The smile those few words brought to my face was ridiculous. Here I was feeling all sad and abandoned by Kai, and Leon was sweeping in to pick up the pieces without even knowing it. He was replying to my text message from a day ago, and I quietly hoped that meant he was finished with whatever he’d been doing.
A small twinge of guilt plucked at my chest, knowing I should be telling him about Kai. As far as Leon knew, I was alone. Technically that was true now. But I could imagine he might have an issue with the fact that I was currently aching and covered in dried cum from another man.
“Shit,” I muttered, tossing my phone onto the vanity and hopping into the shower. I at least needed to clean myself up before having that chat with Leon.
It was harder than I’d have liked, not to think about my dirty shower with Kai just a day earlier… or my one with Leon back in London, both of which had involved me washing blood off my hands. Wow, maybe I really did have a type.
Wrapping myself up in my towel, I went back into the bedroom to search out some clean clothes. It made me realize that I was running really low on clothing, and I should really address that problem while I had some free time between attempts on my life and wild, exhausting sex sessions.
I hunted out a clean tank top and panties, then rescued a bra and yoga pants that weren’t too dirty. It was good enough to see me through another gym session, then I could take a trip into town for a restock of supplies and disguises. I meant clothes. Same thing.
Refusing to let my guilt hold me hostage any longer, I dialed Leon’s number and brought the phone to my ear as I made my way downstairs.
“DeLuna,” he practically purred down the phone at me. “Is everything okay?”
I bit my lip, loving the concern in his voice. Leon trusted that I could handle the hitmen coming after me, but he would also happily bathe in their blood to defend my honor, too.
“Yeah, all good,” I replied, pushing open the gym doors. “I had another attack come at me right after we spoke the other night, but it was nothing I couldn’t handle.”
Leon gave a small growl, like he wanted to get his hands on my attacker himself. “I bet you handled it beautifully, too,” he murmured. “Describe it to me?”
Grinning, I made myself comfortable on the padded mats and gave Leon all the gory details of my torture. I even admitted that it’d taken me twenty-two minutes to get the answers I was looking for, and he teased me about how I was supposed to be better than that.
“How’d he even get in?” Leon asked when I finished. “Weren’t you in a Hestia property? Their security is supposed to be some of the best.”
“Yeah, you’re telling me,” I grumbled. “I filed a complaint, but—” I broke off, frowning as I sat up. “How did you know I was in a Hestia house, Marx?”
His deep chuckle wasn’t even slightly apologetic. “Old habits die hard, DeLuna.”
I cringed. “So… you probably already know I wasn’t there alone.”
A tense silence carried through the phone line, and my stomach twisted up like a pretzel.
“It may have come to my attention that you had a guest,” he gritted out, sounding murderous. “I hoped it was Carlos, but by the sound of your voice, am I to assume it was someone else?”
I exhaled heavily, running a hand over my hair. I’d tied it up in a ponytail to keep out of the way while I worked out, but now it was giving me a headache.
“Swap to video call, DeLuna,” Leon ordered, his voice clipped and angry. “I want to see you.”
“No,” I replied quickly. “It was Kai. I called his sister Moana for help when Carlos wasn’t answering my calls. I couldn’t think of anyone else that wouldn’t sell me out to the Guild, given half an opportunity.”
My phone beeped at me with Leon’s incoming video request, and I gritted my teeth, refusing to accept it. This was hard enough without seeing his reaction.
“Don’t be a coward, DeLuna,” Leon taunted, “you’re tougher than that. Accept.”
Bastard. “Fuck you,” I muttered, angrily stabbing the button to swap to video chat. “Happy?”
A cold smile curved his lips, and his green eyes studied my face. “Yeah, beautiful. I am. You look upset… Are you worried about what I might do to Kai for touching you while my back was turned?”
I blinked, confused by this reaction. “Um, honestly? Yeah, I am. We… talked. I don’t think I’d be very happy if you killed him.” Actually, I’d be fucking devastated. That was the last thing I wanted to come out of this awkward love triangle.
