Page 12 of While He Breathes (The Hunter and The Thief #2)

CHAPTER ELEVEN

ORION

“ T his is a bad idea,” Killian says for the tenth time since we pulled up outside Ember’s hotel.

“Just get the security in place,” I snap.

He rolls his eyes and taps something out on his phone. What started as making sure there was no way anyone could hurt Ember while she’s in town has quickly become me going in to confront her again, but not until I’m sure she’s safe, and we’re not going to have any unwelcome visitors.

“The team just arrived and are getting set up around the perimeter,” he tells me.

“I want you out here to ensure they’re doing their jobs. I’ll keep you updated about whether I’m coming back or not.”

Killian turns in his seat and nails me with a stare. “Are you sure you should do this tonight? If you keep pushing her, she might never come back.”

“I’m done waiting. She’s had three months of space. That’s more than enough.”

Killian rolls his eyes. “Fine, but I don’t want to hear about it when this blows up in your face.”

I don’t bother responding. Instead, I climb out of the car and head through the front foyer of the most expensive hotel in the city.

No one gives me a second look as I stroll toward the elevators and use the keycard Killian hesitantly acquired for me. The card will only get me as far as her floor because apparently, my best friend has boundaries.

I chuckle to myself as the elevator climbs to the sixteenth floor. He has no idea what awaits him when he finds his Ember. How hard he’ll fall. How many lines he’ll cross to make her his. I can’t fucking wait to watch, and you better believe I’ll be gloating.

The doors slide open, and I step out into the hallway, only to come face-to-face with Max’s smug face.

He was right about one thing. As much as I may want to kill him for keeping me away from Ember the last few months, I won’t touch a hair on his head.

I can’t risk her hating me any more than she already does, and unfortunately, I think he actually has her best interests at heart, unlike her asshole brother.

“You’re later than I expected.” He smirks, his back leaning against the door that separates me from my woman.

“I was getting a team of security in place,” I tell him.

This is the first time I’m seeing him without his mask on, just as it’s his without mine, and we take a moment to survey one another.

“I travel with a team,” he replies. “They’re stationed at each of the exits.”

“Well, now there are two.”

He chuckles and shakes his head.

“What are you doing here?” I ask.

“I knew you’d show.”

“And you thought you alone would be able to keep me from her?”

“On the contrary, actually.” He contemplates me for a moment before sighing.

“When I met Ember, she was so broken. I’d heard of her talents on the grapevine and that she was in town, and so I hired her to do a job for me.

But the first time we met, and that she met my husband, I knew she was going to be more to us than just a thief doing a job. ”

I growl, and it earns me another chuckle.

“Not like that, tiger. Although it did feel rather reminiscent of the idea of finding a soulmate. The way you just know the other person is going to come to mean the world to you. Ember is our best friend, and there’s nothing Darius and I won’t do to keep her safe. ” He catches me with a pointed glare.

“I’d never hurt her,” I force through gritted teeth. My hands flex into fists at my sides as I force myself to remain in place.

Don’t kill her best friend.

Don’t kill her best friend.

Don’t kill her best friend.

I repeat the words to myself over and over as if it’s doing anything to stop me from executing his asshole where he stands.

“But you already did.” He quirks a brow at me. “You lied to her. Manipulated her. And you broke her heart. That’s a lot to come back from.”

I want to be angry at him for calling me out, but he’s right.

I did all of those things knowing about the potential fallout, and I have no one to blame but myself.

I’ve spent many a night over the last three months with a bottle of whiskey and my own self-depreciating thoughts. I know what I did broke her.

The problem is, I don’t care. I’m a criminal.

A killer. I’m used to doing what needs to be done to get what I want, and if I had my time again, I’m not sure I would change anything other than how Ember found out I’m the Hunter.

Not that it would have changed her reaction, but at least I could have controlled the fallout.

Max holds my gaze, his face passive and unbothered despite facing down one of the deadliest men in the country.

“You love her.” It’s not a question, and because of that, I don’t bother responding.

He knows it’s the truth and likely knows there’s nothing I wouldn’t do for her.

“And lucky for you, she loves you. She’s trying to tell herself she doesn’t, but it’s not as easy to fall out of love as it is to fall into it. ”

He steps forward, dips a hand into his pocket, and produces a keycard before holding it out to me.

“I did a check of your story about Travis, and it checked out. He was willing to sell his sister to that piece of shit to skip out on his debt, and even if you didn’t kill him because of that, he still deserved to die for it. I told her tonight, and she didn’t take it well, so tread carefully.”

I reach for the card, but he pulls it back at the last second.

“I hope it goes without saying that I will kill you if you hurt her again. I’m helping you because I genuinely believe you are what is best for her, but don’t mistake that for weakness. Ember means the world to me, and I will end anyone that fucks with her.”

I bite down on my cheek to stop myself from snapping back at him. Even with the threat, he’s giving me a chance to get my girl back, and he’s not going to stand in my way.

“Thank you,” I say.

Max smirks. “I’m giving you the key, but you have to know our girl is going to fight like hell.”

I chuckle. “I fucking hope so.”

He turns toward the elevator but pauses. “Oh, and Orion?”

“Yeah?”

“I’ll send you my address for that Van Gogh.”

I don’t waste any time arguing with him, quickly swiping the card against the reader and slipping into the dark room. He can have the fucking painting. I only bought it to fuck with him, anyway.

The faint glow of the moon streams in through the opened window, and I can’t help but smile.

Before Ember walked into my life, I can think of only a handful of times my lips quirked up in a true smile, but somehow the little spitfire drags them out of me without even trying.

She loves to sleep with the window open. She once told me that when she wakes up and the first thing she sees is the sky, it starts her day the right way. I didn’t understand it at the time, but I haven’t closed the curtains once since she left.

My little flame is bundled up in the center of the large bed, and before I realize I’m moving, I find myself at the end of the bed, staring down at her.

Her dark hair is a little longer than it was when she ran from me, but I like it. I have a feeling I’ll be just as obsessed with her when she’s old and gray as I am now. I just have to get back into her good graces first.

Without hesitation, I strip out of my jacket and shirt, dropping them both to the chair in the corner before moving onto my pants.

Once I’m down to my boxer briefs, I move quietly around the side of the bed and slip in beside her.

The tension bleeds from my muscles as soon as she’s near. After months of worrying, of having no way to protect her, to keep her safe, my body is exhausted. I’ve barely slept in the time since she disappeared, and just having her beside me is enough to have my eyelids drooping.

I should keep my hands to myself. It’s enough just to be close to her right now, but before I can stop myself, I wrap my arms around Ember’s soft body and drag her against me.

Waking her up will only end one of two ways, but I’m enough of an optimist to risk it. Or at least that’s what I tell myself as I bury my face in her hair.

Be damned with the consequences, because even a few seconds of holding her are enough to settle my frayed nerves.