Page 137 of Beneath the Light of the Moon

“The same dose you gave Levi, I want you to make it for yourself.”

“No.”

He cocked his head, emerald eyes alight with the promise of torture. “It’s either that, or I’ll tell Cristiano to pay your mom another visit…only this time he won’t be so friendly.”

Anika’s jaw tightened. He was never supposed to find out about her, let alone visit her and use her existence as blackmail. She’d been careful, but her safety nets had been yanked out from under her. In reality, she knew the moment she’d talked to Mikko atBubblegumshe was playing with fire, bound to get burned, but Anika could only hope it was worth it.

“Fine,” she relented, “but the same dose I gave him would kill me.”

“How much will it take to make you go to sleep?”

Instead of answering, she opened the nearby cupboard and procured a clean glass. Mikko set his gun on the counter, but it never strayed far from his fingers. One wrong move and he’d aim to wound. He’d perfected hers after all; his misses were intentional, and his hits…

Anika didn’t want to find out. A cold sweat broke out across her forehead, the memory of her mom in pain from multiple bullet wounds flashing across her mind.

Clear vodka splashed into the glass and like a wave cleansing her, Anika banished her thoughts along with it. Muscle memory took over as she added a large rectangular ice cube. Her movements were watched by Mikko, his keen eyes never leaving her figure.

“Want some?” she asked, holding out the vodka bottle. His jaw twitched, but he shook his head.

“How long will Levi be out?” he asked instead as she started pouring the violet liqueur into her glass.

“For a man of his size, about forty-five minutes.” She capped herhomemade concoction and set it aside. With her index finger, she stirred her drink. Pink swirled among the liquid, faint traces of blood washing away with the motion.

“And you?”

“About the same, if not an hour.” She held eye contact with him as she slipped her wet finger into her mouth and sucked it clean.“Use it wisely.”

Before she could change her mind, she gripped the cup and knocked the mixed drink back. The alcohol burned her throat and another flash of panic erupted in her gut. Anika was willing to put herself under and leave herself vulnerable in the presence of a man she didn’t trust. But to build histrust, she’d have to sacrifice this moment of control.

She took another deep breath.

Inhale.

Exhale.

Quickly, she repeated the motions and downed a second drink before sitting at her breakfast nook. “Have fun carrying us,” she quipped.

Her body was warm, the vodka already loosening her muscles. The tension between her brows faded and her thoughts grew soft around the edges. Anika preferred to refrain from drinking, especially recently since she had much to accomplish, so her tolerance had dwindled. That, and she’d learned to not eat before a kill. Sometimes what the mind could handle, the stomach could not…

He tucked his gun back into his waistband before striding over and taking a seat opposite of her. It was uncanny and way too domestic for what their current relationship warranted, but her tongue felt swollen. Her words could wait.

Anika’s eyes traced over Mikko’s strong jaw and piercing eyes. Blood was crusted on his pale skin, his cut scabbed over along hischeekbone, and sweat also coated his forehead. Again, she was struck by his beauty. She hated herself for thinking it, but maybe for now she’d let herself feel. It didn’t matter anyway. Once the blur of the violet haze cleared, she’d be back on track.

Then, it would be time to burn everything from the inside out.

40

Waves

Mikko

For once Mikko’s left hand didn’t ache while he drove, his destination visible in his mind.

Maybe it was the adrenaline, or the fact he’d texted Cristiano as soon as Anika had finished her second violet drink, or that his muscles were screaming. The blood coating him had mostly dried or been rinsed away in her bathroom sink, but he still felt dirty.

After Anika had slipped unconscious, he’d let Cristiano into her house. Quickly, they worked in unison to clean up as necessary. It was like old times for a brief minute. While his teens and early twenties had been tumultuous because of Alek and hislessons, his best friend has always been there to help him clean up the aftermath.

This colossal shit show was no different. Except Cristiano wouldn’t shut up about “Anika being his crush” and “this is a hell of a first date.” Mikko could only shake his head while they worked.