Nix. (Den of Mercenaries Book 3) (21 page)

* * *

E
veryday for the last week
, Luna had awakened to the sound of gently lapping water and the soft cry of sea gulls. That, coupled with Kit being next to her, she couldn’t think of anything better.

No, she could.

It was the weight of the ring on her finger that was better than everything this place had to offer. She had almost thought she’d dreamed the day before, that he had’t actually proposed, but the blinding diamond on her finger told her otherwise.

A knock at the door to the bungalow had Luna sitting up in surprise, immediately looking to her right, but Kit wasn’t there. When the knock sounded again, she shuffled to her feet and peeked out the window first before opening the door.

Kit had promised surprises the night before, refusing to elaborate no matter how much she begged, so for all Luna knew, this was one of them.

Standing on the other side of the door were three women, all wearing the resort’s uniform of white short and a white polo. The one wearing a short hairstyle and stood slightly in front of the others spoke rapid Dhivehi, but when she realized Luna didn’t understand what she was saying, she switched to broken English.

“We get you ready,” she said with a brilliant smile, stepping past her in a flourish as the others followed.

Already, the butterflies were fluttering faster.

Luna spun around to follow them back.

Loley, her name tag read, headed directly for the bathroom where she stopped next to the giant free standing tub and ran a bath, mixing in an assortment of bath salts, citrus scenting soaps, and topped it off with brightly colored flower petals.

Luna didn’t even get the chance to fully appreciate it before she was stripped of her clothes and practically shoved into it.

They shuffled out after and she could just see the swish of fabric as a dress was brought in, one that sparkled and shone.

Luna’s movements were jittery as she washed, grabbing a towel and drying off. Wrapping it around herself, she stepped back into the main room.

There was a flurry all around her as she was given lingerie to put on, and a slip.

Then, and only then, did she get her first look at her wedding dress.

It looked like diamonds had been sown into the fabric, rainbows glittering all around it. The sparkles extended over the straps of the dress, down the bodice, and further still until it reached the very end of the dress’ train.

When she thought of weddings, Luna thought of magnificent ball gowns, of adoring family and friends that gathered inside a church to witness the union between a man and a woman before their God. She had always imagined a big celebration for herself—a winter wonderland was what she had always wanted.

Fake snow, white roses—well white everything—and a horse-drawn carriage that brought her to the man that loved her, and the church full of people that were excited to see her off into a new life.

She had wanted something grand, lavish, with memories that would last her a lifetime.

This, with Kit, was nothing like she had ever expected, but was everything she could have ever wanted.

The ladies helped her step into the gown, zipping and buttoning it into place as she stared across the room at her reflection in the mirror.

This was happening.

It was
really
happening.

She’d expected the garment to be heavy considering the level of detailing, but it was nearly weightless as she moved about.

The anxiousness she felt had her stomach in knots in the best way possible.

By the time they were leaving again, smiling at her with encouraging nods once she was fully dressed, Luna was ready.

Or as ready as she could possibly be.

Staring at her reflection in the mirror now, cheeks flushed, hair strategically pinned with errant strands curling to frame her face, she looked like a bride. Unconventional, but a bride all the same.

Gathering the skirt in her hands, she walked barefoot across the floor, following the scattering of rose petals until she reached the front door where a note was taped that hadn’t been there before.

See you soon …

Three little words that made her heart flutter.

But she didn’t let her eagerness, that giddiness that had settled into her body overtake her, not just yet.

Up the walkway, cool petals brushing her feet, Luna headed for the shore. The sun was just peeking over the horizon, casting brilliant shades of orange and pink in arcs along the sky though partially obstructed by grayish clouds.

This day couldn’t get any better, from the warm glow of the sun, to the slight breeze that ruffled the skirt of her dress as she walked.

Torches lined the walkway from the moment wood merged with sand. Down at the end, wearing a proper three-piece suit, Kit was always so poised, never a hair out of place, but today he had left it as it usually fell when it dried, wavy strands falling over his forehead.

