy. He's the one hurt, losing blood and I'm dizzy. I could laugh if I didn't feel like throwing up.
"This is nothing, Kitten." He bends low so he can catch my eyes telling me it really isn't more serious. "It's mostly stopped bleeding; you got what was still on my shirt." He takes my face in his hands, "I promise I am okay."
"You would think he would be smart enough not to try to stop a knife with his back but Uncle Ivan never was a fast learner." Ace slaps him on the back and Ivan finally looks away from me to side-eye him.
"Maybe I am the one who got hurt because I was the only one doing anything out there. How many men did you kill again? I forgot to stop and look when I was fighting Goliath barehanded. BARE. HANDED."
"Hey, my ass flies it doesn't fight." He turns his eyes to me, "I mean I can kick ass when I have to and I do know how to kill a man thirty-three different ways but I would still rather be in the air."
"Hmm, I can do it in one hundred and five ways - ten of those are with a paperclip, four with a piece of paper and two with soap. Don't ask." He widens his eyes at me and Ana and even though I am worried about him he must not be too hurt if he's trying to out-measure Ace. Although I am going to have to ask him about the soap thing one day soon.
"If you boys are done measuring for the night..." Ana leaves the implication hanging in the air just what they are really trying to measure, "I think we ought to let Uncle Ivan and Kat get cleaned up. First Aid is in the bathroom, and the hall closet."
Ivan wraps his arm around me again and steers me to the stairs.
"And the window seat in the alcove." She calls after us. Wow, they sure have a lot of First Aid kits. It makes me wonder what the hell goes on here sometimes.
Ivan grabs the kit in the hallway and shuts the door behind us and my heart starts beating like the bass in a The Weekend song. Going to him and giving him love is different when we're in front of people. When we're in front of someone he won't take me to the ground and fuck me but when we're alone I always wonder if I'm enough. Can I really handle someone like Ivan? I mean he's a fucking badass Russian who could apparently kill you with a bar of freakin' soap and I push papers for a living. Needless to say, there is a huge disparity there.
This could be just a proximity thing too. I mean the only other female in the house is kind of related to him so he can't exactly get his kicks from her. Even if he wants to desperately fuck me silly that doesn't mean he's going to stay and commit to me. Am I okay with that? The only thing Ivan has ever committed to was murder.
I hold back, or try to, as he makes his way to the bed but he's still got my hand and doesn't let go. He sits on the edge and looks at me. I swear he can tell what I'm thinking. "What's going on in that pretty mind of yours, Kitten?"
Fuck, he's going to make me say it. "Ivan, why...?" I just can't put what I worry about in words. But the look on Ivan's face tells me he isn't going to let this drop. "Why do you want to sleep with me so bad? Is it a proximity thing or maybe trying something new or...something?"