“Seven guards, three teachers,” Kit sneered the word, remembering some details of the assignment that had stuck with him all these years, “four chefs, and The Professor himself. Understand me, Aidra, if I thought I couldn’t protect Luna, I wouldn’t have agreed to this.”
“It’s different when you care about someone, or have you forgotten that? As I said, it’s not your skills that are lacking, but she can be a distraction for you, whether you want to admit it or not.” Aidra blew out a breath, as though he were the one annoying her. “And I don’t believe you had much of a choice in the decision, no? She does work for your brother, or have you forgotten that?”
How could he forget?
Already, just the thought of the contract she would be made to sign annoyed him. Uilleam was fond of his games, and Kit didn’t doubt for a second that he would attempt to use Luna to leverage something from him.
That was who he was—who they both were.
“Your concerns are noted, Aidra.”
“But you’re not going to change the plans, are you?”
“I’m sure you already know the answer to that.”
“Then at least keep yourself in one piece by the end of it. Someone has to sign my paycheck.”
“You have the routing and account numbers for at least a dozen of my off-shore accounts, I’m sure you’ll make do.”
Aidra shrugged, annoyance forgotten as she smiled. “I was trying to make you feel important.”
Kit rolled his eyes, taking a sip of his coffee. “Now that we’ve had this chat, would you like to go over the itinerary?”
She pulled out her tablet, swiping through a few screens before she read, “Your flight leaves at nine—funds have already been wired to the pilots—you’ll land at noon with your car waiting. The keys to the Easton property will be waiting for you there.”
Kit frowned. “Why that one? It’s nearly an hour’s drive away from the casino?”
“It has the wall of windows remember?” Her smile was coy. “The view is nice.”
She didn’t even attempt to hide her meaning. “You’ve been with Fang too long.”
“Have I? I haven’t noticed. Between your arrival and the next seven hours you’re free to do whatever you want, including fu—”
“Move on, Aidra.”
Her laugh echoed in the silence of the room. “The games start at ten sharp. Your buy-in has already been delivered. I also emailed you a more detailed report, should you need it.”
“Anything else?”
Her expression sobered as she regarded him. “Be careful. Despite what you may think, it is possible for you to get distracted.”
He wouldn’t deny her words, not when there was truth to her words. Even he had noticed the way a glance in Luna’s direction could turn his thoughts from work to her.
But even distracted, his skills were far superior to anyone he would face this night.
“I hear you,” he said in return, and this time meant it.
Heading back upstairs, he found Luna where he’d left her, this time facing the opposite direction as though she had sought him out in her sleep.
There was one last little detail they needed to take care of before they left.
Going over to the nearby dresser, he opened the top drawer, rooting around the bottom of it for the spare knife he kept hidden inside.
Once he had it clutched in his hand, he walked over to the bed, drawing the blanket and sheets away from Luna’s legs, spotting the tracking device that was still attached to her ankle.
Slipping the blade beneath it, he gave a quick jerk of his hand to slice it through.
“I was wondering when that was coming off,” Luna said in a sleepy voice.
His gaze drawing up her body until he met her eyes, Kit held it up for her to see. “Well now it’s gone.”
Luna sat up further, stretching her arms above her head before reaching for the cup in his hand. He was glad for the difference time could make.
“I’ll be ready shortly,” she said with a sly smile and a glance over her shoulder as she crossed for his bathroom.
Naked.
They were going to be late.
Kit made her feel alive.
It took effort keeping the smile off her face now, and that was mild compared to how she felt when he was with her. His moves were always deliberate. It took weeks of careful studying to notice that he didn’t fidget.
At all.
Fang had a habit of drumming his fingers on any nearby surface, Aidra tapped the back of her tablet, and Invictus had a habit of turning a silver coin over between his fingers.
But Kit … he was always so still, so when he did move, she noticed.
It felt intoxicating being in his presence, as though he had found a way to infect her thoughts and feelings and her very being. He was a comfort without even trying.
Despite his warning about being late—though he hadn’t cared about that considering he had taken his sweet time—they made it to the private airfield before takeoff—the same field she was sure she had landed in when Uilleam had brought her to him.