Page 129 of Bound By Revenge

“It’s just a few calls, Nik. I’m not storming his hideout with a baseball bat. What’s the worst that could happen? A little carpal tunnel?”

He huffs a breath, shaking his head. “Fine. A couple of calls. But that’s it. Don’t go above and beyond. I mean it, Kat.”

I grin. “Scout’s honor. Anything else I can do? Let me take some stuff off your plate so you can actually relax for once.”

His hands cup my face, and he presses a kiss to my forehead. “Just be safe. Stay out of trouble. And…” His lips twitch into a smirk. “A blowjob now and then wouldn’t hurt.”

I laugh, rolling my eyes. “Consider it done.”

“And,” he says, his tone serious now, “I need you to stay here until we catch McGuire. Knowing where you are—and knowing you’re safe—will go a long way making my life easier.”

I hesitate, then nod. “I’ll keep that in mind. Now, sit down and have a drink while I grab my phone and make a few calls.”

Nik raises a brow, his smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. “Look at you, giving orders now.”

I grin, rolling my eyes. “You love it.”

He chuckles but leans back in his chair, shaking his head. “Fine, boss. Go on, then.”

I turn toward the door, but something makes me glance back. Nik sits there like he doesn’t have the weight of the world pressing down on him, but I see it—the tension pulling his shoulders tight, the faint shadows under his eyes. His story about the Flame of Mir rings in my head, sharper now.

That betrayal still lingers between us, even if Nik doesn’t talk about it. Even if he forgives me, I don’t know if I’ll ever forgive myself.

And I can’t tell him the full truth. Not yet.

As much as I hate keeping secrets from him, I know Nik too well. If I told him about thestronzo, he wouldn’t hesitate. He’d go after him, even with McGuire still out there hunting him down. Nik wouldn’t stop—not with the weight of his duty to Maxim on one shoulder and his obsession with protecting me on the other.

He’d stretch himself too thin, fighting two wars at once. And the thought of something happening to him—of losing him because of me?

I can’t let that happen. Not for anything.

“Kat?” His voice pulls me out of my spiraling thoughts. He’s watching me now, brow furrowed, concern flickering in his eyes.

I take a deep breath, forcing a small smile as I step back toward him. “Listen, I’m sorry,” I say softly, my voice trembling despite myself. “For taking the diamond. For how things started between us. You have no idea how much. If I could go back and undo it, I would.”

His jaw tightens, and he stands, closing the distance between us in two strides. His hands cup my face, warm and firm, grounding me even as my heart races. His eyes, dark and piercing, lock onto mine.

“Stop,” he says, his voice rough, unyielding. “I don’t want you to apologize. Not for this. I don’t care about the diamond, Kat. I haven’t cared about it in a long time.”

I shake my head, unable to stop the words spilling out. “You say that now, but?—

“No.” His grip tightens just enough to make sure I can’t look away. “I mean it. I wouldn’t change a goddamn thing. Not if it meant risking this—us.I wouldn’t risk losing you, Kat. Not for anything. Not for all the diamonds in the world.”

Tears prick my eyes, blurring my vision. I grab his shirt, pulling him into a kiss that’s fierce, desperate, an apology wrapped in love. His lips crush against mine, his hands tangling in my hair as if he’s trying to anchor me, to keep me from slipping away.

But as I let myself get lost in him, one thought cuts through everything else:

When Nik learns the truth—about thestronzo, about the diamond, and everything I've kept from him—will he see the love behind my lies—or only the lies?

Chapter 47

Kat

My phone buzzeson the coffee table, the sound cutting through the tedious silence of the room. A.J.’s name flashes on the screen. My chest tightens with hope.Thank God. Maybe she’s calling to tell me she’s found the Flame of Mir.

I snatch the phone and press it to my ear, keeping my voice low as I rise from the couch and head toward the far side of the room. “Tell me you’ve got something,” I whisper, my gaze flicking toward Nik’s office to make sure he doesn’t overhear. “Anything on the Flame of Mir, and I’ll owe you—forever and ever, until the end of time.”

Her voice is frantic, a raw edge of fear slicing through the line. “Kat… Oh God, Kat, he knows. Thestronzoknows.”

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