Loyal by Default: Legacy of Carter Reed (Assassin's Heart #2)

by K.C. Mills

“Then after we finish what we’re doing, you should call your mother back.”

“...

“These men of ours act like we can’t inhale if they don’t exhale for us.”

“Is it bad that I like how protective he is?”

“Absolutely not. It’s the best part of being with a man who truly loves and respects you.”

“My father always told me names don’t matter. Your bloodline defines your existence. He hardly ever called me Carter. He called me…”

“It makes perfect sense. Kessler said my mother’s family put the hit on her, not Jessup. What if they are her family? What if my parents were running from them?”

Angels of Death.

“Protecting you.” “Hiding me.” From her family. And I need to know why.

“I can tell you whatever you need to know, Kenni.” His gaze was on her once more.

“You can but you’ll only tell me what you feel I need to know and maybe that’s not always going to be enough. You also can’t tell me from a woman’s perspective.”

“You’ll keep things from me to make sure I don’t worry. She’ll tell me things that will teach me how to navigate so I can manage my fears.”

“I’m gonna empty a clip in whoever killed my mother,”

“You should.”

“There’s no running from me.”

“But I care enough about you to let you leave, if that’s really what you want.”

“It’s...

I cou...

She didn’t argue or object. She followed Carter back to the car and let him take her home but the entire time all she could think was, she was already home.

With him…

“Bitch, you just gave me the very soft and buttery slices of bread but that’s it. I need the filling and condiments. You can’t just give me the bread, McKenna.”

He killed people and people wanted to kill him… and by default, her.

for you. A man who can’t stand for his woman to give her time to anybody

He wasn’t a heartless man, but he also felt little to no remorse about most of his kills he was commissioned for.

Having her here in his bed brought a sense of normalcy to his life that hadn’t existed before.

He craved it, felt he wouldn’t know how to survive without it, even though she had barely been in his life. Regardless, it w...

Revenge was one thing but knowing how he would execute that plan hadn’t been worked out.

What he liked even less than someone telling McKenna how to function in their relationship was McKenna feeling like she had to oblige. Her rules were the only ones that mattered. It didn’t mean he would always concede but he wanted each decision she made when dealing with him to be her own.

“I had something they wanted, they had something I wanted.”

“Wait, if you tell me we’re here to see your mystery child in a rec basketball game I’m gonna fucking murder you.”

“I do. It’s a flower,”

Carter didn’t need luck. Whatever future he wanted with McKenna he was more than willing to do the work to secure.

He watched her in a way no one had ever in her life. Like he’d murder any man that tried to touch her in pleasure or malice. He would.

He also watched her with ownership. There was no mistaking she belonged to him and not in the way where she was a possession, but in a way that promised her happiness was his to evoke, her safety was his to secure, and her body was his to satisfy.

Carter was sure he had never in his life witnessed a thing or person more beautiful than her, so free and unguarded in this moment. She was happy. So fucking happy and he was the reason.

“I didn’t want this.”

“I know.”

“But now, I don’t know how to not want this.”

I fucking want you and...

“I k...

“Me ...

“You wanted to know about my parents?” “I do,”

“They were happy. He loved her, she loved him, they loved me. It worked. No matter what was happening on the outside of their lives, together they worked. This will work for us. I’ll do everything in my fucking power to make sure it does.”

“Me ...

“Especially if that’s the reason. This is about your parents. I get you think you have it all figured out and you don’t need anyone but you need me. Everything you’re doing right now, all the decisions you’re making, are driven by emotions you haven’t processed yet. You can’t begin to make sense of how you’ll feel after you do whatever you’re going to do. I’m your balance, Carter.”

“Revenge rarely ever provides the peace and satisfaction you’re seeking.

You go in and do this, then what?”

“I move on with my life.”

Years ago, moving on looked much different than it did now. Now she was his life. She was what was next.

“But he would be so fucking proud, regardless. No matter what, know that.”