Page 103 of Savage Hearts

“An hour by car to the nearest town, then a two-hour flight.”

That startles me. “Oh.”

“What?”

“You can take care of your business in a one-day round trip that includes six hours of travel?”

He says quietly, “I’m very good at what I do.”

I breathe in the clean, cold air, letting it clear my head and calm me. “Killing people.”

He spends a while staring at my profile, then says, “It’s interesting to me that you don’t seem bothered by it.”

“Of course I’m bothered by it.” I think for a moment. “Though, to be honest, I’d be a lot more bothered if you were killing kittens. People in general are overrated. And you’re probably just offing otherbad guys, mafia guys and whatnot, so part of me thinks you’re doing something beneficial for society. And yes, I’m aware that’s ridiculous, and I have no way of knowing if you’re out raping nuns and burning down orphanages and blowing up kindergarten classes, but there’s just this dumb little voice inside my head that tells me that for a bad guy, you’re actually pretty good.”

My sigh is heavy. “But I’m not in my right mind, so take all that with a grain of salt.”

Minutes of silence pass. Then he says in a low voice, “Of all the people I’ve met who know what I do, you’re the only one who’s ever treated me like I’m human.”

We stand in silence, looking out at the meadow and the trees.

There’s an ache inside my chest that’s growing rapidly. “Mal?”

“Yes?”

“I’m sorry about your brother.”

He stiffens.

“I’m not saying that because I don’t want you to kill Declan. I mean, I don’t want you to kill Declan, but that’s a separate thing. I just… I’m sorry for your loss. Even though we’re not that close, if my sister died, part of me would, too.”

After a moment of thought, I admit reluctantly, “Maybe the best part.”

I glance at him. He inhales slowly, his nostrils flared and his lips flattened.

I turn my attention back to the view, unsure what else to say. We stand side by side for a long time, listening to the silence, until he exhales.

“Your bodyguard. Kieran.”

My breath catches. “Did you find out something?”

“He’s alive. Spent a while in ICU, but he’ll make it.”

Pressing a hand over my pounding heart, I exhale a shaky breath. “Thank god.”

“The other one. The blond.”

The tone of his voice makes me nervous. “Spider? Is he okay?”

He nods, then says thoughtfully, “I have to give it to your Irishmen, they’re a persistent bunch. Dumb, but persistent.”

“What do you mean?”

He turns his head and gazes down at me with emotionless eyes. “Spider’s in Moscow. He came to search for you.”

That leaves me breathless. With shock, but also with fear, because I know what Mal will do next.

And it isn’t bringing Spider a welcome basket.