Total pages in book: 92
Estimated words: 84544 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 423(@200wpm)___ 338(@250wpm)___ 282(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 84544 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 423(@200wpm)___ 338(@250wpm)___ 282(@300wpm)
But if he had any say in the matter, when they ran out the door, Kairo was planning to shoot every motherfucker who’d laid a hand on Isidore.
No one was ever touching that man again.
6
ISIDORE PANOPOULOS
He liked watching Kairo work.
Right now, the mercenary was seated at the desk positioned against one of the walls, the afternoon sunlight gilding his profile, bringing out the paler brown tones in his hair and warming his skin. Such a handsome man with gentle eyes and an inviting smile.
In quiet moments like these, it was hard to believe Kairo was a mercenary. To Izzie, he looked like he had an artistic soul. That he should have a paintbrush in hand or maybe a chisel and hammer.
But guns and computers? He couldn’t see it.
Kairo turned his head slightly toward him and one side of his mouth lifted in a grin that immediately added the most perfect crease to the corner of Kairo’s eye. Delight took flight in Isidore’s heart. There was nothing between them. There never would be. But Isidore had been through enough in his life to learn to cherish the beautiful moments while he could. To hold them tight in his heart before they vanished forever. And Kairo’s smile, this quiet moment, was something to be treasured even if they were both being held prisoner and were in mortal danger every second they spent there.
The last twenty-four hours since Kairo’s meeting with Vanko had been peaceful. He’d been able to spend an entire hour chatting with Athena and no one had come in to harass him. It felt like some of his bruises were starting to heal. Today was going to be a good day.
“You must be so bored,” Kairo murmured, turning his gaze back to the sheet of paper he’d been writing on.
This morning, he’d written up a list of things he required to build the computer for his hack. Now he was supposedly mapping out a plan for the hack that he swore was never going to happen. Kairo had explained some of the intricate steps he would have to do if they were really going to steal the algorithm. He’d been alight with such intense joy, but most of the words had gone straight over Isidore’s head. Computers were not his thing.
“Actually, you’re far more entertaining than you might guess. Before you arrived, I spent a lot of time staring at the walls, trying to remember some of my favorite movies and books scene by scene.”
A nearly silent laugh escaped Kairo, and he shook his head while the smile on his lips widened.
“May I ask…how did you get into this line of work?” He quickly followed up, waving both of his hands at him. “You don’t have to answer, of course, if you’re not comfortable. I understand if it’s a secret or very personal.”
Kairo put his pen down and sat back in the uncomfortable wooden chair, stretching his arms over his head. He’d shed the long-sleeved shirt he’d been wearing in Uruguay and was in just the white undershirt he had. While the air conditioning in the house was very good, they were still at the top of the three-story house, and the room was stuffy.
Not that Isidore was complaining. He liked the way the white T-shirt looked against Kairo’s dusky skin, giving him a good view of muscled arms and powerful shoulders. As he stretched, the hem rode up, giving a tantalizing glimpse of a flat stomach, but he tried hard not to stare.
Well, okay, maybe he didn’t try that hard.
“I spent some time in the Army as part of recon. I learned a lot about research, scouting, infiltration, and people, but my specialty quickly turned out to be computers. I was good at sneaking inside of secret systems and stealing information for my team. From there, I was recruited—” He stopped and glanced over his shoulder toward the door as if trying to determine if the guard assigned to watch them was eavesdropping.
To Isidore’s shock, Kairo got up and walked over to his bed. He sat down on the mattress directly beside Isidore and leaned his shoulders back against the wall. Grinning broadly, Isidore repositioned himself so that he mirrored Kairo, their shoulders nearly brushing. This felt like two old friends sharing secrets, and he loved it.
“You were recruited?” Isidore prompted in a whisper.
“By the CIA.”
His mouth hung open in the most unattractive fashion, but he couldn’t close it. At least not for a full two seconds. That wasn’t what he’d been expecting Kairo to say. Everyone had heard of the American bogeyman. And Kairo was part of that group at one time? Was he even allowed to tell people that?
“Are…are you allowed to say that? And well, don’t you have to kill me now?”
Kairo cocked his head to the side, joy and speculation filling his eyes. “You don’t even question what I told you. You just believe me.”