Page 66 of To Catch A Rook

Aaron’s sigh broke through bloodied, swollen lips.

“Kellan is delivering justice,” he said simply, wincing as he rolled his body to the side and pushed himself into a seated position. “My parents have failed Antonio, and I must pay the price.”

“Are you fucking serious?”

My stunned expression morphed into a raging glare at the hulking Viking drenched in scrapes and still on his knees.

“What the fuck, Kellan?”

A flicker of remorse rippled through his stare, but then it was gone.

“Just kill me and get it over with, Hillary. That’s the easiest way out for me. I follow orders or I’m the one who dies. I gave Aaron a choice, and he chose a fair fight.”

I stepped back, stunned at his dispassionate declaration. “You think I’m going to kill you? Not a chance. But I will give you a fair fight.”

I dropped the gun, flinching at the finality of the thunk on the plywood floor. I swept my hair up into a ponytail, then shrugged off my sweater and turned to face the two men with a renewed sense of purpose.

“You wanted a fair fight, Viking? I’m tapping in for Aaron. You can fight me.”

My blond god blinked rapidly before shaking his head in vehemence. “Not a fucking chance, Hill.”

“No.” I held up a finger, the finality in my tone brooking no arguments. “One more hit to the head, and he’ll be out. Look at him.” I swept my arm out like Vanna White at the mound of brutalized flesh that was Aaron Rodriguez. “I’m trained, and you’re tired. I can’t think of a fairer fight.”

“No.” Kellan’s growl reverberated through me; Aaron’s matching protest settled under my skin, but I held my ground.

“If I win, I won’t kill you, and the three of us can figure out what our next steps are together.” I blew out a breath and stared into the frosted pools of my lover’s eyes, imploring him to see the truth.

“If either of you dies, Kellan, I might as well be dead too.” I walked toward him, daring to rest my palms on his shoulders as his relentless, angry eyes glared up at me. “I refuse to let either of you go for the shitty decisions of your parents. Fight me.”

I couldn’t break eye contact, but I reached out my hand blindly for Aaron’s, needing his solidarity as I stood for his salvation. He was close to death, and if he refused me now …

Relief flooded through me when his palm slid against mine, interlocking our fingers and squeezing gently.

“I do not want this for you,” Aaron wheezed, “but I can never refuse you,Mi Reina. Kellan will not kill you.”

“No, I won’t,” Kellan bit out angrily, his voice lanced with venomous ire. “But if this is how she chooses to stop this, I’ll play the game. A fair fight, Killer.”

Herose from his knees and held out his hand. I released Aaron and shook Kellan’s calloused palm, gripping it fiercely in an attempt to relay everything my mouth couldn’t say.

I care for you. I care for him. This isn’t the way out. We can be allies; partners; friends.

I would prove it to him. With fists, kicks, and Krav Maga tricks.

“May the best woman win.”

Tuesday nights were feckin’ boring.

I’d been pestering my pretty little Blondie all evening to come out to play with me, but she wasn’t answering my messages.

She was a busy woman, and I was still working my way into her heart, but I’d thought a time or two since our date in the balloon that the whole connection thing might have gotten a wee too … much.

I was as surprised to get choked up as she was—Da’s sense of adventure and the recent loss of him still snuck behind my eyelids every now and again.

Apparently, now and then included riding air currents with a beautiful woman I was trying to cheat. Lovely timing, and all that.

Still, women loved vulnerability. Ol’ Brene Brown woulda been proud of that whole touchy-feely moment. Of course, I knew her ma had passed—I’d done my research—but hearing her tell it; well, that made it a bit more real for me too.

I didn’t like when marks started looking like people. When they were people, it complicated things. Better to see them only as jobs with a dividend at the end.

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