Kyler's Justice (Assassins of Gravas Book 3) - N.J. Walters Page 0,33

be more likely to poison him. His grin caught him by surprise. She was feisty and fierce, his woman.

His.

His stomach filled, his body clean, he went back to his room and dropped onto the bed. “Computer, full security on. Wake me in six planetary hours.”

Closing his eyes, he pulled up images of Etta, replaying their lovemaking. His body hardened, his heart healed, and he finally gave in to exhaustion and rested.

****

“The rat bastard,” Etta muttered as she slammed a lid onto a pot. She’d been on a tear for most of the day. Only the girls were safe from her bad mood. Everyone else had kept out of her way.

It had been hours and there’d been no word from or sign of him.

She rubbed her hands over her apron and stared blankly at the cooking unit. When she wasn’t angry, she was on the verge of heartbreak. The back-and-forth of emotions was making her crazy.

“You’re not talking about me, are you, dear sister?”

She whirled around and faced her nemesis. “Where have you been?”

Balthazar ambled into the room, a smile on his face, but his eyes told a different story. They were filled with rage and edged with fear. “Be careful how you speak to me, little sister.”

“You got on the wrong side of the Gravasians? In what universe is that a good idea?” She was primed for a fight, throwing caution to the winds.

“I didn’t know he was Gravasian, only that he had weapons that could be theirs. I wouldn’t have known that much if our father hadn’t pointed it out to me. I’d planned to question the man, but there were complications.”

She’d just bet there had been complications. There’d been talk. She had no idea what was truth or fiction, but the rumblings among the regular customers was that something had gone very wrong for Balthazar. There was no way to know the truth without asking him directly, and his temper was even more volatile than Helldrick’s.

A bitter laugh bubbled up from inside. “Your intel came from Helldrick and you didn’t question why he didn’t take the tech for himself? He set you up for the fall.” Gods, both the men in her life were ruled by their greed and ambition.

He shrugged. “No risk. No reward.”

She briefly closed her eyes and prayed for strength. This entire mess was his fault.

Only it wasn’t. She should have said no to drugging the man, should have found another way to save her sisters. She was as guilty as he was. Okay, maybe not as guilty, but she’d played a part in it.

Etta raked her fingers through her hair and then went to the sink to wash her hands. “What do you want?”

“What I always want. To come out on top.” He reached across the counter separating them and took her chin in his large hand. “And you’re going to help me do it.”

“Really? How do you figure that?” She jerked her head away.

“I need information and you want to stay alive. The Gravasians will send an assassin.” He stroked his flaming red beard, his expression becoming calculating.

Little did he know the assassin was already here. A shudder wracked her from head to toe. Fear warred with anger. Why had Kyler left without talking to her? Was he going to choose duty over what they’d shared and handle the job himself, or would he take her back to Gravas to face justice? And what about the girls?

Mistaking her shudder for pure fear, Balthazar nodded. “You understand the situation. If an assassin shows up, he’ll learn of your part in this.”

“My fate is sealed.” And it was in the hands of her lover. All she could do was try to right the wrongs she’d done.

Her brother frowned. “So fatalistic. I thought you’d be more eager to fight. What about your sisters?”

She didn’t bother reminding him they were his sisters as well. It just didn’t matter to him. “Get to the point. I have fish to prep before the evening crowd arrives.”

He loomed over her, a scowl darkening his face. “You don’t seem to be taking this seriously.”

After lifting twenty pounds of gatla fish onto the counter, she began to slice it into single portion servings. “Believe me, I’m taking this very seriously. You fucked up and now you want me to fix it.”

He threw back his head and roared with laughter. His unpredictable responses unnerved most people, but she’d grown up around Balthazar and took it all in stride. “When did you get a