Page 35 of While He Breathes

“You got it,” Orion says and turns on his heel, heading toward the door.

“Orion. Let me down. I don’t want to go with you!” I slam my fists into his lower back again, hoping it’ll make a difference, but he doesn’t even seem to feel it.

“Too bad,” he growls. “You’re in danger, and the only place I know for certain you’re safe is with me. Which means that’s where you’ll be until further notice.”

“You’re fucking crazy!”

“When it comes to you, absolutely. Now you can keep kicking and screaming all the way home, but it’s not going to change a damn thing, so I suggest you sit down and shut up.”

Before I can argue, he deposits me in the back seat of an SUV that Killian’s driving. I wrap my fingers around the handle on the opposite side of the car, fully prepared to make a run for it, but when I tug, nothing happens.

“What the fuck?”

“Child lock,” Killian supplies from the front seat. “I had a feeling you’d try to make a run for it.”

“You realize he’s kidnapping me, right? That I don’t want to be here, or anywhere near him, for that matter?”

He shrugs as Orion climbs in behind me. “Wouldn’t be the shadiest thing he’s done since he met you.”

“What the hell does that mean?”

“It’s probably better that you don’t know.”

CHAPTER NINETEEN

ORION

It only takes a few minutes before Ember calms down.

Truthfully, I expected more of a fight from her, but after her encounter with Lucas, I’m not exactly surprised.

Maybe on some level, she realizes this is where she’s safest, and although I’m the source of her emotional turmoil, she and I both know I’d never physically harm her.

The thought of Lucas Trainer has my skin crawling all over again. He needs to die, and soon.

As good an excuse as him being a threat is to keep Ember close, I’d still much rather that no one wants to harm the woman who has quickly become my reason for breathing.

Killian filled me in on the altercation as he broke every road law on the way to the airfield. Luckily, the air traffic controller owes me a favor after we got stuck on the runway last year, and he was more than happy to delay takeoff for half an hour while we made our way across town.

The fact that Lucas put his hands on Ember only extends how long I’ll torture him, and I mentally plan every step of his death as we drive toward the penthouse.

It’s been a while since the Hunter has tortured someone like that, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t excited to get my handsdirty. It used to be such a big part of my role before I took over the drug game, and it’ll be good to flex the old muscles after all this time.

Killian parks in his spot in the garage before turning to look at us through the back seats. “What’s the plan here? You going to go willingly or kick and scream the whole way?”

Ember sighs, crossing her arms over her chest. “I’m adding you to my kill list.”

He chuckles. “Excellent. Now answer the question.”

“I’ll walk myself,” she huffs.

He levels her with another look before climbing out of the car and leaving the two of us alone for the first time since I plucked her off the plane and effectively abducted her.

Yeah, Killian may have a point about the lengths I’ll go to for this woman.

“You gonna behave for me, Little Flame?”

“I’m not a dog.”