Page 40 of Brutal Unionn

I narrow my eyes at the brunette on the screen—gorgeous, smug, and clearly a problem. My beef lo mein sits forgotten on my lap as I watch her giggle like she didn’t just demolish another woman’s self-esteem in under five minutes. The redheaded girl aka the original partner is currently pouting as the man they both want speaks to her in hush tones.

“What’s the hideaway again?” I ask, squinting at the screen.

Sho smirks. “Private suite away from everyone else. Basically, it’s where you go to ‘get to know each other better.’” He adds air quotes, like we both don’t know exactly what happens behind that door.

I snort. “So it’s the ‘screw palace.’ Got it.”

He chuckles, chewing slowly. “It’sLove Island, not a nun retreat. They need somewhere to get theirloveon.”

I glance sideways at him. “And this is what you do in your free time? Watch trash TV and eat your body weight in dumplings while you wait for your next target?”

“Hey,” he defends, holding up a hand. “You don’t get to judge me when you’re just as invested in this relationship as I am.”

“Well, it’s not the brunette’s fault,” I snap, pointing at the TV like I’m delivering a closing argument in court. “The redhead is pissed, sure—but she’s overreacting. No one owes anyone anything in this show. That’s the whole point.”

Sho swallows a mouthful of dumplings and shakes his head, calm and unbothered. “Wrong. The whole point is towinas a couple the audience believes in. Loyalty is the currency. He picked the redhead during the re-coupling, promised her the ride or die act—then dropped her the second a newer model showed up.”

I narrow my eyes at the screen. “She didn’t exactly tattoo his name on her ass either. She had options.”

“Yeah, but she didn’ttakethem,” he counters, waving a chopstick. “New guys came in, and she stayed loyal. He didn’t. That’s the problem.”

“Please,” I scoff, picking up a chunk of lo mein and shoving it into my mouth. “You’re the last person who should be preaching loyalty. Assassins don’t do loyalty. They do contracts. Paychecks. Lies.”

Sho’s hand freezes mid-air, and he swiftly sets down his food container, his gaze sharpening.

“Don’t they?” he asks, voice low.

I shrug with a full mouth, not meeting his eyes. “You’re an assassin. A cold-blooded killer You don’t have time for relationships. Or family. You probably have a girlfriend in every country—frequent flyer hearts. Requiring loyalty from a guy like you is like asking to get your heart broken. It’s foolish.”

There’s a long pause. Then Sho leans back against the headboard, arms braced behind him. The amusement drains from his face, replaced by something unreadable—his jaw tight, his eyes darker than the TV glow across his cheekbones.

“It’s not foolish,” he says quietly. “I’m a one-woman guy.”

Something flutters hard in my chest, wild and stupid like wings in a jar. I stare down at my noodles like they’ve betrayed me.

“Bullshit,” I cough, the heat of the food hitting wrong and catching in my throat. I choke a little.

“I’m telling the truth.” Sho lifts both hands like he’s surrendering. “And I expect the same.”

My laugh is dry. Bitter. “Expect the same from who, exactly? What guy are we talking about here?”

He tilts his head at me, slow. Dangerous. “Don’t play with me, Nadia.”

I blink at him, feigning innocence. “I’m not playing. I just didn’t realize I’d have you pussy-whipped this fast.”

His smile returns, but this time it’s razor-sharp, all teeth and tension. “Ah, I see.”

I tilt my head. “See what?”

“You’re not ready for what happens when I’m yours,” he says, voice dropping to a growl. “But when you are? You won’t want anyone else breathing near you.”

I freeze.

For a second, I swear I can feel my heart battering against my ribcage, trying to escape. Every pulse is a warning:run. Instead, I cross my legs tighter, locking everything down, and drag in a deep breath like it might steady me.

“Possessive much?” I murmur, trying to sound unaffected.

Sho doesn’t even glance my way. “I thought we already established that,” he says, eyes fixed on the screen—but thecorner of his mouth betrays him. A small, satisfied smile pulling at his lips like he knows exactly what he’s doing to me.