Page 31

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

Josie

Swear to me

I ’m in the bed, tangled in sheets that smell faintly of pine and desperation, when a sound jolts me awake. Kaden’s out there in a single chair, keeping watch.

My heart stutters. It’s probably him, right? But he hasn’t slept, not really, and hypervigilant or not, even assassins nod off. I creep to the door, bare feet whispering on the cold floor, and peek out.

There he is, slumped in the chair, bathed in the lamp’s dim glow, gun resting on his lap. My breath catches—then stops entirely. An older man in a suit sits across from him, calm as you please, like he’s here for tea. Oh God. My mind races—where did Kaden stash those extra guns? I’ve never shot one, never even held one. Should I wake Kaden? Scream?

I scan the bedroom windows, moving as stealthily as my shaking legs allow. No shadows, no backup I can see. Okay. Back to the door—see what Suit Man’s up to, then figure it out. I peek again. Shit. He’s got a gun too, loose in his hand, ready. He lifts a cane and jabs it into Kaden’s shoulder.

Kaden jolts awake, gun snapping up. The man raises his, aiming steady. “Drop it, Kaden.”

“You know I won’t, Wade.”

Surprisingly, the older man lowers his weapon. “If I wanted you dead, you would be already.”

Kaden eases his down, eyes narrow. “Then why are you here?”

Wade’s weathered voice is low, heavy. “Your father was like you—thought he could balance agency and heart. Couldn’t. That’s what got him erased.”

Kaden’s jaw tightens, raw. “You pulled it?”

“It was necessary. He was compromised—a good man, too good for that life.”

“So you fucking killed him.”

I gasp, clapping both hands over my mouth. The agency took his father?

“You know the rules,” Wade says.

“I do.”

“After your mother died, they wanted you gone too. I convinced them to recruit you instead.”

Kaden snorts, bitter. “Thanks for the torture that followed, I guess?”

“You’d rather we’d killed you?”

“I go back and forth on that.”

“Your lack of self-preservation’s what made you invaluable. But you’re compromised now.”

“I’m not.” Kaden’s eyes flick to me—our gazes lock. He jerks his chin, a silent go, but I can’t. He didn’t ditch me in my mess; I’m not leaving him in his. If I edge along the wall, I can grab that gun on the counter...

Wade’s voice cuts through. “I know about the woman you’re playing house with. Not shocked you chose her and ran—you’re your father’s son.”

I lunge from the shadows, snatch the gun, hands shaking so hard it slips, clattering against my fingers. I catch it, barely, breath hitching—I’m back in that self-defense class I ditched, the instructor’s voice droning point, don’t panic . Too late. My palms sweat, the grip foreign, heavy, and I swing it up, heart slamming.

Wade’s gun rises, aimed at me. I point mine back, trembling wildly.

“Josie, put it down,” Kaden says, calm but firm.

“No.” My voice quakes, but I mean it—raw, messy bravery clawing out. “You protected me—I’ve got your back.”

Kaden groans. “Wade, she doesn’t even know the safety’s on. If she figures it out, she’ll probably shoot me by mistake.”

“Rude,” I snap, cheeks burning.

“True.” He smirks.

Wade lowers his gun, chuckling.

Kaden continues, “Put it down, Josie. Come meet Wade.”

Feeling like an idiot, I lower the gun and shuffle over, standing beside Kaden’s chair. Wade’s eyes rake over me—ugh—but I lift my chin and snap at Kaden. “I thought you were keeping watch.”

“I was,” Kaden grumbles. “Closed my eyes for one damn second.”

Wade barks a laugh. “I like her—she’s got wife energy already.”

I clasp my hands, flustered. “Kaden and I aren’t together anymore.”

“Gave up everything for her, and she’s ditching you?” Wade teases.

“Our status is... undetermined,” I say. “Haven’t had time to hash it out between kidnappings and kill orders.”

Wade stands and his expression shifts to serious. “Well, you’ve got time now. I’ve erased your file—hacked records, planted false leads, leaked dirt on anyone who’d sniff around. They’ll be too busy saving their own skins to care about you.”

“And if they don’t?” Kaden demands.

Wade pulls an envelope from his jacket, thick and worn, tossing it onto the table. “They’ll answer to me. That’s your fresh start—cash, more than you’d dream. Buy a house, a car, hell, a custom blade forge if you’re still into that assassin fantasy shit.”

Kaden’s eyes widen—more money than he’d ever imagined, enough to vanish and build something real. Will he? Vanish? Without me?

Isn’t that the only outcome that makes sense?

Wade adds, “I couldn’t save your father—one of my few regrets. This squares us.”

I move and rest a hand on Kaden’s shoulder, softly. “What does this mean?”

He holds Wade’s gaze. “Not sure. Are we free to vanish or free to go back to her life?”

“Whatever you want. A clean slate—don’t fuck it up.” Wade steps to the window, eyeing the poison pins. “Nice touch.”

“You know it,” Kaden says.

“Won’t be easy replacing you.”

“Hate that you will.”

Wade holsters his gun. “We’re a necessary evil, Kaden. Without us, chaos wins. You know that. There’s always a devil—we’re just the one you know.” He glances at me. “Take care of him, Josie. He’s the best we’ve had.”

“He’s climbing my list too,” I quip, nerves defaulting to humor.

Wade roars with laughter. “Call me if you want back in, Kaden—life with us might be simpler.”

“I will,” Kaden says, nodding, a relieved glint in his eyes.

Wade’s gone as quick as he came. Alone now, Kaden turns to me. “He doesn’t leave his office for nothing. He meant it. I’ll take you home.”

I glance around—the wires, the weapons, our chaotic hideout. “You know this changes things, right? I can’t go from your trunk to pretending we’re fine.”

He digs into his pocket, pulls out a fake ID—Ken Sloan, IT Consultant—and flips it to me with eyes dark, filled with emotion. “No more agency. No more missions.” The lightness lifts a hope in me, fragile but real.

Trust takes time to heal, though.

He traces my cheek with the back of his fingers, gently. “We could start over.”

“How would that even work?”

“I’d get a job nearby.” A twinkle sparks in his eyes. “Something in computers.”

“No murder?”

“Definitely not.”

I frown. “I’d have to explain your name’s Kaden—that’s awkward.”

“Kaden’s not even my original name. That person is gone. I can be Ken again. A better version of him anyway. New identity? I could do that blindfolded.” He slides his hands down my arms, pulling me close. My body melts—traitor. “It would be a lie we’d make into a truth. Like us. I love you, Josie. That’s an unshakable foundation we can build the rest of our lives on.”

“I want to believe that, because even though I still hate you a little, I also love you.” He kisses my forehead gently. I poke his chest. “But swear to me that you will never toss me in a trunk again, no matter what.”

“I swear.” His teeth graze my earlobe, a teasing nip. “But the zip ties? Worth one more round, right?”

I smack his ribs. “Only if I get to tie you up.”

His lips trail down my neck, hands wandering. “We’ll negotiate.” A low chuckle rumbles against my hair. “Josie?”

“Yeah?”

“You compromised me.”

I tip my head back, grinning. “That’s a good thing, right?”

“Yeah, sunshine.” He pulls me tighter, voice dropping to a whisper. “With you, I’d burn it all down again and call it a win.”