Page 283 of Ruin Me Gently

His hand slipped from mine.

I turned, heart skipping a beat, and—what the fuck—he was already disappearing into the dark like some kind of cryptid.

Ice kicked into my ribs. I’d never done this before. I wasnota sneaky person. I was loud and clumsy and—Jesus Christ, where the hell had he gone?

Before I could make some dumb decision like calling his name, a strong hand shot out of the dark, grabbing my wrist, yanking me into the shadows with him.

I barely managed to bite back a yelp. “Warn me next time!” I whisper-hissed.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered back, settling me against the side of a storage container, his breath warm against my temple as he stooped his head to duck down.

I sucked in a deep, steadying breath, my head pressing against the cold metal.

Was this what it felt like for him back then?

In the dark. Moving like a ghost, like some kind of sexy, morally-grey secret agent? Stalking through the night, tracking his target, heart pounding, brain locked onto the mission. The control. The focus. The rush of blood beneath my skin, the way every noise was sharper, the way I was hyper aware of every movement.

Igotit now.

At least, Ikind ofgot it.

Silas had stalkedme.And I was obviously an irresistibly sexy, alluring bookseller—one he’d wanted to shower in pastries and stolen literary quotes. So, yeah. Ikind ofgot why the thrill had been just that little bit sweeter.

Clark was… well, not that. Just a straight up, irredeemable cunt who I wanted to shower in gasoline and set on fire.

Silas disappeared again.Fucking hell.

A few moments later, he reemerged, a rusty wrench in one hand, a crowbar in the other.

I squinted at him as I took the wrench. “Really?” I whispered. “That’s the big plan? We’re gonna Home Depot the guy to death?”

He shot me a look. “You got a better idea?”

I pursed my lips shut under the scarf and mimed zipping my lips. “Nope. Proceed with Home Improvement murder.”

His eyes glinted, something sharp and unreadable flickering beneath the moonlight.

God, I loved his face.

But damn, I missed when all I got was those beautiful, dark brown eyes—when I had to guess what the rest of him looked like, when every little glance or flicker of movement in them was a puzzle I had to solve.

No. Focus.

The carcass of a yacht loomed just ahead. Silas was scanning, taking in every inch, eyes moving like clockwork.

The dim glow from the cabin window flickered against the dark. A shadow moved inside.

I sucked in a sharp breath, my nails digging into my palm.

Silas stilled, then his hand closed around mine, grounding me in the warmth of his skin. He didn’t say anything, but I felt his question in the squeeze of his fingers.

Was I ready for this?

No. Absolutely not.

But I nodded anyway.

His gaze lingered a second longer before he turned and started to climb.

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