Page 46 of Savage Assassin

She purses her lips, and I can tell she’s debating whether to tell me the truth or not. “Romance novels,” she says finally, with that same defiant note in her voice. I struggle to hold back a laugh–not because I think less of her for it, but because she so clearly expects me to.

“Well, there’s nothing wrong with that,” I tell her, a small smile playing at the corner of my lips. “Sounds like as good a way as any to pass the time.”

Elena narrows her eyes at me a little, as if she’s not sure whether she believes me or not. I just shrug, reaching for our trays of food to clean up, but privately I can’t help but think that it was wise for me to stop when I did, back at Diego’s. I’d known that she was sheltered, of course–any girl of her background would be–but from what she’s said, even more so than I’d thought. And while I don’t think any less of her for her choice of hobbies, I know that a girl as naive as her, with all her ideas about love and romance and sex coming from between the pages of a book, could be led down a road that would end in heartbreak if the other person weren’t conscientious about it.

Which means I need to be the conscientious one. She’s not someone I can indulge my desire for, and that shouldn’t change.

No matter how difficult it might get.

Elena

Iknow Levin expected me to be shocked or scared by the revelation of what he used to do. I think it was meant to put me off, to make me want to put a clear distance between us. But if anything, it just made me more curious about him.

Nothing he’s done so far has given me any reason to think that I should be afraid of him. He’s protected me even beyond the letter of what my father paid him to do, gotten me out of that plane when it could have killed him. I don’t know what we’re going to do now, but I feel instinctively as if I can trust him to figure it out. He’ll get us out of here. I just have to be patient, and he’ll figure it out.

“We should get some rest,” Levin says, once he’s tossed the empty trays into the fire. “I know you’ve been doing a lot of sleeping lately–or at least something like it–but more rest can only do you good. And I can’t say I’ve gotten much the last two days.”

It’s obvious that he hasn’t, looking at him. There are bags under his eyes, which look a little more hollow than before, a tiredness at the edges of his face that I recognize. Even so, he still looks incredibly handsome. To me, it just adds to the rugged look that he seems to have cultivated, the stubble on his jaw a little thicker, the sharp lines of his face a little more pronounced.

“Elena.” His voice is gentle, but my cheeks flush at the idea that he’s caught me staring. “Do you need help with…anything?”

I know what he’s asking, and I blush deeper at the idea of needing to be helped to wherever will serve as a restroom out here. “I think I can make it,” I tell him firmly, the words sticking in my throat as I shrug off the blanket and stand up.

Thankfully, he doesn’t argue. “Don’t go too far into the trees. There are snakes out there, among other things.”

A shudder goes down my spine at the thought of snakes, not to mention what “other things” he might be referring to. I have no intention of going any further than I need to for a bit of privacy.

When I come back down the beach, feeling every muscle and joint in my body protesting from both the deep bruises caused by the crash and two days of lying still, Levin is arranging the two blankets into a makeshift bed on the sand. He gestures to it when I’m within hearing distance.

“Made up the bed for you.” There’s a hint of wry humor in his voice. “Not the most comfortable, I’m afraid.”

“Where are you going to sleep?” I look at him curiously.

“Over there.” He nods to the sand on the other side of the fire. “Not the worst place I’ve slept, if I’m being honest.”

I blink at him. “You can’t sleep on the sand. Just sleep on the blankets with me. It’s probably not much better, but–”

“No.” His voice is firm as he backs away from the makeshift bed. “I’ll be fine, Elena.”

“Levin.” I mimic his intonation on my name, and I see him wince a little. “Just come sleep on the ‘bed.’ There’s no reason for you to be uncomfortable–”

“There is,” he says, just as firmly as before. “Let’s not waste time we could be sleeping, arguing.”

He turns away, walking to the other side of the fire as he lays down on the sand, facing away from me, clearly indicating that the conversation is over. Something about it pisses me off, but I don’t have the energy to argue with him–not now, anyway. I can still feel the exhaustion and pain from the crash and the fever dragging at me. I pull back the top blanket, wriggling under it as I try to get comfortable on the one underneath it.

The night is colder than I’d expected, and there’s a sharp breeze coming off of the water. I huddle under the blanket, not wanting to let Levin know how cold I am, but after a little while, I hear his voice drifting over toward me.

“Are you alright? I can hear your teeth chattering from over here.”

“I’m fine,” I murmur, but after a moment, I let out a sigh, tucking the blanket tighter under my chin. “It’s cold.”

“It’ll be hot as hell tomorrow, but it gets chilly at night. I’m sorry. There’s not anything other than those two blankets.” There’s an apologetic note in his voice, and I can tell he feels bad about it. I know I shouldn’t say what I’m thinking, but I can’t seem to help myself.

“You could come over here and share the blankets. Then we’d both be warmer.”

There’s a long moment of silence, and I think he’s going to tell me no. I know he must be cold too, but he seems to be determined to keep a physical distance at the very least. And then, just when I’m beginning to resign myself to being cold for the rest of the night, I hear the sound of him getting up.

“Just to stay warm.” Levin crouches down next to me, sliding under the blanket as I move over to make room for him, rolling over to face away from him. I know if I face him, I’ll be far too tempted to try to get another kiss.

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