Ivar's Escape (Assassins of Gravas #2) - N.J. Walters Page 0,43

his red beard. “Well, now. That makes more sense. I see why you were protecting him.”

Ivar’s face was bone-white, his hands fisted at his sides. He didn’t give her a second glance. Did he believe her lies? Probably. Not like they’d had time to build up much trust.

She blinked against the hot sun. Balthazar had the advantage with it at his back, not to mention his armed men. There had to be a way out of this. She just had to figure it out.

There were too many men for her to handle on her own out in the open. If she could get them all inside the docking bay, there were plenty of places to hide. Then she could hunt, taking them out one at a time.

The unknown factor was Ivar. Would he fight with her or against her?

“He has to be alive to claim the bounty.” That would keep him safe, even if her life was forfeit. She was trusting Balthazar’s greed to overcome his legendary temper.

“Who helped you?” he demanded.

“No one.”

When he shook his head, the sun glinted off the red in his hair. Hands on his hips, he glared down at her from his great height. “You don’t expect me to believe a little thing like you took out four of my men and rescued him”—he pointed at Ivar—“on your own.”

She gave a negligent shrug. “What can I say? I have skills.” Bragging would either set him off or intrigue him. She prayed for the latter.

Ivar was silent. She longed to look at him but didn’t dare. Anything could set off their captor.

Balthazar ran his gaze down her body, lingering at her chest and her crotch. Even though she was fully clothed, it made her uncomfortable. “You have skills I haven’t discovered, but I will. You owe me. I’m down five men, if you include the one who manned the guard station. Good men are hard to find.”

She tossed her hair. “How good were they, really, if I got by them? You should thank me for weeding out the weak ones.”

He gave a deep chuckle. “You’re either crazy or have balls of steel, girl.”

“What I am is enterprising. A girl has to eat. And I have a taste for the finer things.” Her brother would kill himself laughing at that one. They’d grown up lean and mean, fighting for the right to live. They’d never had a taste of the finer things until the time they spent on Gravas.

He licked his lips. “You are fine and I plan on having a taste of you. You owe me for missing our dinner date.”

“The two of you deserve each other.” Ivar spat on the ground between them, his golden eyes ablaze with fury.

Her heart cracked, even as it hardened, becoming as impenetrable as titansteel. She’d always known she and Ivar wouldn’t last, but never had she imagined things going so horribly wrong so soon.

Balthazar’s smile was cruel. The bastard was enjoying himself. “What did you think?” he mocked. “That she cared for you? A slovenly prisoner with nothing to his name? Come to think of it, not even his name.” He pinned her with a green glare. “What is his name?”

“All in good time. I want to make a deal.” Her goal now was to keep Ivar, and hopefully herself, alive. His brother knew he was here and would bargain for him, if it came to it.

“You want to make a deal?” He shook his head and glanced over his broad shoulder at his men. “She wants to make a deal.” The men dutifully laughed, amused and all but salivating at the chance to kill her … or worse.

Don’t go there.

Whatever she had to do to keep Ivar alive, she would. This mission was about saving a life, not taking one. Although, she would slit Balthazar’s throat before she was done or she’d die trying.

Sweat made her shirt stick to her torso. A droplet trickled down her temple. “I have the contract, not you.”

He flipped his knife through his fingers, nimble and quick. The man had skills. Well, so did she. And unlike him, she wasn’t advertising. “I can make you talk.”

“I’m sure you can.” His smirk irked her enough to add, “But I wouldn’t tell you the truth.”

“You’re good at lies, aren’t you?” The bitterness in Ivar’s voice almost broke her. She turned to face him, her heart bleeding. Anger, hard and deadly, burned in his eyes. Her throat almost closed. She swallowed the need to reassure him