Page 211 of The Reluctant Hero

Yep, attraction at zero, not that I’m into him anyway. I’m gleeful that my impression was spot on. Even the frozen tones are the same. Are they clones?

“No,” I yawn in the middle of the firm word, ruining the effect.

His eyes narrow with displeasure. A micro expression as I take in the second guy behind him with his hands hidden by the couch. If I had to guess, he has a gun at the ready back there.

“I’d feel more comfortable with it.”

I give him a look of disbelief. Like I give a shit about his comfort when he had a guy wake me up in the middle of the night.

I prop an elbow on the back of the chair in silent refusal. You know, since he listens as well as his son does. I casuallyswing Jakob at my side and maintain eye contact. If they want bullshit intimidation, two can play that game. I doubt I’d get two steps in before I got shot, but it’s the principle of it.

“I’ll get to the point then.” He shakes his head with obvious fatherly disappointment. Sigh included. If this act works on Gabriel, he needs to be smacked on the back of the head.

“I have a safe house set up for you out of state. You’ll leave with Aspen and Kit tonight.”

I look at the guys he gestured to behind the couch and back at him without a change of expression. “Uh-huh.”

My complete lack of enthusiasm makes his lip twitch in disgust.

“You need to be safe and secluded from what’s happening here. You’ve gained the attention of people who aren’t afraid to kill. You’ve seen that already. Staying in town is idiotic at best.”

“Sure, sure,” I nod. He’s saying all the right things. If I wasn’t a raged-out fiend, I’d probably be all over this offer. Sadly, he’s stuck with my need to take out as many of these motherfuckers as I can get to before I die.

His head tilts as he takes in my lack of care. He’s obviously used to a lot of sass. He would have to be if he takes in disgruntled youths and trains them to be damn assassins.

Who thought that was a great idea? Hey, you just survived a tragedy. Join us and continue the torment. And people line up for it. Because they’re scaredkids.

“You’ve had run-ins with how this is going to go,” he pointedly stares at my throat. Do you have any sense of self-preservation?”

“Nope,” I reply blandly, refusing to give an inch.

A muscle twitches in his jaw so subtly I wouldn’t have noticed if I hadn’t been paying attention.

“Then think of the people around you,” he tries a different tack. “You’re in myson’shouse. These people won’t care about his status if they find out he’s harboring you.”

“You want me to worry about the man with four guys ready and willing to annihilate a threat?Ifthey find out I’m here? The same douche canoe that tossed me in jail a few days ago with a smile? Yeah, I’ve got atonof sympathy for him.”

“And here you stand because he fixed his mistake,” he retorts in a silky tone.

If he believes that, he’s delusional. I’m relieved that he hasn’t traced it back to Tera, though. He can think his son is a shining beacon of good. I don’t care. At least therealgood people are safe.

My selfishness is causing a little turmoil inside me. I should be leaving. I’m a risk to the people around me. I’m not an idiot. But thisneedin me has to have an outlet. If I don’t get rid of all the demons currently haunting me, I will lose it. Not to mention, I’m petty as hell.

I’m not going anywhere this man wants. I don’t know what his stake in this is, but I don’t like how it looks.

“No means no, Senior Dick.”

“I wanted to be polite about this but I can see that isn’t going to sway you.” He looks over his shoulder with a nod, and the second guy raises a gun. Staring down the barrel of it causes an instinctive fear to try and take over. I can’t help the way I freeze up. I have no doubts that he’s ready to pull the trigger without remorse. I’m a threat, and I need to be removed. I get that a lot better than I did a few weeks ago.

That doesn’t mean I have to give in to the fear. I don’t have to stay frozen here. Or I could get shot, and he can finish off six years of build-up. I’m not going down without a fight.

“Gabriel told you that you could meet with her in the morning.”

Jake’s voice isn’t familiar with how unemotional it comes out. I don’t take my eyes off the gun aimed at me. He passes by my peripherals in a pair of pajama pants with nothing else on. The mask he wears to hide his real character is gone as he stares unrelentingly at Matthias. He takes a seat and pulls a large gun that looks like it can shoot a hundred bullets in seconds onto his lap.

The obvious threat calms Matthias into relaxing back on the couch with a sigh.

“You’re going to kill me, Jake? What would Gabriel say?”

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