Page 30 of Stolen By the Hit Man
“Long enough to make me miss you,” he says.
“Oh my god,” I laugh. “Get out of here. You’re so corny.”
I’m embarrassed that I’ve been in the tub for so long while he’s been in the kitchen, baking. Multiple orgasms, a spa treatment, and fresh brownies? Is he human?
He moves out of the way and hands me a robe. Again, Joaquin’s eyes ever so politely glance away while I’m exposed, and I appreciate that.
When I’m safely wrapped in the robe, he turns back to me, and for the first time since we arrived at the cabin, I notice a darkness in his eyes.
“Is something wrong?”
“I shouldn’t have let you be the one to pull the trigger. It should have been me,” he says.
I’m taken aback by this.
“No one should have had to pull any trigger, but they hurt me. I’ve never been into revenge before, but I have to admit, I kind of liked it.”
A starkness I’ve never noticed before settles on his face. “Don’t say that. Don’t even let yourself feel that, okay?” His throat bobs with the depth of his emotions.
I lean away from him a little. “I can’t help the way I feel. I didn’t wish him dead, but I’m not going to lie and say he didn’t deserve it, after all the nastiness he and his…family…or whatever they are, put me through.”
Joaquin scrubs a hand over his face in frustration. Is he frustrated with me? Is he regretting getting involved in my problems? Maybe I’m causing too much angst. Maybe we should change the subject. Or maybe now that I’m better…
I open my mouth to speak, but he beats me to it.
“Listen,” he says, taking my hand in his. “I’ve spent my whole life doling out vengeance. I chose violence against bad people because I thought that would make the pain of losing my parents go away. But it never satisfied. And I’m never going to be the good person that Grady meant me to be. I came to terms with that a long time ago. It took me until today to realize that I’ll never truly get my revenge on the people who hurt me.”
I swallow and quietly say, “I can’t imagine how that feels. I’m so sorry.”
“Thank you. Just promise me you won’t push away the terrible feelings when they inevitably come. You watched people die today, and that’s going to change you.”
What else can one say with such a person looking at you like that? His worry is genuine. “I promise,” I say, though I don’t feel it.
Joaquin leans in and presses his lips to mine. His kiss is full of longing, and it almost feels like a kiss goodbye.
Suddenly, the sound of electronic pinging echoes in the room.
He pulls away from the kiss and lets out a curse. “Shit. I’m sorry, but…”
“No one knows we’re here, right?” I pull the robe tighter.
Joaquin’s eyes scan his phone screen. A relieved smile softens his hard features, followed by consternation.
He mashes a button on the screen and mutters, “What the hell does that old man think he’s doing?” He stands up and stalks to the door.
“Old man?” I ask.
He turns and says, “It’s Grady. He’s here. And I might have to kill him.”
Joaquin leaves with no further word, but it feels wrong to lounge around in a bathrobe. And so I look for something to wear.
“You’re in over your head this time, Joaquin.”
“I know what I’m doing.”
While managing to stay in the shadows of the living room, I peek around the corner and down the hall. The kitchen light is on, and the scent of baked brownies is now overlaid with fresh brewing coffee.
“Do you? Because whatever happened out there at that compound has thrown this whole sleepy little town into chaos.”
