Page 86 of When He Hunts

Luna shook her head once more. “I’ll go meet him in the bungalow.” He must have gone to change, and he’d left his friends on the beach to keep an eye on her. She didn’t need eyes on her, though. The little island was safe.

Luna grabbed for a towel that she’d shoved into her bag.

Esme’s hand flew out and curled around her wrist. “Your husband was called away on business,” she said, her voice a little too loud.

A waiter bent near Tyler. “Sir, do you need another drink?”

Luna jumped. She hadn’t even seen the waiter approach.

Tyler nodded. “Yeah, why don’t you bring a round for everyone?” His rumble in response, then as the waiter hurried away, Tyler added, “We’re probably gonna need them.”

“Let go of my wrist,” Luna told the other woman.

Esme immediately did. “Why don’t you swim some more? I think a storm is coming. You should enjoy the day while you can.”

Luna felt like the storm was already there. “I don’t want a drink.” Definitely not. “I don’t want to swim again. I want to talk with Ronan.”

Esme and Tyler exchanged a long look.

“He wasn’t called away on work.” Luna put the mask and snorkel into her bag.

“He was.” A quick response from Tyler. “Unavoidable work.”

Her stomach twisted. She’d been leaning over the bag, but at his words, she immediately shot upright as fear flashed through her. “Just what kind ofunavoidablework?”

It didn’t take longto pack. He’d always been a minimal kind of guy. Basically, all he needed was a weapon and a fake ID and some cash. All stuff that he’d long ago learned to keep in a convenient go bag.

He’d had one of those bags on the island.

Gray believed in go bags, too. They all did.

Within five minutes, he was walking along the dock. At the end of the dock, a private boat waited, a boat that shuttled guests back and forth to Key West. He’d known that the boat left promptly at noon. Check-out time for departing guests. The boat would return—again promptly—at four p.m. with the new arrivals.

He would not be returning.

As soon as Tyler had told him the news about the hit, Ronan had realized he had to act quickly if he wanted to catch the departing boat. There had been no time to second guess. To hesitate. To give in to the urge to stay with Luna.

To make a life with Luna.

No, her life will be better without me.Hell, she couldn’t even have a life, not a real one, until he eliminated the threat from her past.

He hopped onto the boat. The last passenger to board. The attendant moved to begin untying the ropes that bound them to the dock. Ronan didn’t take a seat with the other guests. Instead, he turned and stared back at the island.

He hadn’t turned to stare back at Luna. He couldn’t. It hurt too much to see what he was losing. But he couldn’t see her from this position. She was probably still swimming on the other side of the little island. Luna had no idea that he was gone.

When he already felt her absence like a giant hole in his chest.

The boat began to pull away. He lifted his hand. Curled it around a long pole near his head as he held his balance.

“Where is your lovely wife?”

The voice had his jaw tensing. A voice he recognized. The club owner who’d wanted to book Luna as a singer.

Ronan turned his head. Slowly. He’d kept on his sunglasses, and behind the lenses, his gaze raked the man who had inched up beside him. “Mylovely wife is enjoying the beach.”

The guy didn’t heed the warning that Ronan knew had been in his words. Instead, the fool sidled a bit closer. “My Monique is still on the island, too. She’s enjoying the spa. Loves her a good spa day.” He flashed a broad grin. Like Ronan, he also had on sunglasses, though his sat slightly askew on his nose. “Had to go back early for some business in Miami. Always a few fires to put out, am I right?”

“I’m on my way to put out one right now.” Permanently.

---