He was beautiful.

As she started toward him, his eyes found hers and the most brilliant of smiles crossed his face—as though she was the thing that mattered most to him in the world.

Seeing him there, waiting for her, spurred Luna into motion, sending her hurrying across the sand until she felt his arms go around her, his soft laugh making her feel lighter than air.

And she knew, in that moment, that she would always run to him.

I
t was supposed
to be Spring—when flowers bloomed and the cold weather gave way to warmth and sunshine, but mother nature apparently wasn’t having that.

Already, Luna missed Bora Bora and being able to walk into the ocean from the bungalow. She missed the silence of the nights when she could enjoy being alone with Kit.

With her husband.

Husband
.

That they were married now still baffled her.

Despite the promised high, it was still fifty degrees outside, and to make matters worse, the skies had finally opened up, freezing droplets raining down.

Not for the first time during her long trek into the city, Luna regretted climbing onto her bike and venturing into the city. Even with a helmet, gloves, and leather jacket, she was still soaked through by the time she arrived at the address Uilleam had sent her.

The street was mostly empty besides the few cars along the curb. Parking her bike, she waited until she was inside the building before removing her helmet, the wet ends of her hair wetting her shirt.

The office space, though she wasn’t entirely sure it was an office, was barren. During the few times Uilleam had called on her personally throughout the years, she would often find him in swanky locations that seemed expensive just to
look
at.

This place, whatever it was, didn’t seem to fit what she knew about him.

More importantly, he was nowhere to be seen.

Popping her head back out to make sure she was in the right location, Luna frowned as she reached for her phone, but stopped when she heard the click of heels.

“I’m sorry,” a woman said as she came around the corner, eyeing her from top to bottom. “We’re closed for renovations.”

Luna might have been willing to believe that had there been a sign of some kind—and if she wasn’t dealing with the Kingmaker.

“I’m looking for a friend,” Luna said, “maybe you know him?”

“Who’s your friend?”

“The Kingmaker.”

Now, the woman’s expression shifted. “A moment, please.” She disappeared back around the way she had come, only to return not long after. “Come with me.”

It would be just like Uilleam to plan this dramatic meeting when he could have told her about the assignment through an encrypted email—it wouldn’t be the first time.

With a roll of her eyes, Luna followed after the woman, then down a flight of stairs. Now she was beginning to see what was hidden behind the empty facade.

Tucked around the corner and away from prying eyes, there were a row of doors on either side of the narrow hallway.

They stopped in front of one marked 2B, where the woman rapped on the door twice before twisting the handle. “Sir, you have a visitor.”

Uilleam’s voice sounded from inside the room. “Send her in.”

The woman stepped to the side, waving for Luna to go in. Not sure what to expect—because no one could anticipate what Uilleam got into—she entered hesitantly, trying to make sense of what she was seeing inside the smoky interior.

Uilleam was there, but he wasn’t alone. There were two women lounging on either side of him, both wearing frilly lace and nothing more. One had a hookah pipe tucked between full lips as she drew in the smoke, water bubbling inside, and the other was running oiled hands down Uilleam’s back and further still …

Luna jerked her gaze away, but not before she got an eyeful of his toned backside in all its glory. Unfortunately, there was a rather large mirror hanging on the opposite wall, so that did little for her.

“I’ve been waiting ages, Luna,” Uilleam said as he rolled over onto his back, making her eyes widen as she got an unobstructed view of everything he hid beneath expensive suits.

Focusing her attention on the assortment of silk pillows on the other side of the room, she kept it there. “In case you didn’t realize, it’s pouring down outside. You’re lucky I got here when I did.”

Uilleam laughed. “Fair enough. Where—is there a reason you’re refusing to look at me?” He asked, seeming to only realize now that she wasn’t facing him.

“Are you kidding?” Luna asked, feeling the flush in her cheeks as she visualized the rippling contours of his abdomen. “You’re
naked
.”

