Page 65 of A Worthy Opponent
Why the hell didn’t I pick up some kind of training in the last five years? Or at least take Hades up on his offer to get me shooting lessons? I know enough gun safety not to shoot myself in the foot, but the thought of spending that kind of time with a weapon that still reminds me too much of Peter… I couldn’t stomach it. Even the taser, I purchased and stuffed in my bug out suitcase and promptly forgot about it.
There’s no use worrying about it now. There’s no other way forward. We were too far to go back the second I met Peter, and I can’t afford to think too hard about that, about paths not taken.
I ended up here. I don’t know if I believe in fate any more than I believe in happily ever after, but I want this future Hook paints for us. I want it desperately enough to fight for it.
We meet up with Nigel and Colin in Hook’s office. If I wasn’t already on edge, the serious expressions on all three of the men’s faces would put me there. Nigel shuts the door behind me, and I move to perch on the corner of the desk. “What’s the plan?” The sooner we get moving, the better.
“He’s watching you.” Hook speaks low, as if he really doesn’t want to admit it. “He’s had a couple people on this building since you showed up, and one of them followed you from Hades’s place.”
I shoot him a sharp look. This is new information. “Were you just not going to tell me?” I should have suspected Peter had me followed. How else would he know the exact moment I left the safety of Hades’s place?
“You were stressed enough without that added to the mix.”
His logic is flawed, but I’m not willing to get into it infront of his cousins. The end result is all that matters, and the end result is that Hook kept his promise and kept me safe. Now it’s time for me to do my part. “So the second I leave—”
“He’ll know.” Nigel has himself locked down. “Yes.”
Hook shifts, drawing my attention to him. “You won’t be alone with him. We just need to draw him out. We’ll go together.”
There’s one huge flaw in his plan, loathe though I am to point it out. “He won’t do it if you’re there.”
Hook’s mouth goes flat. “Absolutely not.”
“You know I’m right.” I turn to his cousins. “Youknow I’m right.”
Nigel is silent, but Colin looks at the ceiling as if it’s the most interesting thing he’s ever encountered. “She’s not wrong.”
“Stay out of this.”
“Listen to me, cousin.” Colin finally meets his gaze. “We’ll only have one shot at this. We have to make it count.”
“Fuck that. Then we make some calls to one of Nigel’s shadow contacts and have a sniper take out Peter.” He still isn’t looking at me.
Nigel finally makes a sound suspiciously like a sigh. “If that were an option, we would have done it years ago. You have to do it yourself or it paves the way for assholes to undermine you in the future.”
“He doesn’t get his hands on her. I’ll deal with future assholes as they arrive. That’s tomorrow’s problem.”
Oh, Hook. I want to kiss him and strangle him at the same time. I glance at his cousins. “Could we have a second?”
Nigel and Colin don’t hesitate, which tells me they’ve been having this conversation with him for longer than I realized. As soon as the door closes, I turn to Hook. He’s already shaking his head. “Don’t even think about it.”
“We don’t have a choice.”
“That’s bullshit, and you know it. You’re reacting emotionally.”
I might laugh if I could breathe past my racing heart. “I’m not the one reacting emotionally.” Or at least not the only one. I move closer until he can’t look anywhere but down at me. “If we only have one chance to get him, then we have to do this right. Peter’s too smart to fall for the same ploy twice.” He might be too smart to fall forthisone the first time, but I don’t say that aloud. It’s something Hook will have already considered. We have to try.
His mask flickers, and I get a wave of torment from his dark eyes. “I promised he won’t get his hands on you again. I meant that promise.”
I desperately don’t want to be anywhere near Peter. Even now, part of me is searching for another option, another way to go about this. But Colin is right—there are rules of engagement, so to speak. Hook is only the top dog because he’s instilled enough fear and loyalty to ensure no one will challenge him. But all the loyalty in the world won’t hold people back from doing exactly that if they get a whiff of weakness. Our world only respects strength. Sending someone else to do his dirty work reads like he’s afraid of Peter, which paves the way for people to doubt him.
The next challenger might learn from Hook’s mistakes and kill him when they take over so there isn’t an enemy at their back.
The thought sends ice cascading down my spine. I press my hands to his chest. “Jameson.” I wait for him to meet my gaze. “He’s already laid a hand on me. He’s already done his worst.”
“Not his worst,” he says darkly. He doesn’t need to finish the thought for it to beam right into my head.Because I’m still alive.
Peter will kill me if given half a chance. That thoughtshould terrify me—and it does—but there is a steely determination rising up within me. “I was always going to play bait. Let me do what you intended.”
