Page 53 of Take

“YOURS?” MY STOMACH CHURNED AS my eyes shot to Jasper. He slowly raised his head and I knew. I knew in that second he was aware of my ability to heal Inks. He’d known all along. I felt as if I was rolling down the mountain out of control, my limbs flailing to latch onto something.

Jasper’s Ink was dead. His tatted arms had no scars, no cuts. I’d have seen them when we were together. But Inks could die from other reasons.

“Max.” Jasper rose and started toward me.

I held up my hand to stop him and he did, although he scowled and clenched his jaw and I knew he didn’t want to. “Tell me I’m wrong.” I ignored, who I suspected was his brother, watching us. “Tell me what I’m thinking isn’t true.”

He remained unmoving, mouth pulled tight, eyes drained of playfulness and the speck of darkness spreading across the glistening surface. His silence made me angrier because I wanted an excuse. I wanted him to tell me it wasn’t true. God, I wanted him to lie if he had to. And that made me angrier that I’d be so pathetic to want him to lie to me. But after last night . . . I didn’t want to lose what we shared and I was. All of it was crumbling and falling down the mountain with me.

“What? You’re afraid of telling me? Man the fuck up, Jasper.”

His brother quietly got up and walked out the front door. Jasper stayed where he was, watching me as I pieced it together. With his silence came the truth. He didn’t need to say anything; it fit perfectly.

Why he was chosen to protect me when he was an assassin not a babysitter.

Why he cared that I stayed alive.

Why he had asked about my Ink.

He knew.

He knew what I was capable of and wanted to use me to heal his Ink.

Just like Drake.

I swallowed, raising my chin, unblinking as I met his unyielding stare. I wouldn’t be the one to falter and I wouldn’t be used. I’d been used for six years by Drake and then locked myself away from living.

“Max.” His accent was more pronounced as his voice sliced through me.

I wanted to run. To do what I was good at and conceal my emotions behind a shield of ice, but he’d torn through that and given me a taste of living, of feeling and despite the hurt that came with it, I wanted my life back and yeah, I wanted the truth—needed it. “Don’t you dare lie to me.”

His eyes never left mine as he strode across the room, the usual cocky swagger gone, but still self-assured. This time I didn’t stop him, and from his fierce expression I didn’t think he’d listen anyway.

He stopped inches away and my breath locked in my chest as I felt him. I felt him, damn it. He was in me. It was too late to stop any hurt as the web of betrayal spread through me.

Was that why he had sex with me? Why he’d kissed me? Why he’d held me in his arms when I broke?

“No. I see it in your eyes, Max. Don’t even go there.” He grabbed my forearms, fingers curling into me and I wanted to fall into his arms and . . . cry. I wanted to cry and that made me hate him more. “Stop.” He shook me once, fingers bruising. “I slept with you because I wanted you. Fuck, I still do. It has nothing to do with . . .” He swore beneath his breath then let me go and ran his hand through his hair as his expression tightened as if in pain. “The payment.”

It was like he punched me in the stomach and I was winded as he said the words. His payment wasn’t money; it was my ability.

I reached out and placed my hand on the wall for support. I bit the insides of my cheeks as the tears welled. I was being used in some deal. I didn’t even know anyone else knew about my ability and they used it to convince Jasper to protect me from Drake. How many more lies? What else was he keeping from me?

“Damn it, Max. It’s what I do. I’ve never pretended otherwise. I just . . . I didn’t know that . . .”

His voice trailed off and I closed my eyes, unable to look at the man I thought was . . . different. My expectations had been too high and I’d thought . . . I’d seen something else in him. Felt the melting of his outer core to reveal someone hurting. Hiding. But it wasn’t an outer core. It was his whole core.

I wanted him gone. “Then let’s do it.”

“What?”

“Why wait until your two weeks are up. That’s when I’ll have to give you—the payment—for saving my life for two weeks, right? That’s the deal?” I took my hand away from the wall. “Why wait. Let’s get it done and then you can go on your merry fucking way.” I glared, meeting his startled eyes. “What? You suddenly growing a conscience? We both know that’s impossible.”

He stood frozen, muscles flexed, hands at his side curled into fists. But it wasn’t anger; it was shock and I wanted to silently cheer, but nothing could make me happy at the moment. I knew he was bad news. I knew what he was like. I fucking knew he was tainted, yet I had seen more in him. At least I thought I had.

“What? You want more? Did the deal include sex with me afterward? Well, you got it before. You don’t get to touch me again. You don’t get to protect me. And you sure as hell don’t get to use me again.” I shoved my palms into his chest and he staggered back a step, but he didn’t make a move to touch me. “I’ll heal your Ink and then you walk away. That’s my fucking deal.”

I heard the front door open, but kept my focus on Jasper. I saw the cavalcade of emotions whirlpooling in his eyes as my words hit him. The rage mixed with disbelief and . . . pain. I didn’t think Jasper could feel that emotion any longer, but I was glad. I wanted Jasper to hurt.