A knife flies past me.
Reflex has me jumping back and drawing my gun.
“Hans!” Cassie shouts.
And Toto starts barking his ass off.
Payton scoops up her dog, causing him to quiet, as Cassie hurries around the island to her deranged boyfriend, who has another throwing knife in his hand.
The first knife, the one that flew in front of my face, is buried in some sort of cutting board in the center of the island. The tip of the blade stuck in the wooden surface with the handle sticking up between Nero’s outstretched hand and the stack of cookies.
Hans’s jaw is clenched tight, and Cassie steps directly in front of him, putting both her hands on his chest. “Baby, we’re guests here. I made these for everyone.”
I move my gaze over to King and mouth the word Baby.
He just rolls his eyes and shakes his head.
“But you made them.” Hans’s voice is a growl, and I start to second-guess myself as I slide my gun back into its holster.
He might not be a bad guy, but this dude has probably killed more than any two of us combined. And he seems just as fucking unhinged as Nero. Maybe more. Which is saying something.
Nero reaches forward, and Hans twitches, like he’s ready to throw the second blade. But this time, I doubt he’ll be aiming for an inanimate object.
Little Cassie, in her band shirt and ponytail, reaches up and grips Hans by the face with both hands.
He slowly lowers his eyes to hers, and only because I’m so fucking curious, and listening so fucking hard, do I hear her whisper. “That’s one.”
I roll my lips into my mouth and bite down on them to keep from busting out laughing. She just fucking scolded the ghost man for throwing a fit over some cookies.
Goddamn, it’s gonna be fun having them around.
Wood creaks, and we all look over to see that Nero just pulled the knife out of the board.
“Be careful,” his wife warns him as he presses his thumb pad to the tip of the blade.
“Throwing blades, huh?” Nero asks, then balances the knife on the edge of his palm, testing the weight. “These are nice.”
Hans slowly slides the knife he was prepared to throw back into the holder at his waist. “I know. They’re custom.”
Nero tosses the blade into the air and catches it.
“Be careful!” Payton hisses again. And rightfully so. I don’t think any of us are qualified to fuck around with throwing knives.
Cassie lowers her hands from Hans’s cheeks and turns back to face the rest of us, with her body directly in front of Hans. I’m not sure if she’s trying to block us from going after him or blocking him from doing anything else crazy.
Either way, it’s appreciated.
“You gonna give that back?” Hans nods his head to the knife in Nero’s hand.
Nero uses his free hand to pick up one of the cookies that started this whole standoff. He takes a bite, then uses the tip of his blade to point at Hans’s hip. “You gonna tell me what that pile of notes in your pocket is all about?”
I swear I hear Hans’s teeth grind.
“Seems like no all around then.” Nero grins around another bite of cookie.
I hadn’t even noticed the corners of paper sticking out of Hans’s pocket.
Cassie breaks the silence first as she uses her hand to shove the pieces of paper deeper into Hans’s pocket. “He’s a little particular about these.”
“Oh?” I ask, not able to help myself.
She looks up at me. “Well, he beheaded the last guy who touched them. And that was only a few hours ago, so probably best not to poke the bear.” When she refers to him as a bear, I watch Hans dart his gaze to her. “Plus, they’re just notes from me. Nothing to do with the mission. Or whatever you call it. But, please”—she waves her hands toward the island—“have some cookies. I made them as a thank-you for the hospitality.”
Before we split off into the office, we agreed that it was easiest, and safest, for the two of them to stay here for the night. Even with Val and me using one of the guest rooms, it’s not like there’s a shortage of space.
I see Savannah trying not to laugh as she reaches for one of the cookies.
Apparently everyone here is so used to absurd behavior we’re just going to brush off the whole knife-throwing thing.
Val takes a cookie next, then King, and before I can move to grab one, Hans stomps around Cassie and picks up three. Then another two.
He hands one to Cassie, then shoves two into his mouth—at the same time.
“How’d you behead him?” Nero asks, still holding the small knife.
“Schmord,” Hans replies with his mouth full of cookies.
“What was that?”
Hans stares at Nero while he chews. When he’s swallowed enough to talk again, he answers. “A sword.”
“Seriously?” I’m the one to ask it. Because fucking seriously?
Hans nods. “A katana.” Then he shoves the third cookie into his mouth.
“You bring it with you?” Nero’s eyes are way too interested.
I shake my head. This cheap bastard is gonna try to get a free sword out of Hans, and I give it a fifty-fifty shot that either Nero gets one or Hans tries to kill him with one.
And if those two go head-to-head in a fucking sword fight, my money is on the guy who looks like a damn Viking.
