Page 18 of The Hitman
The wall of city lights below makes a beautiful backdrop to the man before me. Dressed in all black, Jaxon reminds me of a spy from an action movie.
Dark. Dangerous. Devilishly handsome.
The weapon I discovered just moments ago pulses through my mind, a reminder that Jaxonispotentially dangerous. Still, something in me resists the panic. My instincts don’t sense a threat where he’s concerned, and instead of demanding answers or running back to my old life like I should, I find myself toasting to the unknown, strangely hesitant to cut ties with him.
“How about your sister?” I say sincerely. I touch the rim of my glass to his. “May she be fully healed and able to return to Leo soon.”
He tenses, and for a brief moment, I sense him carefully pick me apart, analyzing my expression, posture, and tone for manipulation or truth.
“To Isa,” he says, settling on the latter.
The alcohol burns my tongue before igniting the back of my throat. I cough dramatically, wheezing while trying to catch my breath. “Horrible.”
Jaxon doubles back to the bar and the mini fridge filled with bottles of water, and when he returns, he replaces my drink with one.
“Baby’s first whiskey?”
The embarrassment dissolves almost instantly. I grin at him after taking several swigs of water. “Yeah. That’s what I get for trying to be cool.”
He laughs then, warm and sexy. “You don’t have to try.”
My ears heat with a blush when he gestures for me to follow him further into the room. He lifts a small remote off the glass coffee table, and with the click of a button, the fire comes to life behind its glass casing.
Another click has soft jazz floating through the room and the velvety notes have me beaming like mad. “How’d you know I love Sinatra?”
His surprised expression makes me laugh. It’s fun to rattle him.
“I didn’t.” The warm glow in the room flirts with his stoic features, softening them by the minute. “But I’ll admit, any woman who loves Frank is a ten in my book.”
My hips sway, my skin buzzing with every silken sung line as I gradually let myself relax. I quirk a brow at him. “Care to dance, warden?”
Jaxon sets his glass on the table, surprising me by extending his hand to mine. “And here I thought you’d be too afraid to ask.”
His hand encompasses mine, rough with callouses and knuckles that carry deep scars. Details I find suspicious for a billionaire day trader, and yet another red flag to add to the ones I’m ignoring.
“It takes a lot to spook me,” I say.
“That’s why I like you.” The soft amusement on his lips steals my breath as he slowly drags me toward him. His embrace is a symphony of suspense and allure, making my heart race. “You’re not afraid of a challenge. You take risks. You’re feisty, funny, and Leo adores you.”
A swooping sensation cascades from my head to my toes as he moves with me, setting the pace.
Did he mean that heandLeo adore me?
My head swims at the possibility.
“You have a funny way of showing it,” I say dizzily. “You’ve been avoiding me—us—all week.”
Being chest to chest with my boss makes my footing awkward at first, but soon enough, we’re circling the couch, dancing past the city below while our bodies lead the way.
“I know.” His words are full of tender sincerity when he adds, “Being away for so long… It’s damn near killing me.”
I peer up at him with a slew of questions on the tip of my tongue.
What does he mean, it’s killing him? Why is there a gun in the kitchen? Whatreallyhappened to Isabella?
But I’ve never witnessed Jaxon this unguarded, and maybe I’d like to be the one who holds this space for him a bit longer before reality presses in.
Back in front of the fire, we slow to a gentle sway. Jaxon shuts his eyes, humming along with Frank like he’s been craving this moment of peace all day.