He scoffed, as though her reasoning was absurd. “I once held a meeting between two warring families on a private beach on the coast of France. Neither was willing to work with the other because they were both notorious for killing their enemies during sit-downs.”

Luna’s mouth twitched. “So you decided to have it at a nude beach?”

She could hear him moving around, the rustle of clothing before he was suddenly at her side wearing only a pair of slim-fitting pants.

“It was the only way I could guarantee that each party respected the arrangement I had set up.” His smile was rueful as he ran his fingers through his hair. “Unless, of course, they decided to get a little creative.”

“Clever,” she had to admit.

Uilleam touched her hand, lifting it to get a better look at the ring that now adorned her finger. Even in the low light of the room, the diamond sparkled.

“A shame I wasn’t invited to the wedding,” he said looking from the ring to her. “I’m sure you looked beautiful.”

Luna smiled at the compliment. If there was something to be said about Uilleam, he had always been kind to her—blunt sometimes to the point of rudeness, but always kind.

“It was a surprise to me too,” Luna found herself saying. “There wasn’t really any time to invite anyone.”

“Trust me. This may have been a surprise for you, but my brother is a planner—this would have been in the works for months. It really is a shame,” he said softly, letting her hand drop.

Luna lost her smile. “That we got married?”

Uilleam looked at her,
really
looked at her which made her a little nervous as to what his answer would be. “No, a shame that you have a job to do.”

Right. Of course. That was why she was here. “What
is
the job, exactly?”

“I’ll fill you in on all the details later, or Skorpion can.” He glanced at the Rolex on his wrist. “He should have been here by now.”

“He’s in town?”

She hadn’t known Uilleam had called on Skorpion too, not that he would have told her otherwise—the Kingmaker’s moves were known only to him—but Skorpion would have.

Of everyone at the Den, Skorpion was the one she was closest to—like the older brother she had never had.

Though, to be fair, most of the mercenaries that called the Den home were like brothers, though she didn’t see them nearly as much.

“I can’t imagine we would both fit on that bike of yours,” he said with a smirk, going over to retrieve his shirt and shrugged it on. “Tell me, how on earth did you convince my brother to allow you to drive that thing? I can’t imagine he hadn’t tried to talk you out of it.”

Kit had, in fact—and he may have gotten his way had she not shown him how
thankful
she could be if he gave her what she wanted.

The next morning, the white Ducati had been waiting for her in the driveway.

Leaving his inquiry unanswered, Luna asked, “What are you doing back so early anyway? I thought you were in Shanghai this week?”

A look of annoyance crossed his features. “I see my uncle has yet to curb his habit of telling you my business.”

“He doesn’t tell me everything,” she reassured, “only what may concern your brother so I know what to expect.”

Because when the two of them fought, it could get ugly, especially if it had anything to do with their businesses overlapping.

Luna still didn’t understand the intricate details and boundaries that allowed the pair of them to work together—or separately, as it were—but she did understand that there were precautions in place to ensure that neither stepped on the other’s toes.

Though sometimes it felt like that was all they ever did.

“Ladies.”

Luna turned at the slow drawl coming from the man that had to duck his way into the room, a slow grin curling his lips as he removed his hat.

He hardly glanced in Uilleam’s direction, though he did give a wink to Luna, before he was giving the two women on the floor his full undivided attention, and infamous charm.

Skorpion was a big man, over six feet tall with the body mass of a professional football player. It also didn’t help that he
looked
rather terrifying, but underneath the gruff exterior was a teddy bear that cared more about surfing than anything else.

When he wasn’t under contract, he could usually be found hunting the best waves—the man spent nearly as much time surfing as he did working—and staying off the grid.

“Now that everyone is here,” Uilleam said as he grabbed his suit jacket off the back of a chair. “Let’s discuss.”

Uilleam left the room first, Luna following, and Skorpion after, though he had to jog to catch up after spending a moment longer with the women in the room.

“It’s been long in the making,” Uilleam continued, starting up the flight of stairs. “But it’s finally time.”

“Time for
what
?”

