Page 82 of When He Hunts

Tyler smiled at him. “Try to look less ferocious, would you? I know that you’ve been the cold-blooded killer a while.” Barely a whisper. “But you’re playing a new role. Get with the program.” He tugged on Ronan’s arm. “And maybe get back on the chaise?”

Slowly, Ronan lowered onto the chaise. “If the hit isn’t on Luna…”

Tyler let go of his wrist, only to slap him on the shoulder. “Yeah, sorry to tell you, buddy, but it’s on you.”

“Someone put a hit onme?”

“Considering that you offed his cousin-slash-goon, Gray thinks Marcus now believes you must be coming after him. Apparently, he hasn’t paid you for services rendered.”

Tyler hadn’t checked the offshore account. He left stuff like that to Gray and the federal crew. They were the ones who tracked down the charges and sent people away for paying killers. He stuck with the dirtier work.

The bloody work.

“The hit is on you. Gray thinks it was offered because Marcus now wantsyouto be the dead one. So, I hate to be the one to tell you the news but…”

“But if I’m with her, I’m the one putting a target on Luna’s back.” Because there would be plenty of people eager to take down Ronan the Relentless. Fuck. Stupid moniker. That name had been Gray’s idea.

Tyler didn’t speak. His silence was agreement.

The waves crashed into the shore. Ronan tried to unclench his fists, swallow his rage, andthink.

“I learned about the hit last night. That was longafterI’d been told to haul ass down here. So I’m thinking Gray had a different plan in the works, one where he was going to use me as your backup, then he got word of the hit.”

Yeah, there had been a different plan, all right. Gray had wanted to bring Luna back into the land of the living and wave her like a red flag at Marcus.Not happening.

Tyler let go of Ronan’s shoulder. Settled comfortably against his chaise. Sipped his drink. “Pretty sure Kane is on the way here, too. Whole team assembling thing, you know.”

“We haven’t been a team in a long time.” Tyler worked with the U.S. Marshals. Gray worked with the Feds. Kane worked with—well, hard to say for sure.

And I just deal with death.

“We’ll always be a team, Ronan.” Low but adamant. “Time doesn’t change that. You need me, I’m there. I do what you want, no questions asked.”

Shit. Now the guy was getting all sentimental. But usefully sentimental.

Luna broke the surface of the water. She wore her face mask. The snorkel tube poked out and bobbed near her ear.

“Gray was going to use her as bait,” Ronan spoke slowly as he came to a decision. “He needed someone to get close to Marcus. An up close opportunity for a kill.”

“HewantsMarcus dead?”

I want him dead.Gray probably just wanted the prick in prison. “We think Marcus keeps trophies. If that’s the case, then we can link him to a shitload of kills.” And now Ronan had the perfect means to provide Gray with an up close opportunity to find those items. Only Luna would not be the bait in this scenario. Luna would be safe. Protected.

I’ll be the bait.Or, even better, he’d be the predator who turned the tables on Marcus Aeros. “No questions asked, huh?”

“Ronan…”

“That better not be a question coming because you just saidno questions asked.” Maybe his voice was too harsh. He didn’t care. His eyes were on Luna. She’d stood in the shallower water and was staring toward the sailboats in the distance. She’d talked about them renting a sailboat. Or going kayaking. And getting up early to watch the sunrise the next day.

All adventures he would not have with her.

But Luna? She would have every single adventure she wanted. All he had to do was eliminate the threat that dodged her steps. Then she could sing on any stage she wanted. She didn’t have to hide her talent from the rest of the world. She could live as big of a life as she wanted.

Only it will be a life without me.

“I just don’t want you to make a mistake,” Tyler warned softly. “No need to act all irrationally.”

He was being stone-cold rational. He could handle killers. She couldn’t. “Keep her on the island. It’s safe here. You’re here. Esme is here.” Tyler’s lady was hell on wheels. Ronan would never, ever bet against her. “And you just said Kane is on the way.” He considered his friend’s arrival. “I can meet up with him.” Probably in Key West. “I’ll get him to cover my six.” It was always better to launch an attack with backup. But before he left the island, he had a few more instructions for Tyler. “Make sure Luna gets to go kayaking.”

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