Page 19 of When He Hunts

So very problematic.

“You can uncuff me.”

No, he could not. “Glad that you’ve started to trust me.” Fabulous. Really. Maybe it would prevent him from having to throw more snakes into the air. “But I don’t trustyou,princess. You were batting those long lashes at me earlier. Pretty much in this same exact spot. Acting all innocent and weak. Acting like you’d give mezeroproblems, and you’d follow my orders with no hesitation. Then the next thing I know…” His cuffed hand rose and curled under her chin. His eyes had adjusted easily to the darkness. He’d always been able to see well in the dark. “The next thing I know, you’re hauling ass into the night. I don’t feel like chasing you again. I need sleep. You need sleep. So the cuffs are stayingon.” She would not move without him knowing about it. “Besides, you heard Gray. You go nowhere without me. You don’t get out of my sight. Think of the handcuffs as a security measure. They’re keeping you extra safe because they’re tying you to me.”

“They literally are.” Disgruntled. “How am I supposed to sleep in bed with you? I’m not used to sharing a bed with anyone.”

Well, that was certainly an interesting bit of Luna lore. “Don’t have a lover who is wondering where you are, hmmm?”

“No.” Soft. “No one is looking for me.”

“Not true. Lots of killerswerelooking for you.” And he wanted to know more about how Luna Black had wound up in her current situation.Handcuffed to me.But Ronan knew he should let her rest. Hell, they should both rest. Tomorrow, he’d have to move them to a new location. Find out what new identities Gray had set up for them. He had no doubt that Gray was spending the night pulling strings and getting emergency plans in place.

A clusterfuck of a situation had exploded on the Fed. And Ronan had bailed his ass out in record time.

“How did a hitman become such good friends with a Fed?”

“What makes you think we’re friends? Hate to be the one to tell you, but Gray can be a straight up asshole. He’s super manipulative, by the way. Never forget that fun point about him.”

“Youarefriends. I can tell. It’s the way you say his name. Gray. Not Grayson. And your tone changes when you talk about him. He might be an asshole, but you like him.”

Truth be told, Gray was the closest thing to a brother that Ronan had.That would be the reason I’m helping his crazy ass.

Gray had almost died a few months back. He’d been tortured. Held prisoner. Been an absolute bloody mess by the time Ronan got to him. Ronan would not be forgetting that terrible sight any time soon. “He’s all right,” Ronan muttered.

“He said you’d saved him over and over again. He thinks of you as his friend, too. I don’t think a Fed would do that with a soulless killer. Wouldn’t vouch for him so willingly. Wouldn’t put my fate in his hands.”

Uh, oh.

“So what’s the real deal, Ronan? Am I supposed to buy that you are some heartless thug? Or is there far more to you than meets the eye?”

Before he could respond, she let out a soft hum then added, “My gut says there is more to you than meets the eye.”

Exactly what he didn’t need. Someone blowing the cover he’d carefully cultivated over the years. “Ronan Walker is a cold-blooded killer. He’s taken out more marks than you can imagine. His name chills the worst scum out there. He gets the job done, and he one hundred percentdoesn’t have a heart.So don’t ever make that mistake.”

“You just talked about yourself in the third person.” A yawn followed her words. “Like he’s a character. Like he’s not you.”

Sonofafucker—

“You don’t have to cuff me to you. I’m not running. I want to stay alive, and I believe the best way to do that is to be with you.” She tugged on the cuffs. “Let me go?”

“Not happening.”

“Then I hope you won’t be alarmed when I crawl all over you tonight.”

Sweet hell and heaven, do it.

“Like I said, I’m not used to sleeping with anyone, and I tend to…sprawl.”

He swallowed. “I’ll manage to survive.”

Her hand rose, but not to jerk the cuffs again. Instead, her fingers pressed to his jaw. “Thank you.”

For saying he’d survive?

“I could be in a grave tonight. Instead, I’m alive and I’m with you, and…I think I’m safe.”

“You are.” The words were a vow. No matter what else happened, he would keep her safe.

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