Page 10 of Iron Princess
Her brother is on it. Rafe Ransom and I go back a long time, but we’re not friends. I don’t have friends.
The intermediary I work through on the dark web is a nameless, faceless avatar who doesn’t know anything about me other than my ability to deliver on my contracts with perfect consistency.
Then there’s Jeremiah, the one who set me on this path by calling Mount in the beginning. He watches out for my ma, making sure she’s got what she needs. I funnel money into his accounts through cryptocurrency so it can’t be traced back to my network of offshore companies.
“Where are we going?”
I keep catching myself wanting to smile around Temperance, which is completely foreign to me. I didn’t even know my lips were capable of doing it so often, and I’m now actively trying to remain stone-faced. Another new challenge.
“Somewhere safe.”
She draws in a long, slow breath and releases it. “Any more details you care to share?”
“No.” I fight to keep from smiling again when she narrows her eyes and faces me with her hands propped on her hips. “Bring everything you need. You won’t be coming back for a while.”
“You know I have to work, right? I can’t just go into hiding somewhere and let the distillery go to hell. Keira’s counting on me.”
“They’ll be back sooner than they planned. But until then, to everyone at the distillery, I’m your newly hired assistant.”
“Until I fire your ass,” she snaps.
I lose the battle, and a predatory smile curves my lips. “I think you should be more concerned about your ass.”
Her face turns red at the reminder of our encounters at the club, which sends a punch of lust to my gut.
Can’t touch her. Not here. It’s not safe.
I force the thought out of my mind and ask, “Where’s your bag?”
Instead of replying, she snatches a small carry-on out of the closet behind her.
I eye it skeptically. “You’re telling me you can fit everything in that?”
“Don’t worry. I have a duffel bag for my guns.”
I speak without thinking, something I rarely do. “Who knew you were the perfect woman?”
“Yeah. Right.” She flips me the bird and starts packing.
She has no idea I’m telling the truth. She is fucking perfect.
Determined. Sassy. Gorgeous. Fucks like a dream.
My instincts war with my self-control because all I want to do right now is bend her over the bed and—
Fucking stop, man. Not yet. Get her out of here first.
Fifteen minutes later, I’m stunned that she’s packed and ready to go.
“So, where to? The bat cave?”
My lips twitch.
Did I mention she was fucking perfect?
7
Temperance
