wouldn’t quit until the job was done. The perfect assassins. Cold-blooded killers without conscience.”
“That’s not Adrian.” He noticed she never denied he was a cold-blooded killer. Not that he could blame her. That’s exactly what he was. But he was discovering that he was also much more than that.
Tienan shrugged and stiffened as his shoulder screamed in pain. Deciding that if Adrian was going to kill him, he would have already done so, Tienan carefully pulled off his T-shirt. Silence gasped, but he ignored it as he went to work on a makeshift bandage. Grabbing the hem, he ripped. The material gave way and he tore several long strips. Taking the remainder of the shirt, he folded it into a pad and placed it over the wound. It was awkward trying to tie the strips around the pad but he was determined.
“For the love of god.” Silence started toward him but Adrian grabbed her upper arm, stopping her.
She glared at Adrian. One corner of Tienan’s mouth turned up. He wasn’t the only person she was pissed at. For some reason that made him feel better.
“Let go of me. If Tienan wanted to hurt me, he could have killed me a hundred times over.”
Adrian hesitated but dropped his hand, releasing her. “Keep to the side so I’ll still have a shot.”
Muttering under her breath, she stalked toward him. An ominous crack split the air. Tienan saw her eyes widen and her face pale as the floor suddenly disappeared from beneath her feet. One minute she was there, the next she was gone, plummeting through the opening in the rotted floor.
Tienan lunged forward, all thoughts of his wound forgotten. Fear swamped him as he threw himself to the floor and grabbed for her. He caught the sleeve of her coat and held on. Her hand clamped over his wrist, her fingernails digging into his skin. “Don’t you let go,” he ordered. His shoulder screamed in pain, blood pulsing from the wound.
Her face was completely white as she stared up at him, her body swaying in the void. Below her were piles of rubble, stone and twisted metal. He’d let himself bleed to death before he’d release her.
“Give me your hand, Silence.” Adrian was across from him, his body flat against the floor.
“Silence.” Tienan reached for her with his free hand, willing her to take it.
She stared from one man to the other, the tension growing thicker with each passing second. Her breathing was shallow, her skin dotted with perspiration. He knew the weight on her shoulder and arm had to be excruciating. She made no sound, but her skin was pasty white.
“Silence.” Both men called her name at the same time. Tienan glared at the other man, but Adrian wasn’t paying any attention to him. All his focus was on Silence.
Swallowing hard, Tienan gathered his strength and lifted her, praying the material in her jacket was strong. The ripping sound was ominous. Her grip slipped. Tienan worked faster, yanking her upward.
Blood continued to pump from the wound. He was growing weaker by the second. Grabbing her arm with his free hand, he pulled harder.
Adrian swore and scooted around the edge of the hole on his belly until the two men were side by side. Getting a grip on Silence, Adrian pulled. In seconds, Silence was on the floor beside him. Panting hard, he drew her into his arms and held her tight. He could feel her heart hammering against his chest, smell the fear that clung to her skin like a second layer.
He’d almost lost her.
Cupping her face in his hands, he kissed her. Hard. He tasted salty tears as their lips met. Tienan plunged his tongue into her mouth, needing the intimate connection. Her hands slid up his chest, digging into his shoulders.
He winced and Silence pulled away. “Omigod. You’re bleeding. How could I have forgotten you were shot?”
“It doesn’t matter.” He sat up and began to run his hands over her shoulders and arms. “Are you hurt?”
“Tienan.” She shoved his hands aside and scrambled away. He sat on the
“That’s not Adrian.” He noticed she never denied he was a cold-blooded killer. Not that he could blame her. That’s exactly what he was. But he was discovering that he was also much more than that.
Tienan shrugged and stiffened as his shoulder screamed in pain. Deciding that if Adrian was going to kill him, he would have already done so, Tienan carefully pulled off his T-shirt. Silence gasped, but he ignored it as he went to work on a makeshift bandage. Grabbing the hem, he ripped. The material gave way and he tore several long strips. Taking the remainder of the shirt, he folded it into a pad and placed it over the wound. It was awkward trying to tie the strips around the pad but he was determined.
“For the love of god.” Silence started toward him but Adrian grabbed her upper arm, stopping her.
She glared at Adrian. One corner of Tienan’s mouth turned up. He wasn’t the only person she was pissed at. For some reason that made him feel better.
“Let go of me. If Tienan wanted to hurt me, he could have killed me a hundred times over.”
Adrian hesitated but dropped his hand, releasing her. “Keep to the side so I’ll still have a shot.”
Muttering under her breath, she stalked toward him. An ominous crack split the air. Tienan saw her eyes widen and her face pale as the floor suddenly disappeared from beneath her feet. One minute she was there, the next she was gone, plummeting through the opening in the rotted floor.
Tienan lunged forward, all thoughts of his wound forgotten. Fear swamped him as he threw himself to the floor and grabbed for her. He caught the sleeve of her coat and held on. Her hand clamped over his wrist, her fingernails digging into his skin. “Don’t you let go,” he ordered. His shoulder screamed in pain, blood pulsing from the wound.
Her face was completely white as she stared up at him, her body swaying in the void. Below her were piles of rubble, stone and twisted metal. He’d let himself bleed to death before he’d release her.
“Give me your hand, Silence.” Adrian was across from him, his body flat against the floor.
“Silence.” Tienan reached for her with his free hand, willing her to take it.
She stared from one man to the other, the tension growing thicker with each passing second. Her breathing was shallow, her skin dotted with perspiration. He knew the weight on her shoulder and arm had to be excruciating. She made no sound, but her skin was pasty white.
“Silence.” Both men called her name at the same time. Tienan glared at the other man, but Adrian wasn’t paying any attention to him. All his focus was on Silence.
Swallowing hard, Tienan gathered his strength and lifted her, praying the material in her jacket was strong. The ripping sound was ominous. Her grip slipped. Tienan worked faster, yanking her upward.
Blood continued to pump from the wound. He was growing weaker by the second. Grabbing her arm with his free hand, he pulled harder.
Adrian swore and scooted around the edge of the hole on his belly until the two men were side by side. Getting a grip on Silence, Adrian pulled. In seconds, Silence was on the floor beside him. Panting hard, he drew her into his arms and held her tight. He could feel her heart hammering against his chest, smell the fear that clung to her skin like a second layer.
He’d almost lost her.
Cupping her face in his hands, he kissed her. Hard. He tasted salty tears as their lips met. Tienan plunged his tongue into her mouth, needing the intimate connection. Her hands slid up his chest, digging into his shoulders.
He winced and Silence pulled away. “Omigod. You’re bleeding. How could I have forgotten you were shot?”
“It doesn’t matter.” He sat up and began to run his hands over her shoulders and arms. “Are you hurt?”
“Tienan.” She shoved his hands aside and scrambled away. He sat on the
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