Snake Eater - THE BRAVO BOYS [book three]

Chapter SIXTY TWO

Logan Nash

Sliding into the sleek leather interior of the sedan, I cast a sceptical eye over the elegantly dressed woman who sits beside me. "Well Rissy, I didn't think ya had it in ya, but you've done it."

The gentle jingle of her gold bangles irk me as she lifts a hand to tuck her blonde bob back behind her ear. "If you're talking about my saving your ass, then yes, I believe I have indeed 'done it'." She smiles smoothly, extremely sure of herself in that annoyingly unknowable way.

Grinding my back teeth, I resist the urge to jump out of the moving car just to save myself the pointless argument. Iris won't be swayed by anything I have to say, and I doubt there's much she could say to make much of a difference to me. We have always existed in a state of stalemate, neither willing to compromise. "You don't fucking own me, no matter what that piece of paper says-"

"Oh please, Logan." She scoffs, breaking from her robotic manner to turn to me with genuine hurt in her soft hazel eyes. "If I were going to extort you I'd have done it years ago and you know it. Or perhaps you don't know me as well as you have convinced yourself. I am not your enemy, darling. I have only ever sought to be your friend."

"What do you want?" Guilty and a little humbled by her jab, I gaze into her stare to find nothing but sincerity there. Iris really had my back today. And it's unfair of me to keep writing her off as the bad guy when time and time again, she has proven herself to have more integrity than I have ever given her credit for.

"The same thing I have always wanted." Iris smiles hopefully. "Unity. I want you to help me do what is right and secure a future for the people you love. For that dear girl, Dallas, or for Shelby and-" Iris stops herself short, letting out a pensive sigh. "Don't you want to shape a better world? Don't you want justice? Don't you want a family?"

"Obviously I want that." I growl, insulted that she would imply otherwise. Up until recently, taking care of my niece had been my highest priority, and meeting Shleby hasn't changed that. It had however expanded the list of people that I love and feel duty bound to protect. "But I don't know if I believe that's what you're doing. Specter is no better than Sabre corp. I've seen your brand of justice Iris, it ain't always clean. All the killing- I just-"

"Let me ask you this, darling-" Iris folds her hands gracefully in her lap as she scrutinises me with intuitive eyes and an unsettling stare. "Would you have blamed Shelby if it had been her instead of me who killed the Moskal Mercenary who shot you and attacked her that night?"

"Of course not!" I bark, a defensive anger clawing at my chest at the mere suggestion Shelby is anything less than innocent. I know she acted in self defence, not to mention the horrors that monster had subjected her to years ago.

No, that man deserved everything he got. I don't care if it makes me a hypocrite, I am glad Iris blew his brains out.

"Yet you so easily blame yourself." She sadly shakes her head, her almond gaze softening to sympathetic.

"Blame myself for what?" I scoff, screwing up my nose at her nonsense.

"For killing Mathew Carson when you were fifteen years old." She speaks so matter of fact, as if she hadn't just brought up the memory that still haunts me to this day. "You know, that wasn't your fault, Logan. What those men did to you is unforgivable-"

My blood runs cold and an accusatory snarl curls my lips. "How do you know about that?"

"Just like you, I am extremely good at my job, darling." Iris reaches across, placing her hand on my shoulder with a gentle pat. "And just like you, I would go to great lengths to protect the people I care about."