One where their lives would be forfeit if they lost.
By the time Jinx came out again, Eve had most of the kitchen cleaned up.
Jinx paused with an arched brow.
Before he could speak, Eve held her hand up in warning. “Not one word. Remember, you’re not the only who’s trained to kill and I’m closer to the knives than you are.”
He actually laughed. “True, but while you’re cleaning, you might want to remember the nice stack of underwear in the bathroom . . . unless you’re collecting them there for a specific purpose?”
She groaned out loud. “Well, at least you know I don’t bring guys home all the time.”
He was still smiling as he folded up his dirty battlesuit and tucked it neatly in the backpack.
Pausing, Eve watched him. It was so easy to forget what he was when he was in front of her. He acted so normal. So . . .
Nice.
Strange how she’d never considered a League assassin as being cordial or decent. The way they stood and refrained from speaking . . .
It was so unnerving to be around people who were so rigid and unemotional.
Normally, they went out of their way to be assholes to everyone.
Not Jinx. He was unlike anyone she’d ever met.
And he would be gone any second.
Her throat tightened as her gaze went to her counter and she saw the small emblem that had fallen off his uniform. “Don’t forget this.”
Jinx cleared his throat as she handed his insignia to him. He kept waiting for her to mention her sister, but so far . . .
Nothing.
Not a word.
He zipped the backpack shut. “I better get out of here before they send someone else.”
Her eyes glowed with sadness. If she was acting, then she was good. “Try not to get into any more trouble.”
“You stay away from loan sharks.”
“Make no promises.” She stepped back and tossed her sponge into the sink. “Seriously though, take care.”
Jinx headed for the window. “You, too.”
“The door works.”
He smirked as he slid her window open. “This is safer for both of us.”
And still he waited for her to stop him.
She didn’t.
Not when he hit the fire escape or the street.
He even paused to look up at her flat.
Nothing.
And with every step that carried him further from her flat, he expected her to call out that she needed help.
Not a word.
Had she really just slept with him for no reason?
Don’t be stupid. People aren’t kind. They always want something.
No one cared about anyone else.
Your own brother slaughtered your parents and sold you to this life so that you’d be tortured and killed . . .
And yet he could still feel her hands on his body.
Worse? He ached for her.
This was so stupid. Impossible.
He kept repeating that over and over. Even after he was inside his own ship. But when he pulled his link out, he made the mistake of looking down and seeing the picture he’d taken of her.
The smile on her face.
I’m so stupid.
And that stupidity was going to get him killed.
Jed stared at Eve as he stood by the counter in her flat, watching her. “I can’t believe you’re alive.”
“Would you stop?”
So he signed that to her with his hands.
She responded with an obscene gesture.
Jedi snorted. “You’re so evil.”
“And you’re annoying. Did you ever reach Syn?”
He pulled out his link and hit play. “Hey, Jedi. Sorry it took so long to get back to you. But you’re a minsid idiot to even attempt to get someone out of a League prison. Forget it. Can’t be done. I have that on the highest authority.”
She winced at those words.
“Maybe you should have asked your assassin.”
Eve scoffed. “Pretty sure he would have killed me had I done so.”
“What? Why?”
She decided it would be all kinds of idiocy to let him know she’d slept with Jinx. So she opted on a partial truth. “If he thought for one moment that we’d saved him hoping to get a favor . . . pretty sure he’d have skewered me.”
Jed sighed and slid his link back into his pocket. “Didn’t think about that. You’re probably right.”
“Know I am. He was extremely skittish and paranoid.”
“Yeah, I imagine his career doesn’t lend itself to trust.”
“No more than ours.”
Sighing, Jedi nodded, then frowned as he scanned her apartment. “Did your cleaning lady come back?”
She glared at him. “Don’t make me slap you.”
Cautiously, Jinx walked into the abandoned building. He was one of six assassins who were meeting here tonight.
None of them felt safe.
They might not show it, but he knew they felt the same uneasy apprehension he did.
While they wanted to trust each other, it was hard. Trust wasn’t part of their training. Especially since Vanquish, one of their group, had been his official trainer for assassinations.
He knew firsthand what a sick bastard he could be.
To this day, Vanquish had yet to disclose his real name or even where he’d come from. Jinx still wasn’t sure why Savage had chosen him for their group.
If anyone had asked him, he would have clearly placed Vanquish in the insane category, with no hope of redemption.
Same for Strife. She was one step away from either killing them or turning them in.
He’d never trust her.
And as he entered the dilapidated room, he realized that he was the last one to arrive.
All of them were standing around, waiting on him. Vanquish was off to his right. Even with the dark sunglasses on, Jinx could feel his hate-filled glare. While all of them had quirks that had marked them as rebellious to their superiors, Vanquish had taken it one step further.
He’d pierced his nose. The League frowned on them being individuals. If not for the fact that Vanquish was the top of top, they’d have executed him for that alone.
Venom held the same rank he did. Almost his height, Ven had the black eyes and darker complexion of a Ritadarion. His features were well-sculpted, and he always looked as if he needed a shave.
Strife was their shortest member, barely reaching to the middle of his chest. Her blond hair was much golder than his and she was a Third Rank Command assassin. One level below him.
And of course, Savage and Bête rounded out their number.
He still wasn’t sure why Savage had allowed a maroon uni into their group, but this was Savage’s party so he kept his opinions to himself.
“Glad everyone made it.” Savage set up the jammers so that The League would have no idea they were in the midst of a confab. He turned toward Jinx. “You need to watch your ass. Quiakides is hand-selecting us to go after you.”
That declaration took him aback. Was he serious? “How do you know?”
Vanquish pushed his sunglasses up, on top of his head. “I was just given the assignment to take you out.”
Venom laughed. “Feel flattered, kid. They’re only sending out the best. I was told to gut you, too.”
Awesome.
Jinx suddenly felt like a sacrificial goat surrounded by salivating priests.