Page 75 of Witness Protection

Until he had nothing left to hold on to?

Their breathing began to slow, the anger draining away. He had to admit the rumble had alleviated a lot of his buried stress. Hawk was a worthy opponent. Cayden had been fighting for decades, and usually came out on top.

“Who trained you?” asked Hawk.

“Myself.”

“Your father had a reputation. Must be in your blood.”

“No, I don’t believe in blood. Loyalty is stronger. I had Frank Almeida. He opened his life to me, but Vasily ended that.”

“And you ended Vasily.”

Cayden tilted his head. “Still looking for your revenge?”

“No.” Hawk adjusted his position, wincing briefly. “You were right about him. He killed my parents and pretended to be my savior. I have nothing left. Only a few blurry memories of my mother.”

“And Sophia.”

They met eyes again.

“You love her,” said Hawk, a statement, not a question.

Cayden hoisted himself up to his feet, using the wall for leverage. He wouldn’t admit his feelings to anyone. “Don’t worry, she has her hero. She doesn’t love me.”

“You’re wrong.”

“And that wouldn’t bother you? I thought you wanted to marry her.”

“She’s complicated,” said Hawk.

You’re telling me.

He didn’t ask for clarification, but a small flame came to life in his heart. Hope. He remembered their time together at the trailer. It had felt like love, and he’d never wanted it to end. If he had to choose, he’d forget the entire world and stay in their makeshift paradise forever.

Cayden shuffled his way to the kitchen, feeling like he’d been hit by a truck. He grabbed a smoke and lit up, leaning against the counter. “We have to eat. Want me to order pizza?”

Hawk was still sitting on the floor.

“Pizza? That our only option?”

“Sorry, no fine dining around here, Romeo. Pizza and wings are about it.”

“Whatever, I’m too sore to care.”

Cayden laughed. He couldn’t help it. Their situation was so fucked up that it was comical. Two grown men, killing each other because they both loved the same woman, and forced to work together to save her.

At least he could laugh at his own life.

Hawk chuckled, dropping to his back, one knee bent up. “I wish I could have been there to see Oscar get his comeuppance. I’ve been dreaming about it for weeks.”

“Don’t worry, I pulled out all the stops.”

“Well, thanks for giving me the kill,” said Hawk. “I only wish I had the chance to have my revenge on Vasily. It should have been me.”

“You were so loyal to him. You never questioned how you got in the family?”

“Never. It was blind devotion. Vasily gave me my name—bird of prey. He trained me into the perfect killer.”

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