Page 17 of Lies That Bleed
“I’ll set up camp wherever I want,” he spat, and my head reeled back in shock.
“What the hell’s your problem?” I wanted to throw this hot liquid in his face, but wouldn’t waste such a good drink.
His nostrils flared, and he reached down and pulled off his black shirt, exposing the most delicious set of abs I had ever seen. I wasn’t prepared for the sudden undressing, so I just stood there staring like an idiot.
There was a giant gash across his left pec. It was bad, bleeding heavily, and so deep I could see the muscle underneath.
“Your crooked father and his stupid assassins are my problem. They tried to kill me and I wasn’t able to protect my team. Lost two of them.” He pointed to his group of rookies.
He said it like he cared about them or something, which was confusing. He just met them, and he admitted on the bus he knew my father was going to be after him.
I shifted uncomfortably, unsure what to say. To be honest, I wasn’t sure I agreed with my father’s decision totake outKohen. He was a symbol of the future peace between Imbria and Amersea. His father died in the war but we’d let him live, schooled him, allowed him to enter the Lottery. It was a message toeveryone that we were one nation now, united against Luska.
But my father couldn’t have that. He couldn’t have a possible future rebellion on his hands with Kohen as its leader.
Kohen was watching me keenly as he rummaged through his pack.
“If you were empress, what would you have done with me?” he asked suddenly when I didn’t say anything.
I swallowed hard at the dangerous question, my fingers twitching over my knife on the off chance he was about to pull a weapon from his pack and try to gut me.
“I would allow you to live. If you became a problem later and started an uprising, I’d deal with you then.”
He raised his eyebrows. “I’m surprised by your honesty, Aisling Everhart.”
He yanked a small tool from his pack and pressed it to the laceration on his chest. He pushed down hard and flinched before pushing again and again. It took me a few seconds to realize he was stapling up his own cut.
“Jeez, why don’t you get someone else to do that?” I waved at the rookies on his team.
It was an Imperial Fleet-issued medic device. I was willing to bet he’d stolen it.
He gritted his teeth as he stapled the last one. “Ideal with my own messes, princess,” he snapped, and then glanced past me, his face suddenly falling.
“Where is Meera?” His voice shook, panic evident as his gaze darted around the firepit, no doubt counting everyone.
I took a long swig from my coffee. “Bonded to a fox creature. Both survived.”
Relief washed over his face as he grinned at that, and stars help me he was beautiful. My stomach tightened, heat flushing over my entire body in response, and I hated myself a little for my reaction.
My body wanted what I couldn’t have. It’s like it knew that Kohen Badshah was the one man I couldn’t touch and so I wanted to touch him. All over.A lot.
I cleared my throat. “If you are sleeping so close to us, then just try not to attract anything deadly,” I shot as I strolled away.
“Impossible while your father is still breathing,” he muttered under his breath.
I pulled my blade, spinning quickly and lashing out until the sharp end was pressed to his Adam’s apple. He didn’t move a muscle, just watched me like a cat who was curious about my behavior.
“Was that a threat to my father?Youremperor?” I warned. I wouldn’t suffer treason, even if the words came from a beautiful mouth. I’d slice his throat right here if I thought he had plans to harm my father.
His gaze narrowed, and that’s when I felt the tip ofsomething sharp at my back, right where my heart frantically beat behind my ribcage.
Anika spoke from behind me: “Having a nice little chat over here?”
Dammit.
I lowered my blade, keeping my glare focused on Kohen. “I’m sorry that your father was a terrorist and ruined your life, but don’t threaten mine just because you have to live with the mistakes of yours.”
His eyes widened, nostrils flared, jaw clenched—he looked absolutely livid. And the tip of that blade still hadn’t been removed from my back.