Leon’s expression shifted to pensive, his gaze locked on mine through the screen. “See, now I find myself at a conundrum, my love. My first instinct is to kill him in the most excruciatingly painful way possible. To make him carry the regret of touching you to his afterlife with him and to remind you that you’re mine.”
I scoffed. “I’m no one’s but my own.”
Leon chuckled. “Sure. But then you’ve been very clever breaking this news to me over the phone. Now I find myself with the clarity to understand how deeply displeased you’d be if I hurt this sack of shit, Kai. Much like if I’d killed Carlos when I’d been so tempted after Venice.”
I nodded, my lips pursed. “You’re quite right,” I confirmed. “Killing Kai—or Carlos, Jude, or Sabine for that matter—would make me very angry. I’d be forced to seek vengeance and kill you in return, and then I’d be stuck here all alone without you.”
He ran his thumb over his lower lip, thinking. “And… that would upset you, also? If I were dead?”
“Of course it would,” I replied, frowning. “I like you.”
His lips curled in a smile. “Is that all?”
Panic filled my chest, and my palms turned sweaty. “You’re changing the subject, Bunny. We were discussing how you won’t kill Kai for touching me.”
His expression shifted murderous again. “And has he? Touched you, I mean.”
My eyes widened as I realized what I’d essentially just admitted to. “Um…”
“Where?” Leon practically growled the question. “Where has he touched you, mon cœur?”
I wet my lips, weighing my options. Refuse to provide details, knowing it would drive him nuts? Or give him all the details and hope he was more turned on than infuriated?
Or… I could bargain. “Give me something useful, and I’ll tell you something in exchange.”
Leon’s blazing green eyes narrowed. “What do you want to know, beautiful? I can promise you I’ve not been with any other women. You’re it for me.”
Oof, my heart just doubled in size.
“Not that,” I murmured, feeling a slight blush touch my face. “Tell me where to find one of Blanchet’s guys. I need to go on attack, or I’ll lose my fucking mind here.”
His gaze shifted to pensive, then he ran a hand over his stubbled chin. “Not Blanchet. But I did uncover Layla’s last assignments before her death. One of them is near where you are now.”
Okay, not as useful as I wanted, but it would certainly help Mo if I could uncover Layla’s data cache. And possibly even answer the question of why Blanchet was involved. Why he was targeting me.
“She was given a simple surveillance contract in a club there, something that should have only taken one night at best. But the paperwork says she was there for a full week.” There was a small line between Leon’s brows, and I wanted to reach through the phone to smooth it out.
“You think the extra time was stashing her data?” It certainly sounded plausible. “Wait, you know where I am now, too? Come on, Leon. You’re not supposed to be—”
“I’m not tracking you, beautiful,” he cut me off with a laugh. “I promise. But I recognize the gym you’re in right now.”
I swiveled my head, realizing there was a framed poster behind me for one of The Archer’s old illegal fights at a creepy old amusement park. Whoops.
“Where was her contract meant to take place?” I asked, changing the subject back to Layla.
“A club called Meow Lounge,” he told me with a grimace. “She was sent to run recon on a couple of regular patrons, but her debrief mentions having spoken with the owner, Lee Sheridan. He might be worth questioning.”
I nodded my understanding. “I’ll drop by today and have a chat with him.”
Leon immediately scowled and shook his head. “No, not yet. Just wait for me, I’m already on my way back to you.”
Smiling, I rolled my eyes. “I think this is probably something I can handle, Marx. But thanks for the concern.”
He glowered back at me. “It’s not like that. Lee Sheridan is a suspicious kind of guy; he won’t just talk because you asked nicely. You’ll need to catch him when the club is open, and even then—”
“I wasn’t planning on asking nicely, Bunny.” I grinned through the phone at him.
He stared at me for a long moment, then sighed. “You’re gonna go without me, aren’t you?”
I nodded. “You already know I will. Fair’s fair, though. Want me to tell you about how Kai put a spy camera in my room at Hestia and witnessed our last video chat?”
Leon’s expression flickered with a whole host of emotions. Fury, jealousy, lust…