His Secret Assassin

Chapter 2: Kiara

That had to have been him. I could feel someone watching me after the assholes had left me, and when I'd seen the glare of something in the window at the building across the street, I knew. Matias, also known as The Savage, was in that room, and he was watching me. I'd know the glare of binoculars anywhere because of my training, but it'd been smart on his end to not move or it would've given him away to anyone who didn't already know what they were looking at. I'd stared just long enough for it to seem like I was trying to find something, and then look away like it'd been nothing after all.

My heart was beating hard but I kept my breathing and face impassive, not giving anything away. I had to seem like I was a victim, delicate, and as sweet as my face led most people to believe. I couldn't bring myself to act completely helpless though, so there weren't going to be any tears from me. I clenched my teeth at being tied up like this and then winced slightly, the throbbing in my right cheek intensifying for a moment and pissing me off all over again.

The second he'd raised his hand I knew he was going to hit me and I had to bite back years of training and instinct to prevent him from doing it. I could've easily grabbed onto the chains I was hanging from and levered myself up, wrapping my legs around his neck and yanking him at just the right angle to break it. I saw it happening in my mind in the split second before his fist landed on my face, but I let him follow through. I had a bigger purpose here. The anger I had for the weasel who hit me was nothing compared to what I felt for the man who'd killed my family, and Matias was the key to getting my revenge for them.

Out of the corner of my eye I checked the window I'd caught him watching from, but didn't see any movement. I didn't feel his eyes on my body anymore either, so I assumed he'd left for the time being. I opened my eyes fully and scanned the room again. Even though they'd brought me to the house and into this room blindfolded, I knew exactly where I was. I was an expert at two things: knives, and intel. I obviously couldn't bring my knives with me or the fools I let capture me would've been suspicious of my motives for landing in their club.

What they didn't know was that I already knew who they were, that they were human traffickers whose clients didn't care if the girls were a bit roughed up. God it pissed me off to not carve these guys up immediately.

"Peace is on the horizon, peace is on the horizon," I repeated in a quiet whisper for what seemed like the millionth time in the last two hours. It was the only thing that kept me here, kept these sickos alive for the moment. I'd been surprised when I found out what Matias's latest contract was for. He was known as The Savage in circles like ours, and was hired for a myriad of jobs. I'd heard that he never took contracts that involved women or children, and something about that had made me hesitate. I didn't want Matias's life, I only wanted his mentor's. I didn't know how a man who murdered my innocent family was able to train someone who still had some morals, but I suppose we aren't our teachers.

Either way, this line drawn by Matias had made me believe that I'd be safe in his hands. I could let myself be caught by his current target, then pretend to need help to the extent where he would have to include me in his life when he made his move. I didn't need or want forever- I only needed him to get to his mentor. He was a means to an end, that's all.

My mind drifted back to the one photo I'd been able to find of him. He was thickly packed with muscle, with dark hair and eyes, his skin a perpetual tan from his Hispanic heritage. He had three lines of scars that ran from his temple to just over his jaw, and that was something I'd been curious about since seeing them. There were multiple stories about how he'd gotten the scars, and with his reputation they all seemed likely. Maybe I'd get the chance to ask him about it, possibly even feel it under my fingertips...

I shook my head to rid myself of that train of thought. No use letting myself be attracted to him. Sure, he was gorgeous in a primal, deadly way that I appreciated very much. But he was a target, and there was no room for attraction, not even for a surprisingly delicious savage like him.