Page 37 of Ballistic

“You’ve finished for the day?”

“Yeah. Donata told me to check with you before I go.”

“You’re free to go, then. I’ll have Radim drive you home.”

The moment he returned his attention to his work, I stole the opportunity to ask the burning question in the back of my mind. “Why don’t you have a family? I mean, you have all those rooms to clean. In a big house. Seems like a lot for just you.”

The way his gloved hand went still, his fancy pen dripping globs of ink onto the white paper below it, sent a shiver up my spine. When he lifted his gaze, I wondered if he was trying to figure out how he could effectively pierce my skull with that expensive pen.

He cleared his throat and set the pen on the desk, much to my relief. “I did have a family.”

“Did? As in, don’t anymore?”

“In my world, love is a liability. A weakness. The very thing that can destroy a family.”

Shifting on my chair, I frowned. “That’s funny. In my world, it’s the only thing that keeps families together.”

His stern eyes softened, and he sat back in his chair with what I guessed was a smile, though it was kinda hard to tell when the guy’s face always looked mad. “What I wouldn’t give for that level of simplicity once more.”

“Were they killed? Your family?”

His lips thinned and brows pinched together again, as he seemed to chew on the question. “In front of me.” He removed his glove from his hand.

My eyes widened at the deformity of his skin and the way every inch of it was wrinkled into some grotesque disfigurement.

“Where I come from, we’re punished for expressing love, because it is the only path to a man’s most valuable possession, and his most vulnerable wound. Therefore, it’s wise to keep it guarded at all times. Never let them know you have a weakness, and you’ll always have the upper hand.” Fingers splayed, he twisted his hand in front of me and smiled. “Do you understand?”

I did. Never love, and you’ll never know pain.

The change in scenery broke me from my musings, as Dax turned the car into the driveway of a small bungalow in an unremarkable neighborhood. Neither impressive, nor shitty. Just kind of there.

Dax killed the engine, and we both exited the vehicle.

From inside the small house, a dog barked incessantly—not the yip of a small animal, but the deep, hearty warning of a big one. It reminded me of Tesarik’s Presa Canarios he often set loose on his enemies. I’d once witnessed the male, Bane, chew the nuts off a man Tesarik believed had been stealing from him. The visual of the man bleeding all over the floor had left me running for the bathroom to throw up, and I’d grown wary of large dogs ever since.

Before I even realized it, I’d slipped my hand into Dax’s.

He paused midstride and looked down, then curled his big fingers around mine, and we strode up to the front of the house.

“Shhh, Ruger, it’s okay. It’s just Dax.” A woman stood in the doorway with a baby set on her hip. A little girl, with light brown curls and beautiful green eyes that beamed as we made our way up the stone stairs.

“Daya!” The baby squealed, and Dax let go of my hand and held his arms out for the child reaching back for him.

“How’s my princess?” he asked her, lifting the baby into his arms, as the woman smiled up at him. He brushed his beard against her face, inciting the kind of giggles that brought a smile to mine. “Taking care of the kingdom, baby girl?”

“She missed you,” the woman answered for her. “Where you been?” Her eyes landed on me, but not in an appraising way, as I’d come to expect. They softened with a real smile, not the fake variety most women put on around me. “And who might this be?” Bottom lip caught between her teeth, she raised her brows, as though it were some joke between them.

The dog trotted up to me, and just as I had the moment I’d met Tesarik’s dogs, I held out my open palm, allowing it to sniff me. After a few inquisitive probes of my hands and my feet, the dog retreated, allowing us to step inside the house.

“Been around. Lucy, this is Nicoleta. My friend,” he said, and at that point, I was pretty sure I understood the look she’d given him seconds ago. “And Nicoleta, this is my goddaughter, Soleluna.”

“Soleluna.” I repeated the name. “Pretty.”

“So, Nicoleta, I understand you’re sick of wearing ridiculously oversized men’s shirts and sweats, is that right?” Arms crossed, she glanced down at my outfit and back to Dax, shaking her head.

“I am.” The corner of my lip kicked up to a smile. Something about the woman was easygoing. Genuine. My muscles eased a bit around her.

“Then, let’s get you out of those.” She gripped my arm, stiffening my muscles all over again. At what must’ve been a frown on my face, she let go, and gave a wink instead. “Follow me.”