Page 17 of Assassin's Mark
Eli stalked toward me then. I found myself backing up until my shoulders hit the wall—Eli might be younger and arguing for my safety, but that didn’t make him any less intimidating. I stood, trembling, as he pushed up my sleeves, tipped my head from side to side, ran his hands over me. Those amber eyes seemed to see everything: the darkened spots on my arms from Levi’sgrip, the redness from Levi’s stubble around my mouth and neck, the way I cringed at his touch. The swelling on my cheekbone and temple got the most attention. I couldn’t read his expression, but the way his gaze narrowed on Levi, I figured the message wasnot happy but reserving judgment.
Great.
I held my breath until he returned to his brother, now carrying two plates toward the table. Therich sent of chicken and biscuits wafted across the room. The growling of my stomach resumed as if given permission.
“If you want to eat, Abby, I suggest you get your sweet little ass over here.”
Thesweet little assmade me cringe once more, a reminder of what I’d allowed him to do in the shower, the memory of his big hands cupping me, kneading me. My steps were slow as I approached the table.“How do I know it’s safe?”
“Why wouldn’t it be?” Eli’s affront would almost be cute if it weren’t for the whole your-brother-is-a-hit-man thing. I mean, really? “You dead puts us in a helluva sitch.”
Levi shot his brother a sharp look, one that transferred to me as he picked up a chicken biscuit and took a huge bite. The biscuit went back on the plate, and Levi exchanged it for the second dish.That biscuit got a bite taken out of it too. “There, happy?”
I sat a couple of seats away without answering. When I gripped the rim of the plate closest to me to slide it over, Levi arrested the motion with two fingers. An arched brow told me exactly what he wanted.
Bastard.“How can I be happy? I’ve been kidnapped, drugged, photographed naked—”
“What?”
I ignored Eli. “And taken advantageof. I’m hungry. My head hurts—”
“Whose fault is that?” Levi asked.
I noticed he didn’t deny any of the other charges. “Partly yours.” He had dropped me, after all. I paused, struggling with words I didn’t want to speak. “No, I’m not happy—I’m pissed off and frustrated and scared shitless—but I do appreciate that you aren’t starving me. I think.” I raised my own brow.
Levi released the plate.
Eli cursed, turning to pace away from the table. I watched the two men from under my eyelashes as I ate. Levi watched his brother, his smoky eyes filled with resolve—Eli wouldn’t sway him from the course he’d set.
Eli at least had a sympathetic edge. Maybe he could give me some insight. “What happened to Remi?”
Eli thrust a hand through his hair, looking suddenly tired. “He was shot.”
“Nother business,” Levi growled.
All of this affected me; how could it not be my business?
“So what do you plan to do with her, huh?” Eli asked. “Just keep her locked up here until, what, Roslyn calls a cease fire? You know he’s not going to do that. He wants all evidence of that job to disappear, and that includes you.”
“What job?” I asked.
Levi kept his attention on Eli. “I’m sure we can findplenty to occupy ourselves while we wait. After this morning, he knows I mean business.”
Eli planted his hands on the end of the table opposite Levi, leaning forward. “And then what?”
Levi didn’t answer with more than an arched brow. Some communication passed between them that I didn’t understand, couldn’t read, and then Eli pounded a fist into the thick tabletop. “Fucking Christ, Levi!”
Hisbrother ate the last bite of his biscuit, unfazed. Maybe I had finally hit overload on the whole situation, because I barely flinched.
“Remi can’t be moved, you know that.” Eli shoved a hand through his thick blond hair. “What do you want me to do?”
“Stay with him.” Levi stood and picked up his plate. “Roslyn found me last time through a fake buy. Since I’m off the market right now, that won’thappen again. We’ve altered the records as best we can, but we can’t ignore the possibility that he may connect Remi to me through the gunshot wound.”
A faint trill had Eli reaching for his pocket. He pulled out a phone, tapped the screen, and stared. After a moment he gave a halfhearted chuckle. “What was that you said about not starting a war?”
Levi crossed the kitchen. “What about it?”
“Roslyn took your opening salvo and fired back his return shot.” He turned his phone around to face Levi. “He just began a press conference. It seems his daughter has been kidnapped—and they have a suspect. Look familiar?”
