“If he’s already here, then what are we doing?” I asked. “Shouldn’t we be leaving? Finding somewhere to hide? What if he knows we’re staying here?” The questions came pouring out in a torrent of fear and panic.

Kade suddenly stopped, hauling me close and taking my face in his hands. The cold metal of his gun pressed against my cheek.

“Listen to me,” he said, his voice low and intent. “I know you’re scared, but you have to trust me. I know this guy. I know what he’ll do. You’re going to be okay. Do you believe that?”

I gazed into his eyes, staring so fixedly into mine, and nodded. How could I explain that it wasn’t me I was worried about? If someone was trying to kill me, it only made sense that they’d try to first take out whoever was trying to protect me.

“Good,” he said. “Because I really need you to be quiet.”

I bit my lip, my gaze dropping in embarrassment as I nodded again.

Kade pressed a kiss to my forehead, then we were moving. Moments later, we were outside our bungalow.

The lights were on inside and Kade pulled me behind him as he silently turned the knob and pushed the door open.

It was quiet inside but although the silence had been peaceful before, it now seemed ominous.

A sudden movement in the bedroom startled me and Kade whipped his gun around, pointing at the maid, who let out a frightened cry.

“Turndown service,” I said quickly, relieved.

“Out,” Kade ordered, and the maid nodded, scurrying past us out the door.

I stood and watched as Kade turned off all the lights, stashing me in a corner without a direct line of sight to me from any window or door.

“You said you knew him,” I said quietly. “Is that true?”

Kade took a bowlful of tiny decorative seashells and began scattering them on the wooden floor in front of the open doors to the beach.

“I killed people for a living, princess,” he said. “It’s a small world.”

“Is he . . . good?” I couldn’t think of another term, though the adjective seemed inappropriate given the profession.

“He’s called the Krait,” Kade said, “after one of the deadliest snakes in the world. It hunts at night, and its bite is almost always fatal.”

Yeah, that wasn’t exactly comforting.

“What’s his real name?” I asked.

“No one knows,” he replied. “Well, I know it, but I doubt many other people do. His name’s John.”

John. A somewhat pedestrian name for a notorious assassin. The stress and tension was getting to me and my bladder decided it needed a timeout. I headed for the bathroom.

“Whoa, wait,” Kade said, stepping in front of me. “Where are you going?”

“I have to use the bathroom,” I said. “Too much water at dinner.” I eyed him. “Is that allowed?” I asked.

“I’ll come with you.”

My mouth dropped open. “Oh no, you won’t!” Yes, Kade was my husband, but I believed there were some things in marriage that should remain a mystery. How I looked while peeing was one of them. “I’ll be quick, I swear,” I promised.

Kade watched as I walked down the hall and into the bathroom. I shut the door behind me and breathed out a sigh. I got that he was trying to protect me, but my nerves were shot and I didn’t know how long it would be like this. Would the guy come tonight?

I flipped on the light just as a hand came down tight over my mouth, stifling my instinctive scream. I was brought back hard against a man’s chest, his arms like iron wrapped around me.

The mirror in front of me reflected the man who held me captive, not dressed as I’d expect in all black but in island garb of khaki pants and a silk aloha shirt. He had a knife to my throat and I could immediately tell by the way he held me that getting away from him wouldn’t be as easy as the move I’d made so long ago in the courthouse.

He was attractive, with sandy-brown hair and blue eyes, but his eyes were cold and emotionless. If I hadn’t known better, I’d have said he was bored, which sent a chill through me.

“Knew you’d come in here eventually,” he said in my ear. I couldn’t place his accent, which caressed the words spoken so calmly. “If you’re quiet and do what I tell you, only you will die tonight. Make a noise, cry for help, and I’ll make sure your boyfriend out there dies, too.”

I was breathing hard, not getting enough air with his hand covering my mouth and nose so tightly, and I gave a jerky nod. Slowly, he removed his hand and I sucked in a lungful of air. I was trembling all over, the knife in his hand glinting in the light, but I didn’t make a sound.

“Good girl,” he said. “Now we’re going to exit through the window. And don’t try running, because I’ll throw this knife and you won’t get five steps, understand?”

I nodded again, tears I refused to let fall filling my eyes. I didn’t want to die, not like this. But I was too afraid to call out for Kade. I was sure I’d be dead in seconds if I did, then would he kill Kade? I couldn’t take that chance.

It took us only a moment to climb outside, then he had hold of my arm and was leading me down the beach, away from the bungalow and hotel. I swallowed, trying to think.

“Where are you taking me?” I asked.

“Somewhere your body will be easily disposed of,” he said. “I just need a finger to prove your identity to my employer. But don’t worry, I’ll wait until you’re dead to take it.”

He spoke so matter-of-factly, reassuring me as to when he’d cut off my finger, it made me want to vomit. It took me a minute or two to fight back the panic and despair.

“You . . . you must be John,” I finally said.

That got a reaction. His head whipped around and he jerked me to a stop.

“What did you just say?” he hissed.

“I . . . I said you must be John,” I repeated, wondering if I’d just made a colossal mistake.

He jerked me closer. “Who told you that name?” he snarled. When I didn’t immediately reply, he shook me. “Tell me now or I swear to God, I’ll slit your throat right here.”

“John, you always were so overly dramatic,” Kade said.

Both of us whirled around in the direction of the voice and I rejoiced even as I panicked. John pulled me in front of him as a shield, the knife pressing into the skin under my right ear. I tried to tip my head up, but the knife stayed steady. If I so much as breathed too hard, it would slice right through me. John wasn’t an amateur at this.

John squinted into the darkness. “Dennon?”

I saw Kade step closer until he was about ten feet away, then he stopped.

“What the hell are you doing here?” John asked. “Don’t tell me we both got sent on the same contract.” Now he sounded irritated. “Bloody hell.”

“Sorry, man,” Kade said with a shrug. “But I was here first.”

John seemed to think about that. “I’ll split it with you,” he offered.

“You can have all of it,” Kade said, taking a few steps closer. “I’m getting paid in a slightly different way.” His eyes traveled down my body and back up, the look in them predatory.

John laughed. “Ah yes, I’d forgotten. You like to play with them first. We have a deal, my friend. I just need a finger, then you can have her.” The knife left my throat and he grabbed my hand.

“I want her intact,” Kade said, his voice colder now. “She’s not much good for fucking if she’s writhing in pain and bleeding all over me.”

John hesitated. “The employer wants proof,” he said with a shrug, and the affability in his voice was gone now, too.

“Since when is the word of the Krait not good enough?” Kade scoffed. “I’d tell him to go fuck himself if I were you.”

John considered and I held my breath, waiting. “You’re right,” he said at last. “I have your word then? She’ll be dead when you’re . . . finished?”

“Since when is my word questioned, either?” Kade growled, menace dripping from the words.

“Sorry, you’re right,” John said. He gave me a shove toward Kade, who wrapped an arm around my waist, dragging me to his side. I tried not to look relieved, which wasn’t hard since I was still terrified.