“Your debt to come due,” he answered, stopping at the top to glance down at her. “This will be … difficult for you, but once this is done, you’ll finally be free of that time in your life.”

“I thought I was already free of that time?”

The smile he offered her wasn’t his trademark grin, nor did she see his usual humor. “Not quite.”

“Just strange,” Skorpion muttered from behind her, making her smile despite herself.

Uilleam shook his head. “We can discuss it more on the flight.”

The flight? “What flight?” Luna asked.

“To California,” Uilleam elaborated once they finally cleared the stairs.

“Kit’s there actually,” she said. Coming back from Bora Bora, while she had taken a car back to his penthouse apartment in the city, he had taken another jet out of the state.

“I’m sure he is,” Uilleam mumbled as he laid a hand on the door and pushed it open, stepping out into the rain.

A familiar black muscle car was parked just about a block down, but it wasn’t there that Luna’s gaze was drawn.

It was to the motorcycle and its rider idling at the stoplight.

Even through the rain, she could see that the light was still yellow, but the rider stayed there—and though he seemed to be facing straight ahead, Luna couldn’t shake the notion that they were being watched.

He was all a blur for a moment before she wiped at the water dripping from her eyelashes and got a decent look at him. It was a man, that much she could see even at her distance from his build and the way he straddled his bike.

He also wore all black, from his boots up to the helmet that covered his entire head, and the gloved hands he had wrapped around the handlebars.

Just sitting there …

As though he were waiting …

Luna realized almost a moment too late as Uilleam cleared the door and the moment he did, the rider pulled a gun, silencer firmly attached the end of it.

“Uilleam!”

Not once in the years she had known his name had she ever used it when it wasn’t only the pair of them. That, coupled with the way she shouted it had the man in question jolting to a stop, his gaze snapping to where she was looking.

But it was too late.

The rider squeezed off rounds in rapid succession, glass exploding as one of the rounds went through the car separating him from his target—but even that one didn’t miss.

Someone screamed, Skorpion shouted a command for her to stay where she was, and the last thing she heard before the blood rushing in her ears drowned everything out was Uilleam’s grunts as multiple bullets plugged their way into his body.

Luna didn’t pause to think about what she was doing, merely shot out the door with her gun raised, squeezing the trigger before she even had a clear shot. She might not have hit the driver, but she did get his attention.

And it was enough to send him speeding off, his tires burning rubber as he disappeared nearly as quickly as he came.

Once she could no longer see him, her concentration broke, bringing her back to the present where Uilleam was still on the ground.

But before she could get to him, Skorpion snatched her back with one hand, and despite her persistence, there was no resisting someone with his strength.

“Stay
there
,” he ordered. “Use your phone and dial star-seven-six-four and give them this address.”

Skorpion dashed out, dragging Uilleam up with ridiculous ease.

With shaking hands, Luna did as he asked, though she didn’t understand who, exactly, she was calling. She thought he might have misspoken had it not been for the man that answered on the second ring.

She gave their address, making sure to mention that she was calling about the Kingmaker before the person on the other line hung up the phone.

Skorpion stripped out of his shirt, tearing it to shreds as he packed it along Uilleam’s front. There was blood everywhere,
so much blood
, that Luna couldn’t see anything else.

She couldn’t understand how someone who had lost so much blood could still be awake.

“Calavera, hey! Get over here.”

He didn’t give her a chance to do just that before he was dragging her across the floor, guiding her hands down onto the bloody bundles of cloth that were quickly getting soaked through.

“Keep pressure on these,” he said with fierce eyes, making sure she understood.

“Scar, he’s—”

It was rare that she used her nickname for Skorpion—a play on the first half his moniker—but she was terrified, more so than she had ever been in her life, and she desperately needed him to tell her that Uilleam would be all right.

That he would walk away from this as he had so many other run-ins with his enemies.

The Kingmaker was infallible—he was without equal.

But as she stared down at terrified eyes, she couldn’t help but think even gods bled.